Every 40 seconds, one person in the United States has a heart attack.
Chest pain may be an important warning sign of heart disease, but the millions of people who suffer from chest pain are actually suffering from something else.
Many patients in the ER have chest pain, and in most cases, doctors eventually find a non-cardiac cause.
But that doesn’t mean you should ignore chest pain.
“Chest pain is common,” he said. University of Michigan Health Cardiologist Dr. Nicole Barb. “It makes up about 5% of his ER presentations in the United States, and most of the time the chest pain has nothing to do with the heart.”
One of the most common other causes is heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Bhave says the body may not be aware of where pain is felt in the esophagus and stomach, which is referred to in the center of the chest.
“For example, esophageal spasms, which can be associated with acid reflux, can be really, really painful.
Tightening the chest muscles can also lead to pain.
“There are many bones and muscles in the chest wall, and those muscles can be strained, especially if you train hard or lift heavy weights,” says Bhave. “Similarly, if you’re coughing due to a respiratory illness, those muscles are strained and can also cause chest discomfort.
Emotional stress and anxiety can also cause chest pain.
“There is a very strong connection between mind and body,” says Bhave. “Emotional stress, anxiety, and depression often manifest as physical symptoms.”
Bhave says if in doubt, check it out.
“If you have chest pain, especially if it’s new, severe, or associated with other symptoms such as shortness of breath or nausea, that’s why you want to go to the emergency room.”
Unless there are other obvious causes of chest pain, you should take it seriously and seek help.
Also, if you have heart attack risk factors such as diabetes or high blood pressure, your chest pain is more likely to be heart related.
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