Chest pain can last for a few minutes or hours. In some cases, it can last six months or longer.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
If the pain becomes continuous, seek medical attention immediately and consider calling 911. If you have chest pain constantly for several days, weeks or months, it is unlikely to be caused by a heart attack. Heart pain is usually not sharp or stabbing.
Heart attack symptoms can last for days
Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Arm, shoulder, and/or jaw pain. Nausea.
Can Heart Attack Symptoms Last for Days? While many heart attacks occur suddenly, warning signs such as recurrent chest pain may occur days or even weeks in advance.
Chest Pain, Pressure, Fullness, or Discomfort
Most heart attacks actually involve only mild pain or discomfort in the center of your chest. You may also feel pressure, squeezing, or fullness. These symptoms usually start slowly, and they may go away and come back.
Usually, chest pain is less likely due to a heart problem if it happens with: A sour taste or a sensation of food reentering the mouth. Trouble swallowing. Pain that gets better or worse when you change body position.
Pre-Heart Attack Symptoms – Female
Men may feel pain and numbness in the left arm or the side of the chest. In women, these symptoms may appear on the right side. Women may experience unexplained exhaustion, or feel drained, dizzy or nauseous. Women may feel upper back pain that travels up into their jaw.
Signs of a heart attack include:
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. - Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. - Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. (If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.)
If you have chest pain that does not go away, call 9-1-1 immediately. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs if an area of your heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. It is a common symptom of coronary heart disease, which limits or cuts off blood flow to the heart.
Immediate action required: Phone 999 immediately if: You or someone else has symptoms like: central chest pain or discomfort in the chest that doesn't go away – it may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing. pain that radiates down the left arm, or both arms, or to the neck, jaw, back or stomach.
You want to call 911 if you are having sudden, crushing chest pain or if your chest pain radiates into the jaw or the left arm. You want to call 911 if your chest pain also causes shortness of breath, or dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.
Does the pain change while taking a deep breath or exhaling? Cardiac • Cardiac pain does not change during deep breathing. Muscular • Deep breathing can cause sharp, shooting pain (if the discomfort starts in the muscle).
Symptoms can occur on and off for weeks, months or even years, but bouts are short-lived and can be relieved by rest. Usually comes on suddenly, is not relieved by rest, and is typically accompanied by other symptoms.
Typical heart attack symptoms
This discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness or squeezing in the chest lasting more than a few minutes. This discomfort may come and go.
A heart attack may strike suddenly, but most people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks beforehand. One of the earliest warning signs of an impending heart attack is chest pain, or angina, that occurs repeatedly because of exertion and is then eased by rest.
Some heart attacks strike suddenly. But many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. Chest pain or pressure (angina) that keeps happening and doesn't go away with rest may be an early warning sign.
A heart attack is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked. Warning signs that occur a month beforehand could be chest discomfort, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
“I understand that heart attacks have beginnings and on occasion, signs of an impending heart attack may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, shoulder and/or arm pain and weakness. These may occur hours or weeks before the actual heart attack.
In most people, noncardiac chest pain is actually related to a problem with their esophagus, most often gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Stress, anxiety and depression can also manifest as chronic chest pain.
What does myocarditis chest pain feel like? It's common to feel a sensation of tightness or squeezing in the chest, either when at rest or when active. It could also happen if you're lying down. You may have chest pain that feels sharp or stabbing, and chest pain/discomfort may spread to other parts of your body.
Some of the most common non-cardiac conditions that can feel like a heart attack include: Heartburn: One of the most frequent causes of chest pain is a type of indigestion that can feel as though your heart is on fire yet has nothing to do with the heart.