Overview
Chest pain appears in many forms, ranging from a sharp stab to a dull ache. Sometimes chest pain feels crushing or burning. In certain cases, the pain travels up the neck and into the jaw and then spreads to the back or down one or both arms.
Many different problems can cause chest pain. The most life-threatening causes involve the heart or lungs. Because chest pain can be due to a serious problem, it’s important to seek immediate medical help.
Products & Services
Symptoms
Chest pain can feel different depending on what’s triggering the symptom. Often, the cause has nothing to do with the heart — though there’s no easy way to tell without seeing a health care provider.
Heart-related chest pain
Chest pain is often associated with heart disease. But many people with heart disease say they have a mild discomfort that they wouldn’t really call pain. Chest discomfort due to a heart attack or another heart problem may feel like:
- 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.
- Cold sweats.
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or weakness.
- Racing heartbeats.
- Nausea or vomiting.
Other types of chest pain
It can be difficult to tell if chest pain is related to the heart or caused by something else. Usually, chest pain is less likely due to a heart problem if it happens with:
- A sour taste or a sensation of food reentering the mouth
- Trouble swallowing
- Pain that gets better or worse when you change body position
- Pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
- Tenderness when you push on your chest
- Pain that continues for many hours
The classic symptoms of heartburn — a painful, burning sensation behind the breastbone — can be caused by problems with the heart or the stomach.
When to see a doctor
If you have new or unexplained chest pain or think you’re having a heart attack, call 911 or emergency medical help immediately. Don’t ignore the symptoms of a heart attack. If you can’t get an ambulance or emergency vehicle to come to you, have a neighbor or a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only if you have no other option.
