Most people associate having chest pain with having a heart attack, and while it should never be taken lightly, there are several serious heart conditions, such as myocarditis, that can cause chest pain. In any case, seek out medical help straight away!
Over one million people have a heart attack every year, and with the long term effects of COVID-19 reportedly causing myocarditis and heart issues in young people and athletes, it’s even more important to get any chest pain checked out immediately.
Here’s some additional information you should know about heart attacks and chest pain:
Although it’s uncommon, not everyone who’s having a heart attack has chest pain. Women may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, and a sudden weakness similar to flu. Diabetics and the elderly may feel unwell, dizzy, or weak, as well as shortness of breath.
A healthcare professional may refer to ‘angina’ or ‘angina pectoris’ which is the medical term for chest pain. Angina is not the same as a heart attack:
- Heart attacks occur suddenly, and last for over 15 minutes – Angina is usual from stress or exertion, and go away with about five to 10 minutes of rest.
- The pain from a heart attack has been described as extreme pressure, squeezing or fullness – Angina is often described as discomfort rather than pain.
Chest pain can also be a sign of myocarditis, which may be accompanied by a fever, fatigue, and breathing issues, as well as many other conditions, and it may not even be your heart that is causing the pain.
In 25 per cent of people experiencing chest pain, the pain could be from the lungs, oesophagus, diaphragm, or liver, as well as damage or strain to the muscles, tendons, ribs, and nerves in the chest, or even due to panic attack, which can come on suddenly.
In each and every case, it is vital to seek medical help as soon as possible. It is better to discover you simply have heartburn than to risk your life with something as serious as myocarditis or a heart attack. For more information about myocarditis in the UK, visit our site.
