- LC&VA
Chest pain
To start with it is important to note that most chest pain isn't a sign of anything serious BUT you should get medical advice just in case - if for nothing more than piece of mind.
Chest pain has many different causes – here we are only going to highlight the most common. In most patients, chest pain is not caused by a heart problem. The symptoms you develop might help to give you an idea of the cause but we would strongly encourage you not to self-diagnose – see your GP or cardiologist if you're at all worried.
Some of the possible, unrelated to heart problems, causes include:
Indigestion & heartburn - chest pain onset after eating, often in conjunction with feeling full/bloated
Chest sprain or strain - chest pain onset after chest injury or chest exercise, feels better when resting the muscle
Anxiety or panic attack - chest pain is often triggered by worries or a stressful situation, heartbeat gets faster, sweating, dizziness
Chest infection - chest pain gets worse when on breathing in and out, often in conjunction with coughing, mucus and high temperature
Shingles - chest pain is associated with tingling feeling on skin, skin rash appears that can turn into blisters
When chest pain is associated with heart problems
The most common heart problems that are associated with chest pain include:
Pericarditis – which usually causes a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or lie down
Angina or a heart attack – which have similar symptoms but a heart attack is life-threatening
Generally speaking, you are more likely to have heart problems if you're older or know you're at risk of coronary heart disease.
For example, if you:
smoke
have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol
have a history of heart attacks or angina in family members under 60 years old
It is important to see urgent medical advice (999) if you chest pain:
Spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw
Makes your chest feel tight or heavy and started with shortness of breath, sweating and feeling or being sick
Lasts more than 15 minutes
It is important to have a check up if you have chest pain which:
Comes and goes
Goes away quickly but you're still worried
This article is intended to inform and give insight but not treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a doctor. Always seek medical advice with any questions regarding a medical condition.