Chest Pain – Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Chest pain describes discomfort that occurs between your neck and abdomen. This pain varies in how it feels – it might be sharp, dull, constant, or intermittent.
Many people experience chest pain differently based on the underlying cause.
Various conditions can trigger chest pain. The most dangerous causes typically involve heart or lung problems. Because some causes are life-threatening, getting prompt medical attention is essential for proper diagnosis.
Signs of Chest Pain
Chest pain linked to heart problems can show up in several ways. You might feel pressure, squeezing, or aching in your chest area. This pain may move to your shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth, or upper stomach.
Other heart-related symptoms include:
- Trouble breathing
- Feeling tired
- Burning sensation in chest
- Sudden cold sweats
- Feeling dizzy
- Rapid heartbeat
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Other Causes of Chest Discomfort
Chest pain doesn’t always mean heart trouble. Your pain might be from another cause if you notice:
- Food coming back up or a sour taste in your mouth
- Problems swallowing
- Pain that changes when you move
- Pain that gets worse when breathing deeply or coughing
- Chest that hurts when touched
- Pain that lasts for many hours or days
A burning feeling behind your breastbone might be from heart issues or stomach problems.
When to Get Medical Help
Call 911 right away if:
- You have new chest pain
- You can’t explain your chest pain
- You think you might be having a heart attack
Never ignore possible heart attack signs. If emergency services aren’t available, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital.
Heart attack symptoms need immediate attention. Don’t wait to see if they go away on their own.
Reasons for Chest Pain
Heart and Blood Vessel Issues
Chest pain often stems from heart-related problems.
- Angina happens when the heart muscle gets less blood flow than needed. People describe it as squeezing, pressure, or tightness in the chest. It’s a symptom of coronary artery disease. Unstable angina can lead to serious heart problems.
- A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle gets blocked completely. This causes chest pain and needs emergency treatment to prevent death.
- Aortic dissection is a dangerous condition affecting the body’s main artery. It happens when the inner layers of the aorta separate, forcing blood between them. This can cause the aorta to tear open.
- Pericarditis is inflammation of the sac around the heart. It typically causes sharp pain that worsens when breathing in or lying down.
Stomach and Digestive Problems
Several digestive issues can cause chest discomfort:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when stomach acid flows back into the food pipe (esophagus). This causes a burning feeling in the chest called heartburn.
- Swallowing disorders that affect the esophagus can make it hard and painful to swallow, leading to chest pain.
- Problems with the gallbladder or pancreas, such as gallstones or inflammation, can cause stomach pain that spreads to the chest area.
Breathing and Lung Concerns
Lung conditions are common causes of chest pain:
- A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot gets stuck in a lung artery, blocking blood flow. The symptoms can feel similar to a heart attack.
- Pleurisy is irritation of the thin tissue layers between the lungs and chest wall. It creates sharp pain that gets worse when breathing in or coughing.
- A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) happens when air leaks into the space between the lung and ribs. The chest pain typically starts suddenly, can last for hours, and usually causes shortness of breath.
- Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the lung arteries. This condition can cause chest pain or pressure.
Muscle and Bone Causes
Chest pain can come from problems with the chest’s structure:
| Condition | Description | Common Features |
|---|---|---|
| Costochondritis | Inflammation where ribs connect to breastbone | Pain that might feel like a heart attack, often on left side |
| Injured ribs | Bruised or broken ribs | Pain in specific area of chest |
| Chronic pain syndromes | Conditions like fibromyalgia | Long-lasting muscle pain affecting chest area |
Other Causes
Several other conditions can trigger chest pain:
- Panic attacks cause intense fear with chest pain. Other symptoms include fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. If you’re unsure, always seek medical help to distinguish between a panic attack and a heart attack.
- Shingles, an infection caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, can cause severe pain and a band of blisters from the back around to the chest.
- Nerve pain from pinched nerves in the middle back may create chest discomfort that feels like it’s coming from the chest itself.
