Chest pain in women stems from various issues, including heart-related problems (heart attack, angina, artery spasms, dissection), digestive issues (GERD, gallstones, pancreatitis), lung conditions (blood clots, pneumonia, pleurisy, asthma), and musculoskeletal pain (strains, inflammation like costochondritis). Anxiety/panic attacks, shingles, and specific conditions like microvascular dysfunction unique to women are also common causes, requiring immediate medical attention to rule out serious causes like a heart attack, especially with symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, or jaw pain.
If you have chest pain that's new and severe, or associated with other symptoms like shortness of breath or nausea, these are reasons that you should go to the emergency department. Classically, heart pain is in the center or left side of the chest, and it may radiate down the left arm or into the jaw.
The most important thing to know about chest pain is that you should call 911 if you experience it, especially if it's sudden, severe, or accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
Symptoms
What are the most common causes of chest pain?
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.
Other conditions also can cause chest pain, such as:
Pulmonary embolism (a blockage in a lung artery) Aortic dissection (tearing of a major artery) A lung infection. Aortic stenosis (narrowing of the heart's aortic valve)
In some women, the first signs and symptoms of heart disease can be:
The “7 second trick to prevent heart attack” refers to a simple, quick breathing or movement-based technique believed to stimulate heart rate, circulation, and calm the nervous system. It often involves: Deep breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 3) Coughing technique (used in CPR-like situations)
How Can You Check Your Heart Health at Home?
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.
Usually, chest pain is less likely due to a heart condition if it happens with: A sour taste or a feeling of food coming back up into the mouth. Trouble swallowing. Pain that gets better or worse when you change body position.
Having less water in your body means that your blood is thicker, and your heart needs to pump harder. Electrolyte levels can also be disturbed by dehydration, making minerals such as sodium and potassium imbalanced and causing the heart to beat abnormally. The loss in proportion can lead to chest pain or soreness.
Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have sudden severe chest pain or any unexplained chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes. Also get emergency medical help if you have: Sudden severe upper back or neck pain. Sudden severe stomach pain.
Immediate action required: Call 999 if:
Costochondritis (kos-toe-kon-DRY-tis) is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone, called the sternum. Pain caused by costochondritis might be like that of a heart attack or other heart conditions.
The 4 common "silent" signs of a heart attack in women, besides chest pain, often involve unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and pain in the jaw, neck, back, or shoulders, which can feel like indigestion or a pulled muscle, making them easy to dismiss as something less serious like stress or flu. These subtle symptoms, along with cold sweats or dizziness, signal the need for immediate medical help.
Heart-healthy drinks (other than water)
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
In addition to chest pain, symptoms of a clogged artery may include:
Here are 10 signs that could mean it's time to see a doctor.
However, it is important to understand that though ECG provides information on the heart's electric activity, it cannot directly detect heart blockages.
Blood tests
If doctors suspect you have had a heart attack, a sample of your blood will be taken so it can be tested for these heart proteins (known as cardiac markers). The most common protein measurement is called cardiac troponin. Your troponin level can help in diagnosing the type of heart attack you've had.
Inflammation in the muscles of your chest or diaphragm due to a viral infection cause pleurodynia. Coxsackie B virus is the most common cause of the infection. Coxsackie A virus and some echoviruses can also cause it.