Chest pain (patient information)

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What is Chest pain?

Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.

What causes Chest pain?

Heart problems that can cause chest pain:

• Angina is a type of heart-related chest pain. This pain occurs because your heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen. The most common symptom is chest pain that occurs behind the breast bone or slightly to the left of it. It may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back.
• Heart attack pain can be similar to the pain of unstable angina, but more severe.
• Aortic dissection causes sudden, severe pain in the chest and upper back.
• Inflammation or infection in the tissue around the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the center part of the chest.

Lung problems that can cause chest pain:

• Pneumonia, which causes chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough
• A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism), collapse of a small area of the lung (pneumothorax), or inflammation of the lining around the lung (pleurisy) can cause chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough
• Asthma, which generally also causes shortness of breath, wheezing, or coughing

Other causes of chest pain:

• Strain or inflammation of the muscles and tendons between the ribs
• Inflammation where the ribs join the breast bone or sternum (costochondritis)
• Shingles (sharp, tingling pain on one side that stretches from the chest to the back)
• Anxiety and rapid breathing

Chest pain can also be related to the following digestive system problems:

• Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux(GERD)
• Stomach ulcer (burning pain occurs if your stomach is empty and feels better when you eat food)
• Gallbladder (pain often gets worse after a meal, especially a fatty meal)

In children, most chest pain is not caused by the heart.

Where to find medical care for Chest pain

Directions to Hospitals Treating Chest pain