<h3>What is the chest?</h3> <p>The chest is the part of your body between your neck and your abdomen (belly). The medical term for your chest is thorax.</p> <p>Your chest holds many important structures for breathing, digestion, blood circulation, and other important body functions. These structures include your:</p> <ul> <li>Ribs and breastbone</li> <li>Esophagus, the tube between your mouth and stomach</li> <li>Trachea, your windpipe</li> <li>Bronchi, the tubes that carry air from your windpipe to your lungs</li> <li>Lungs</li> <li>Pleura, a thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the inside wall of the chest space</li> <li>Heart and large blood vessels</li> <li>Thymus, a gland that's part of your immune system</li> <li>Nerves</li> </ul> <h3>What are chest injuries and disorders?</h3> <p>Chest injuries and disorders are problems that affect any of the organs or structures located in your chest.</p> <p>There are many types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:</p> <ul> <li>Broken ribs</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/esophagusdisorders.html">Esophagus disorders</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/swallowingdisorders.html">Swallowing disorders</a>, also called dysphagia</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/trachealdisorders.html">Tracheal disorders</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bronchialdisorders.html">Bronchial disorders</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lungdiseases.html">Lung diseases</a> and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/collapsedlung.html">collapsed lung</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/pleuraldisorders.html">Pleural disorders</a></li> <li>Heart diseases</li> <li>Mediastinal diseases, which are tumors, inflammation, and other problems with the structures in the mediastinum, which is the space between your lungs, breastbone, and spine</li> <li>Thoracic <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/aorticaneurysm.html">aortic aneurysm</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/thoracicoutletsyndrome.html">Thoracic outlet syndrome</a></li> </ul> <p>Chest injuries may happen from the force of car accidents, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/falls.html">falls</a>, or <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sportsinjuries.html">sports injuries</a>. Or the chest may be pierced by a bullet or sharp object. Because your chest holds so many important structures, certain chest injuries may be life-threatening.</p> <h3>How are chest injuries and disorders diagnosed?</h3> <p>Diagnosis of chest injuries or disorders depends on the type of symptoms you're having and whether you've had a chest injury. Injuries are usually obvious, but in most cases, you'll need tests to know how serious an injury is.</p> <p>There are many types of tests for diagnosing different types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/diagnosticimaging.html">Diagnostic imaging tests</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/hearthealthtests.html">Heart tests</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/lung-function-tests/">Lung function tests</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/bronchoscopy-and-bronchoalveolar-lavage-bal/">Bronchoscopy</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/pleural-fluid-analysis/">Pleural fluid analysis</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/dysphagia-tests/">Dysphagia tests</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/biopsy.html">Biopsy</a></li> </ul> <p>Treatments will depend on the type of chest injury or disorder you have.</p>