Acute and chronic diseases – overview

This page explains in a simple way, using examples which acute or chronic diseases can be associated with which symptoms. Please note that reading this information cannot replace a visit to the doctor.

Please do not self-diagnose

The internet did not study medicine and is not a doctor. In principle, it is to be welcomed that patients inform themselves about their health – especially about keeping fit and staying healthy. In case of a cold, it may be helpful to google the internet for home remedies. Generally accessible patient information however should not lead to someone making potentially critical health decisions without medical supervision. In case of doubt, please visit our practice so that we can clarify what you may be suffering from.

Skipped heartbeat what to watch out for?

Our patients frequently report cardiac palpitations. The medical term is extrasystole (literally translated: additional heartbeat). Most extrasystoles go unnoticed because they remain inconspicuous or occur whilst sleeping. But sometimes you get the impression that your heart stops or starts racing. This can be worrying, but it is not necessarily a cause for concern.

Cardiac rhythm

Wie oft das Herz pro Minute schlägt, hängt von vielen Faktoren ab:

• The frequency of heart beats per minute depends on many factors:
• Levels of physical activity
• Blood pressure
• Factors like stress, fear, but also joy
• Electrolyte supply

As you can see, there are several things that can throw the heart out of sync. You should also consider how much your heart works day and night. It’s no wonder that this large muscle can occasionally get a little out of sync.

Are cardiac palpitations life-threatening?

Time and again patients ask whether extrasystoles are dangerous. As a cardiologist with many years of practical experience, I have noticed that occasional cardiac palpitations are usually harmless if no heart disease is present and if there is no associated dizziness, shortness of breath or other complaints.

When to see a doctor?

You should seek a cardiological check-up under the following circumstances:

• If the cardiac palpitations occur more frequently
• If cardiac palpitations repeatedly occur during or after exercise or physical exertions
• In case of recurrent extrasystoles lasting longer than 30 seconds
• If cardiac palpitations are associated with, for example, dizziness, chest pain due to angina pectoris (temporary narrowing of the heart), nausea or shortness of breath

Conclusion: If you repeatedly experience noticeable cardiac arrhythmias or irregular beating of the heart, you should check if your heart stumbles pose any potential medical threats. Come to the practice and we will check if you need treatment and how we can help you.

Chest pain

There are many types of chest pains. Our patients have described for example:

• Twinges in the chest
• Tight chests
• Tearing or burning pain
• Chest tightness and shortness of breath

Not always a heart attack

Chest pains do not always indicate a heart attack. There are many cases in cardiological practice where the cause of chest pain is not due to cardiac disease or defects. These include:

• A blocked thoracic vertebra
• A blockage of the ribs
• Tension and irritation, e.g. after heavy physical exertion
• A reflux dysfunction
• Irregular or excessive breathing activity
• Fears, stress, deadline pressures, unresolved conflicts

The blockage of a thoracic vertebra or rib can fir example be remedied by osteopathic treatment. Excessive stress can be relieved by solution-oriented therapy. In such cases, the chest pains can quickly subside and pass.

When can chest pain be life-threatening?

The following chest pain related indications require emergency treatment:

• Chest pain due to angina pectoris. A temporary circulatory disorder of the heart (angina pectoris), also described as chest tightness, can be caused by narrowed coronary arteries that are no longer well supplied with blood. This type of chest pain occurs particularly in cases of physical exertion.
• Chest pain due to heart attack: If a blood clot forms and gets stuck in a coronary artery it can no longer be well-drained and parts of the heart muscles may die due to a lack of blood supply. The symptoms of a heart attack are sudden, almost unbearable, stabbing pains in the chest area, combined with a feeling of tightness, breaking into sweats, fear of death, nausea and shortness of breath.
• Chest pain due to high blood pressure is also an alarm signal
• Cardiac arrhythmias can be painful – these must be treated cardiologically

Other causes of chest pain are also possible, such as a pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, pneumothorax (collapse of a lung), pericarditis or a tear in the aorta (aortic dissection), to name but a few.

As you can see: It’s impossible to attribute the causes of chest pain to a specific case by remote diagnosis. In case of doubt always consult a doctor or call the emergency services outside of office hours.

Influenza infections

Some call it a flu-like infection, others just call it a cold. Flu-like infections are infectious diseases of the upper airways. The severity and duration of a “flu” (the term flu is colloquial, but medically not quite correct) depends on the virus that caused it.

How long does a cold last?

The length of a cold depends on the severity of the infection. If symptoms persist longer than the typical times that you associated with a flu in the past come to our praxis.

Allergies

Allergies have become widespread. Grasses, dust mites and pollen can cause the nose to be blocked even at night. Patients have trouble breathing easily. The eyes itch, breathing problems (asthma) occur. The skin reddens and begins to itch. Click here for our allergy diagnosis and treatment page.

Headaches

The brain itself cannot feel pain. When we talk about headaches, we always refer to the surrounding blood vessels, which for example can contract due to tension and so cause pain.

Dizziness

Rotational vertigo, swaying vertigo or positional vertigo – any of these can be very unpleasant and in extreme cases can result in an inability to stand. There can be many different causes for this at both a physical and psychological level. Dizziness can also have psychosomatic causes. The body’s normal processes are highly complex. It is not surprising if a feeling of dizziness occurs when someone’s metabolism or everyday life gets out of balance. Dizziness can of course also be due to other reasons. We can help find out the causes of your dizziness.

Digestive problems

Human metabolism and digestion are highly interactive and part of a very complex system. More recently the intestines have been referred to as the “second brain”. It would be too simplistic to blame all digestive problems on an upset stomach. Problems with digestion are therefore also a focus for our differentiated, holistic diagnostic approach.

Chronic Coughing

Persistent coughing can have many causes:

• Chronic diseases of the upper airways and lungs
• Gastrointestinal reflux
• Allergies
• Side effects of medication.

If organic causes can be excluded, we also take a look at possible psychosomatic causes. Not infrequently, a cough – similar to a skin rash – is also a sign of something that wants to express itself in a person but is “not heard”.