All chest pain should be checked out by a healthcare professional. They can determine if it's angina, heart attack pain, or something else. Chest pain isn't always caused by a heart attack. Some causes can be mild, like heartburn, others can be dangerous, like pancreatitis.
Symptoms that suggest another problem
More often than not, chest pain does not signal a heart attack. A study of emergency room visits found that less than 6% of patients arriving with chest pain had a life-threatening heart issue.
Most chest pain is not a sign of anything serious but you should get medical advice just in case. Get immediate medical help if you think you're having a 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.
Heartburn, angina and heart attack may feel very much alike. Even experienced doctors can't always tell the difference from your medical history and a physical exam. That's why, if you go to the emergency room because of chest pain, you'll immediately have tests to rule out a heart attack.
Heart-related chest pain
Crushing or searing pain that spreads to your back, neck, jaw, shoulders, and one or both arms. Pain that lasts more than a few minutes, gets worse with activity, goes away and comes back, or varies in intensity. Shortness of breath. Cold sweats.
Possible causes include an injury, acid reflux, a heart or lung problem, and an infection, such as pneumonia. Some causes of right sided chest pain, such as muscle strain, go away without treatment within a few days. However, chest pain can also stem from a more serious condition, including a heart or lung issue.
When you're anxious, your brain sends a surge of adrenaline and cortisol through your body. These hormones immediately trigger a rapid rise in your heart rate and blood pressure. As a result, many people experience chest pain and sweating, or have a hard time breathing.
Sometimes chest pain is just chest pain. Sometimes it's only a muscle strain, heartburn or bronchitis. More often than not there are benign reasons, but you should be evaluated by a healthcare professional if you're worried. Chest pain can signal a serious condition, heart-related or otherwise.
The pain of a heart attack differs from that of a strained chest muscle. A heart attack may cause a dull pain or an uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the chest. Usually, the pain begins in the center of the chest, and it may radiate outward to one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Chest pain can stem from many health issues. Some are quite serious, while others may be nothing to worry about. Sometimes, chest pain indicates a blocked artery and a heart attack. This is an emergency situation, in which the heart is not receiving enough blood and oxygen to function correctly.
Chest pain or discomfort.
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.
strained muscle - can cause chest pain that's painful and tender to touch. costochondritis - inflammation in the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone (sternum) that can cause pain, swelling and tenderness around the ribs. panic attack or anxiety - can sometimes be accompanied by chest pain.
The difference is that, when extra heartbeats in the upper and lower chambers are the cause of abnormal rhythm, symptoms may feel like an initial skip or hard thumping beat followed by a racing heart. When anxiety is the trigger, heart rate typically increases steadily rather than suddenly.
Anxiety Chest Pain Symptoms
Sharp, shooting, or stabbing pain. Persistent, dull aching. Tightness, tension, or pressure. A burning sensation.
Can chest pain go away on its own? Depending on the underlying condition that is causing your chest pain, it is possible that it may go away on its own. The more serious the underlying causes of chest pain are, the more likely they will keep coming back.
Heart pain is usually not sharp or stabbing. In general, any pain that gets worse with movement is not from the heart. Chest pain that is aching, sharp or stabbing, may be caused by other conditions such as acid reflux or heartburn, pleurisy or joint and muscle pain.
Chest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis. It usually feels sharp or stabbing. However, some people have dull, achy or pressure-like chest pain. Pericarditis pain usually occurs behind the breastbone or on the left side of the chest.
The symptoms of non-cardiac chest pain are chest pain that may be associated with difficulty swallowing, pain when swallowing, regurgitation of food, or a sensation of food getting stuck.
While anxiety chest pain varies from person to person, you may feel a constant, mild sense of discomfort or chest pain that comes and goes throughout the day. Panic attacks can last anywhere from five to 30 minutes.
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.