Occasional Quick Sharp Chest Pain
Electric shock like feeling in the chest can be momentary discomfort in the chest, which causes sudden, sharp pain. Such sharp pains in chest are often rapid and last for few seconds to minutes. A sudden sharp, stabbing, and/or shooting pains in the chest and/or heart area. A pressure in the chest. A fullness in the chest area. Stabbing pains so strong they take your breath away.
Trapped wind can cause sharp stomach pains, while limb pain might simply be the result of a pulled muscle and even chest pains can be caused by a harmless condition called primordial catch syndrome.
Chest pain refers to pain in any section of the chest. Chest pain may be felt anywhere from the neck to the upper abdomen. In most cases, depending on the cause, chest pain can be
- Sharp pain- This is a sudden or intense pain in the chest region
- Burning
- Dull
- Aching
- A tight, crushing, or squeezing sensation
In most cases, people associate chest pain with heart complications. However, this is not always the case. For example, chest pain can come from the lungs, ribs, or esophagus. Chest pain also varies from one person to another depending on some factors like age, weight, stress levels, lifestyle, and sex among other factors.
Chest pain is a common condition, for instance in the U.S, about 6-8 million patients annually, report to emergency departments with chest pains.Other associated symptoms of chest pain include vomiting, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, shortness of breath, and sweating.
It should also be noted that some chest pain may be serious while others may not. The type, duration, and severity of the pain among other symptoms can guide more on diagnosis and treatment.
What Causes Sudden Sharp Pain in Chest?
As discussed earlier, chest pain can be an indication of a life-threatening medical condition or just an uncomfortable sigh of a passing problem like indigestion. For instance, in America, about 5.8 million people who visit emergency rooms with chest pains, about 85% get diagnosed with heart unrelated conditions.
However, a sudden sharp pain in the chest whether you are resting or exercising should not be ignored as it can be an indication of a serious problem or not. Below are some of the conditions that cause sudden chest pains.
- GERD– The Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It can cause a tender and sharp pain in the chest which in most cases is mistaken for a heart attack. It occurs as a result of the stomach contents or acid flow back into the food-pipe thereby irritating the esophagus creating a chest pain or a burning sensation.
- Stable Angina– This often occurs during physical exertion like climbing the stairs or working out. This pain only lasts for a few minutes and reduces with rest.
- Pleuritis- This is usually the inflammation of the lungs lining. It feels like a pressure or pain in the chest which worsen if you try taking a deep breath.
- Costochondritis- This is the inflammation of the cartilage. It causes pain in the chest around the breastbone as a result of viral infection.
Sudden Sharp Pain in Chest Symptoms
Chest pain that occurs suddenly should not be ignored at all. In fact, a sudden sharp pain in the chest is commonly a symptom of a heart attack. However, it is not always associated with heart attack. For example, a sudden sharp pain in chest that goes away quickly left side can be an indication of a heart problem. Below are some symptoms of sudden chest pain.
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Nausea
- Fainting
- Breathlessness
- Chest Discomfort
Sudden Sharp Pain in Chest that Goes Away Quickly – What Could it be?
Sudden sharp pains that disappear quickly can be caused due to gas, heartburn, smoking, heart problems, stress, and lack of exercises among other factors. Often sudden sharp chest pain lasting a few seconds is not an indication of a serious condition. However, a sharp pain in heart for a second may be dangerous and should be treated.
How to Treat Sharp Pain in the Chest?
- In case you experience a sharp chest pain, it is always important to seek immediate healthcare attention before trying home treatment. It’s very hard to distinguish between symptoms of a heart attack from that of unserious health conditions. For example, if a quick sharp pain in chest center is not treated quickly, it may result in a more severe condition that may even demand a surgery in order to relieve the pain. Before trying treating the condition by yourself, seek medical diagnostic test to understand exactly what is causing the pain.
- In case you are walking or exercising and you experience a chest pain, you slow down and take a rest for a few minutes. If the pain continues, get medical care.
- We have seen that smoking can cause chest pain. It constricts the blood vessels in your body making your heart work harder resulting in a chest pain. Chest pains related to smoking often diminish within few weeks of quitting smoking.
- Chest pains related to stomach problems can be settled with an antacid tablet, drinking water, drinking a spoon of Maalox, or eating crackers. This will help reduce the pain. It’s also important that you avoid foods that irritate your stomach.
- Chest pain caused by stress and anxiety can also be settled by relaxing, meditating, or taking a vacation. Often, anxiety and stress buildup may result in a chest pain.
Catherine is a dedicated freelance health and science writer committed to excellence and professionalism. She specializes in health topics including diet and nutrition, immune-related diseases, surgery, and cancer.
Physical Symptoms
Fact Checked
by Victoria LeBlanc, MS, LCPC and Micah Abraham, BSc
Last updated October 10, 2020
Anxiety may be best known for its mental symptoms, but it's often the physical symptoms that cause the most distress.
One of the most frightening anxiety symptoms is chest pain. That's because chest pain is associated with serious heart problems, leading many to worry about their health. Yet it is common for chest pain to actually be a symptom of anxiety.
In this article, we'll look at some common causes for anxiety-driven chest pain, how to tell the difference between anxiety chest pain and a heart problem, and ways to calm yourself when you experience this type of pain.
Anxiety and Unusual Physical Symptoms
Rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, dizziness - these are the traditional symptoms of anxiety. But the vast majority of anxiety sufferers experience their own unique physical symptoms, including:
- Leg tingling.
- Feeling of losing control.
- Muscle weakness
- And, of course, chest pain.
What Causes Chest Pain
It is always a good idea to visit a doctor at least once to rule out any potential heart health issues. Anxiety can cause chest pain, but an important factor in reducing the stress of that chest pain is by making sure you are confident that your heart is in good health. Visiting a doctor is never a bad thing!
Often those living with anxiety and panic attacks will experience chest pain caused by any number of different factors. Some of these include:
- Hyperventilation - Those with panic attacks and anxiety are prone to hyperventilation, or breathing in too much oxygen. It is often due to rapid muscle contractions and excess air in the lungs. Hyperventilation contracts blood vessels and causes considerable chest pain.
- Bloating - anxiety can be connected to excess gas or bloating. Hyperventilation disorder can contribute to this as well. Bloating can cause an increased amount of pressure on the lungs, which in turn leads to chest pain.
- Psychosomatic - most people don't like to believe the idea that the problem is in their head, but those with extreme anxiety and panic attacks, that are worried about their health, may feel genuine pain even though no cause of pain is present. Psychosomatic means that a physical ailment is aggravated or caused by their thoughts. The anxious mind actually convinces the body that there is a symptom, in this case chest pain.
Because chest pain often occurs during anxiety attacks and with other anxiety symptoms, it can be extremely frightening. Most people report feeling as if they are having a heart attack and may even seek emergency medical treatment. Often the chest pain is harmless and can be calmed by learning how to manage it.
How to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety Chest Pain and Cardiac Chest Pain
There's no guaranteed method of knowing whether or not chest pain is caused by anxiety or by a heart problem. But generally the two differ in their overall experience:
Anxiety Chest Pain
Sharp Chest Pain In Women
- Tends to be sharper.
- Is usually more localized to a specific area.
- Closer to the middle of the chest, although not necessarily.
Cardiac Chest Pain
- Tends to radiate all around the shoulder and possibly the jaw.
- Tends to be a duller pain, like the heart is being crushed.
- Lasts longer than 10 minutes or more.
There are a lot of similarities between the two. Both may have lightheadedness or dizziness and feel like the heart is being squeezed. Both can make it harder to breathe (or come as a result of it being harder to breath). It's not easy to tell the difference, but the differences are there. Furthermore, once you identify what anxiety chest pain feels like for you, in the moment, you may feel more reassured about what your symptoms are indicating (anxiety or cardiac).
How to Reduce Anxiety and Chest Pain
The best way to manage chest pain is with prevention and by reducing your overall anxiety symptoms. The less you experience anxiety, the less risk you'll have for chest pain.
If you're currently experiencing anxiety and chest pain, the best things to do are the following:
- Control Your Breathing Recall that this type of chest pain is often caused by hyperventilation, and even if you're not hyperventilating, getting your breathing under control is a great way to calm the nerves. Take slow, controlled breaths using deep breathing techniques that take at least 15 seconds and you'll quickly see a difference. Try to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, breathing deep from your diaphragm rather than shallow from your chest.
- Control Your Thoughts One of the reasons I recommend going to a doctor first is because understanding that your chest pain is anxiety related reduces the severity of the experience. If you know that your heart is in good health, don't let your thoughts spiral out of control because that may make the chest pain worse.
- Control Your Environment Chest pain caused by thoughts or anxiety is often made worse when you sit and focus on the experience. See if you can give yourself a healthy coping distraction, and much of the chest pain will fade away. Some suggestions for this include changing your location (go outside, get away from noise or chaos, take a bath), listen to relaxing or happy music, talk on the phone with a trusted friend, or use grounding techniques to focus on the present.
If your chest pain is caused by gas or bloating, trying to let out some of the gas can also help.
Learning general anxiety management techniques are the most important strategy for reducing the experience of chest pain.
Did you know that your anxiety can lead to more than just chest pain?
Occasional Quick Sharp Chest Pain
While chest pain may be the most frightening symptom, it is just one of many physical symptoms that anxiety can cause. Other physical symptoms may include:
- Sweating
- Rapid heartbeat, pounding, or heart palpitations
- Trembling or shaking
- Feeling of choking
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Numbness or tingling sensations
- Chills or hot flashes
- The feeling of being detached from your own body (known as depersonalization)
These anxiety symptoms can leave you feeling like your health is in serious jeopardy. By seeking medical attention to rule out health problems you can help to reassure yourself that you are okay and proceed to learn coping skills for managing your anxiety symptoms. Anxiety and stress prevention, along with treatment for your anxiety, is the best way to prevent future physical symptoms including the alarming symptom: chest pain.
🍪 Pssst, we have Cookies!
Sharp Pains In Chest
We use Cookies to give you the best online experience. More information can be found here. By continuing you accept the use of Cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.