Chest Pain

What is chest pain?

Chest pain isn’t a condition but a symptom that could point to something wrong with your heart. The pain comes on because the arteries in your heart are too narrow or getting blocked. As a result, your body isn’t getting the blood it needs to function correctly.Chest pain typically flares up because of a trigger. Your trigger could be playing sports or eating a large meal. Or an attack of chest pain might happen if you’re too hot or too cold or feeling particularly strong emotions.You’re more likely to develop chest pain if you have risk factors like:

  • High cholesterol

  • High blood pressure

  • Being a smoker

  • Diabetes

  • Being overweight or obese

  • Metabolic syndrome

  • Not enough exercise

  • Unhealthy diet

  • Family history of heart disease

The risk of developing chest pain increases in men over 45 and women over 55. These risk factors increase your chances of developing heart disease.

What symptoms might I have with chest pain?

Symptoms of chest pain include a feeling of pressure or squeezing around your chest. Pain might also be noticeable in your:

  • Shoulder

  • Arm

  • Back

  • Neck

  • Jaw

Your chest pain could be stable or unstable. Stable chest pain causes predictable symptoms that aren’t too severe and ease off if you rest. Unstable chest pain causes intense and worsening symptoms, which means you’re more likely to have a heart attack.

How do I know if chest pain is a heart attack?

The symptoms of chest pain and a heart attack are very similar, so it might be hard to know one from the other. Any type of pain in your chest needs to be investigated, so even when you have no other symptoms, you should call us. If you’re having severe symptoms, it’s best to call 911 or head for an emergency room.

If your cardiologist diagnoses chest pain, you can manage the condition by taking nitroglycerin medication. If your symptoms are worsening and you need treatment to prevent a heart attack, several options are available.You might improve with medications or you might have to have bypass surgery to improve blood flow. Balloon angioplasty, with or without a stent, is a minimally invasive option for reversing the narrowing of your arteries from atherosclerosis. Chest pain can lead to a heart attack, so you should never dismiss it. Call Dr. Yang today to find out more or book an appointment online.