Question from A. Broward: Can you explain different types of chest pains? How do I know when to see a doctor? – K. T.
A: Chest pain can stem from heart issues, digestion, muscles, or anxiety. Heart-related pain feels like pressure, squeezing, or burning (angina/heart attack). Non-cardiac causes include burning sensations from GERD, sharp pain when breathing (lungs), or localized tenderness from musculoskeletal strains. Seek emergency care for severe, persistent, or radiating pain.There are several types of chest pain because chest pain may also be caused by problems in your lungs, esophagus muscles, ribs or nerves.
Pain that changes when pressing on the chest, stretching, or moving arms/shoulders, often due to muscle strain or costochondritis.
Heartburn or GERD, which can feel like burning and may improve with antacids.
Intense emotion can sometimes manifest as physical chest discomfort.
Sharp pain that worsens with deep breaths or coughing.
If a sharp pain seems to be coming from a very specific location, it’s probably not heart pain. The pain associated with a heart attack is generally dull and diffusely located in the chest.
For example: One day your chest pain is on the right side of your chest, and the next day it’s on the left side of your chest. Heart pain can radiate into the arms, jaw and between the shoulder blades, but it rarely moves from place to place on different days.
This could be anything from pericarditis (a swelling of the membrane surrounding the heart) to a cracked rib.
If your chest pain is:
Blockage in the heart blood vessels that causes reduced blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. The chest pain may spread to your arm, shoulder, jaw or back. It may feel like a pressure or squeezing sensation.
Severe, crushing pain usually in the center or left side of the chest and is not relieved by rest. 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.
Inflammation or infections of the sac around the heart. Sharp, steady pain along the upper neck and shoulder muscle.
A genetic disease that causes the heart muscle to grow thick. This type of chest pain and shortness of breath usually occur with exercise.
Rare but deadly condition, which results when a tear develops in the coronary artery. Severe pain with a tearing or ripping sensation that goes up into the neck, back, or abdomen.
When in doubt, call your doctor about any chest pain you have, especially if it comes on suddenly or is not relieved by anti-inflammatory medications. Call 911 if you have any of these symptoms along with chest pain:
RELATED: Did You Know? There Are 8 Ways To Diagnose Coronary Artery Disease
Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ‘Ask Dr. Renee’. Follow me on Twitter @AskDrRenee and on my website.
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