Patient Education: Diseases Conditions Treatments & Procedures

Chest Pain

Introduction

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help. Pain in your chest can be severe. It can be difficult to interpret. The cause of the pain could be something as simple as heartburn or as serious as a heart attack. Often chest pain is unrelated to any heart problem. But even if the chest pain you experience has nothing to do with your cardiovascular system, the problem may still be important - and worth the time spent in an emergency room to have your chest pain evaluated.

If you experience unexplained and persistent chest pain or a feeling of pressure or tightness in your chest - particularly if it's accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness or pain that radiates beyond your chest to one or both of your arms or your neck - seek emergency medical care immediately. If you are having a heart attack, rapid treatment can dramatically reduce the amount of damage to your heart muscle and prevent long-term complications.