Chest Pain from Stress and Anxiety

Usually, chest pain is caused due to heart problems, or diseases of the respiratory tract like pneumonia, bronchitis, etc. Therefore, when people experience pain in the chest, they usually jump the gun and conclude that it must be due to a heart attack or other heart related diseases. But, did you know that chest pain can also be caused due to stress? Chest pain accompanied by tightness in the chest is usually caused due to anxiety and stress. Millions of people in the world are victims of stress and anxiety, which leads to chest pain. Let us take a look at the exact causes of chest pain caused due to stress and anxiety.

Chest Pain Caused by Stress

Nowadays, the life of the average individual is full of tension and strain, which causes stress. There can be numerous reasons for stress like job stress, stress related to family, finances, relationships, etc. Stress can lead to serious mental as well as health problems. Chest pain is one of the leading symptoms of stress, and is usually accompanied by dizziness or sweating. When one is in a stressful situation, there is an increased release of the hormone adrenaline, which causes other symptoms like increased heart rate, alertness, muscle contraction, etc. These sudden physical changes can result into chest pain. Other effects of stress include headache, backache, heart problems, etc.

Chest pain from stress can be found in case of both, women and men. The nature of chest pain caused by stress and that of chest pain caused due to heart attack is very much alike. Chest pain without any known biomedical cause is usually considered as a symptom of anxiety or stress.

Chest Pain Caused by Anxiety

Anxiety is a permanent state of worry or fear which also results in serious mental disorders. Anxiety is one of the most important causes of chest pain, being next only to heart diseases. Along with acute or mild chest pain, pain is also experienced in areas around the chest like shoulders and back. Other symptoms of anxiety include palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling, excessive sweating, etc.

Chest pain from anxiety is nothing but muscle contraction in the chest wall. When a person experiences chest pain caused by anxiety, he mistakes it for a precursor of a heart attack and feels more anxious. This results in increased chest pain. Therefore, the chest pain and anxiety are sometimes interlinked.

Anxiety and panic related chest pain is definitely not as serious as the chest pain caused due to heart diseases. However, it is essential to consult the doctor immediately and undertake a checkup. It should also be noted chest pain and all other symptoms of anxiety can be treated effectively if brought to the notice of the doctor immediately.

Chest Pain Treatment

A stress test is a test that helps in determining the function of the heart in stressful conditions. In this test, a person is asked to walk on a treadmill while the functioning of the heart and breathing rate are monitored. The test also helps the doctor diagnose the cause of chest pain: whether it is heart related or caused from stress and anxiety. Once the cause of chest pain is diagnosed, the doctor will prescribe respective treatment method to treat chest pain. At the same, it is essential to relax and have a healthy and happy life.

Therapy and professional assistance are the two methods that can help in treating anxiety disorders. Stress can, and should be, controlled by various stress management techniques like yoga, meditation, etc. If you feel a recurrent fleeting pain in the chest, you should seek medical help and get yourself properly diagnosed. Take care!