Symptoms

• Intense pain radiating in the shoulders, arms, or jaw, particularly on the left side.
• Tightness, pressure, or a sensation of fullness in your chest
• Numbing in your arms or hand
• Difficulty Breathing
• Dizziness, weakness, nausea, or cold sweats

Causes

Chest pain may be caused by angina or a heart attack. Other causes of chest pain can include indigestion, reflux, muscle strain, inflammation in the rib joints near the breastbone, and shingles. If you have doubts about what is causing your chest pain, see a physician right away.

Treatments

Chest pains doesn’t always mean you have had a heart attack, but the emergency room will test first because it is potentially the most immediate threat, or may also be a life-threatening lung condition.

An Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) can be used for evaluation. This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart. Sticky patches (electrodes) are placed on the chest and sometimes the arms and legs. Wires connect the electrodes to a computer, which displays the test results. An ECG can show if the heart is beating too fast, too slow or not at all. Because injured heart muscle doesn’t conduct electrical signals in a typical pattern, the ECG may show that you have had or are having a heart attack.