How do I know if my chest pain is real?

“If your discomfort lasts for three minutes or more, or quickly worsens, and particularly if you also feel short of breath, lightheaded, nauseated, intensely fatigued, break out in a cold sweat or have a sense of doom, there’s a real possibility you are having a heart attack or are about to have one,” says preventive …

Where is the chest pain located?

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.

What are the symptoms of chest pain with no symptoms?

Some people experience no symptoms at all. Others experience crushing chest pain. Still others may feel only arm, throat or jaw discomfort. But the discomfort is unrelenting, typically lasting five minutes or more (even up to half an hour or, rarely, two hours).

What does it mean when your chest Hurts when you breathe?

Pericarditis. This is the inflammation of the sac surrounding your heart. It usually causes sharp pain that gets worse when you breathe in or when you lie down. Chest pain can be caused by disorders of the digestive system, including: Heartburn.

Why is it important to understand the different types of chest pain?

Understanding the different types of chest pain and their likely causes can be reassuring. In fact, very often just realizing that the pain doesn’t stem from problems with the heart can be enough to make the pain subside.

Can chest aches and pains be a sign of a heart attack?

But when chest aches and pains are fleeting, it’s often something different. Cardiologist Curtis Rimmerman, MD, notes that the following symptoms are unlikely to signal a heart attack: Momentary chest discomfort, often characterized as a lightning bolt or electrical shock.