How Do I Know If My Chest Pain Is Serious?

Symptoms that accompany chest pain may vary depending on the cause. 

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain (angina) 
  • May feel like squeezing or fullness
  • Lasts for more than a few minutes
  • May go away and come back
• Mild chest pressure or discomfort
• Cold sweats/clammy skin
• Pain, tingling, or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Racing or irregular heartbeat
• Belching
• Heartburn
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness 
• Extreme fatigue

Symptoms of angina include pain or discomfort that: 

• Often occurs during physical exertion
• Usually lasts a short time (5 minutes or less)
• Is relieved by rest or medicine
• Sometimes feels like gas or indigestion
• Pain can spread to the arms, back, or other areas

Symptoms of aortic dissection include:

• Abrupt onset of severe pain in the chest, back, or abdomen
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the arms or legs
• Weakness
• Fainting
• Heart attack
• Stroke

Symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:

• Chest pain 
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Panting
• Sharp, knife-like chest pain on inhalation or when straining
• Cough (may also cough up blood)
• Fast heartbeat

Symptoms of pneumothorax include:

• Sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens when inhaling
• Shortness of breath
• Bluish skin 
• Fatigue
• Rapid breathing and heartbeat
• Dry, hacking cough

Symptoms of perforated viscus include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal distention
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Severe constipation
• Fever
• Inability to have a bowel movement or to pass gas
• Reduced urine output
• Thirst
• Difficulty breathing
• Low blood pressure and shock

Symptoms of cocaine-induced chest pain include:

• Anxiety
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations
• Nausea

Symptoms of pericarditis include:

• Sharp, stabbing chest pain that usually comes on quickly
• Fever 
• Weakness
• Trouble breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Palpitations
• Tiredness
• Coughing

Symptoms of mitral valve prolapse include:

• Does not cause symptoms in many people
• Palpitations
• Chest discomfort
• Fatigue

Symptoms of pneumonia include:

• Cough, which may produce phlegm or mucus that may be greenish, yellow, or bloody
• Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
• Sharp pain on inhalation or when coughing
• Fever 
• Chills and shaking 
• Sweating
• Fast heartbeat
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of energy
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children
• Confusion, especially in older people

Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include:

• Heartburn
• Regurgitation
• Stomach pain
• Chest pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Feeling as if food is stuck in the throat
• Hoarseness/voice changes
• Sore throat
• Unexplained dry cough
• Belching 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting (may be bloody)
• Bloating
• Bloody or black stools
• Unexplained weight loss
• Wheezing
• Bad breath
• Hiccups
• Breathing problems
• Tooth erosion

Symptoms of esophagitis include:

• Chest pain
• Difficulty swallowing 
• Acid reflux
• Heartburn
• Feeling something is stuck in the throat
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Symptoms of esophageal spasm include:

• Chest pain that may spread to the arms, back, neck, or jaw
• May feel like a heart attack
• Difficulty or inability to swallow food or liquid
• Pain with swallowing
• Feeling that food is caught in the center of the chest
• Heartburn

Symptoms of costochondritis include:

• Sharp chest pain and tenderness
• Pain may get worse with:
  • Certain postures, such as lying down
  • Pressure on the chest, such as when wearing a seatbelt or hugging someone
  • Deep breathing, coughing, and sneezing
  • Physical activity

Symptoms of shingles include:

• Unusual sensations such as itching, burning, or tingling feelings in an area of skin on one side of the body
• Fever
• Feeling unwell (malaise)
• Headache
• A rash of blisters on one side of the body in a band-like pattern
• Pain