Is chest pain always a heart attack?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
No. Muscles, ribs, reflux, anxiety and lung problems all cause chest pain far more often than the heart does. But heart pain is the one that cannot wait.
Treat it as an emergency when pain is pressing or squeezing, spreads to the arm, jaw or back, comes with sweating, nausea or breathlessness, or arrives with exertion. Call emergency services; do not drive yourself.
Sharp, brief pains that change with position or breathing are usually the chest wall. If any pain keeps returning, get examined even if it passes.
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Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.