Chest pain can stem from dozens of conditions besides heart attack, from pancreatitis to pneumonia or panic attack. Millions of Americans with chest pain are seen in hospital emergency departments every year.
Noncardiac chest pain is defined as recurring pain in your chest — typically, behind your breast bone and near your heart — that is not related to your heart. In most people, noncardiac chest pain is actually related to a problem with their esophagus, most often gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Heart-related chest pain
Pressure, fullness, burning or tightness in the chest. Crushing or searing pain that spreads to the 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.
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.
No. Chest pain isn't normal. If you have chest pain, contact your healthcare provider or 911 right away. Although most people think of a heart attack when they think of chest pain, there are many other conditions that cause 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.
The normal EKGs and ECHO that you have had are good indicators that your heart is healthy. The chest pains do have to be addressed because it can be an early sign of narrowing in the arteries of your heart. You should make sure you see your doctor regarding the chest pains.
Chest pain is frightening and must be taken seriously. So know this: If you are having severe discomfort in the chest—especially if the chest pain is radiating to your neck, jaw or arms—and it's accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness and sweating, call 911 immediately.
Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is chest pain in patients who do not have heart disease. The pain can be felt behind the breast bone. It can be squeezing or pressure-like. It may extend to the neck, left arm or the back.
Lung issues, including infection (pneumonia) or a blood clot (pulmonary embolism) Muscle pain, such as inflammation or injury to the muscles in the chest wall. Other digestive issues, such as inflammation or spasms in the pancreas, gallbladder or esophagus. Panic attack, or very intense anxiety.
Minor symptoms of heart blockage include irregular or skipped heartbeats, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Other symptoms may include pain or numbness in the legs or arms, as well as neck or throat pain.
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.
How It Feels. Chest pain from a heart attack often feels like a large amount of pressure, tightness, burning, or squeezing in the chest. In comparison, chest pain that feels like a sharp or knife-like pain resulting from coughing or breathing is likely not due to a heart attack.
In general, though, anxiety chest pain may feel like: Tension, tightness, and pressure: You might experience a mild, constant tightness or a sudden, intense tightness in your chest. You may also feel like it's difficult to breathe or that your heart is beating out of your chest.
If it's just a very brief pain -- or if it's a spot that hurts more when you touch or push on it -- it's probably not your heart, Chambers says. You should still get it checked out by a doctor. If the symptoms are more severe and don't go away after a few minutes, you should call 911.
You may have a perfectly normal ECG, yet still have a heart condition. If your test is normal but your doctor suspects that you have a heart problem, he may recommend that you have another ECG, or a different type of test to find out for sure.
Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is recurrent angina pectoris-like pain without evidence of coronary heart disease in conventional diagnostic evaluation.
If the pain keeps coming back, see a doctor within a few days. Chest pain that disappears may have been caused by a minor infection, a muscle spasm, or a similar issue. Seek emergency medical care if the pain is: intense and does not go away.
How anxiety causes chest pain. 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.
Chest pain can be due to a number of causes, but if a patient has developed chest pain, especially while exercising, they should definitely see a doctor. In general, all chest pains should be evaluated by a physician unless there was a clear and reversible cause for it (mild trauma, cuts, burns, bruises, etc.).
Ninety-five percent of the time, people we see with chest pain, all the testing is normal, at least 90 percent of the time it is.
Troponin. If you have chest pain, a blood test will often be taken to check your level of troponin, a protein which the heart releases into your bloodstream when the heart muscle is being damaged. It can help to diagnose a heart attack, but a low level doesn't prove you haven't had a heart attack.
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.