Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen. Symptoms of a possible heart attack include chest pain and pain that radiates down the shoulder and arm. Some people (older adults, people with diabetes, and women) may have little or no chest pain.
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.
Does the pain change while taking a deep breath or exhaling? Cardiac • Cardiac pain does not change during deep breathing. Muscular • Deep breathing can cause sharp, shooting pain (if the discomfort starts in the muscle).
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.
On the other hand, if you are having chest pain that is very brief, lasting only seconds or minutes and going away, without any of these associated symptoms, like the shortness of breath or nausea, it may not be heart-related.
Though similar to angina chest pain, a heart attack is usually a more severe, crushing pain usually in the center or left side of the chest and is not relieved by rest. Sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, or severe weakness may accompany the pain.
Immediate action required: 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.
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.
An infection or other cause can start inflammation in the lining around your heart, causing a sharp pain in your chest. The pain can spread to your left shoulder and arm. The pain can be worse when you're lying down and worse when taking deep breaths.
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.
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.
What are the symptoms of strained chest muscle? A strained chest muscle usually causes pain in the chest area that gets worse with movement or coughing. “You may notice pain or tenderness along the chest, tenderness when touching the injured muscle, pain with arm movements and difficulty moving the arm,” Chapman said.
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. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.
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.
When the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen in the coronary artery blood supply, the resulting pain under the left breast or in the center of the chest is known as angina. Associated symptoms include an uncomfortable feeling in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back.
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 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.
A heart attack can happen without any noticeable chest pain; it can present only with other symptoms, such as shortness of breath and lightheadedness.
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.