Western Medicine has many sophisticated machines and tests available to help them determine if a heart attack may be imminent. Unfortunately, even with the most sophisticated medical technology available today, cardiologists cannot accurately predict heart attacks. A chest x-ray and blood test are routinely performed to help Western Medicine diagnose the cause of chest pain. If angina is suspected, an electrocardiogram and stress test may be scheduled to assist with their diagnosis.

Treatment for chest pain often includes the use of aspirin or blood thinning drugs. Angina attacks are treated with medications such as beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. A catheter with a balloon on its tip (angioplasty) may be used on a segment of an artery that is narrowed. Coronary artery bypass surgery may be performed if the left main coronary artery is blocked or if several major arteries are diseased.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has diagnostic methods to differentiate the different causes of heart pain without the use of radiation or blood tests. A pain which runs from the chest to the back and from the back to the chest is one particular type of chest pain. Excessive thick fluid which encloses the pericardium is the root cause of this type of heart disease and cannot be seen on x-rays. This type of chest pain is a warning sign of a special type of heart disease (nor coronary artery disease). If an individual allows this symptom to run its course for a year, this disease will invariably lead to a heart attack.

Traditional Chinese Medicine treats this particular type of chest pain with natural herbal medicines. Herbal medicines are used to eliminate the thick fluid around the pericardium and to strengthen the heart. By correctly diagnosing the problem, chest pain can be eliminated without the harsh side effects of drugs or invasive surgical procedures.