What do dull chest pains mean

The faster you get to hospital for treatment, the better. If any activity brings on chest pain, follow these steps: 1. Stop what you are doing and rest immediately. Talk — tell someone how you feel. If you take angina medication: Wait 5 minutes. If you still have symptoms — take another dose of your medicine. Wait 5 minutes. Call and chew on mg aspirin if available. Ask for an ambulance. Remember, if you have any doubt about your pain, call an ambulance anyway.

Diagnosis of chest pain Before medical treatment can begin, the cause of the pain must be found. You may a have a lot of tests done including: Electrocardiogram ECG — electrical tracing of the heart activity. Blood tests — to measure markers from the heart and other organs. Chest x-ray — to look at the lungs, heart and major blood vessels of the chest. Recovering from chest pain If your doctor has ruled out serious causes of chest pain, it is likely you will make a full recovery.

In the first few days at home, try to take it easy. Rest if you feel tired. Slowly increase your activity, as you are able. There is no need to limit work or strenuous activity including sex if you feel well. Follow up with your local doctor GP when recommended by your treating doctor.

Reduce your risk of heart attack Ways to reduce your risk of heart attack include: Try to cut down or quit smoking — call Quitline on 13 78 48 to help you stop smoking and feel healthy again. Be physically active — on most, if not all days of the week. Eating a variety of healthy foods — with plenty of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and healthy proteins and fats. Watch your weight — keep a healthy weight by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. See your doctor for a heart health check to assess your risk of having a heart attack at least every two years.

If you are at higher risk, more frequently is recommended. Take your medication as directed. Heart attack warning signs resources , Heart Foundation, Australia. Heart health checks , Heart Foundation, Australia. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all heart. Related information. Support groups Chest Pain. From other websites Dietitians Association of Australia. Heart Foundation. Content disclaimer Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.

Chest pain. When to get help for chest pain You should call for an ambulance immediately if you develop sudden severe chest pain, particularly if: the pain feels heavy, pressing or tight the pain lasts longer than 15 minutes the pain spreads to other parts of your body, such as your arms, back or jaw you also have other symptoms, such as breathlessness , nausea, sweating, or coughing up blood you are at risk of coronary heart disease — for example, you smoke, are obese , or have high blood pressure , diabetes or high cholesterol If the discomfort is only minor or has resolved, it may be more appropriate to either: speak to your GP call the service Could it be a heart problem?

Chest pain isn't always caused by a problem with your heart, but it can sometimes be a symptom of: angina — where the blood supply to the muscles of the heart is restricted a heart attack — where the blood supply to part of the heart is suddenly blocked Both of these conditions can cause a dull, heavy or tight pain in the chest that can spread to the arms, neck, jaw or back.

Common causes of chest pain Most chest pain is not heart-related and isn't a sign of a life-threatening problem. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is a common condition where acid from the stomach comes up into the oesophagus gullet.

Common symptoms of GORD include: burning chest pain heartburn an unpleasant taste in the mouth caused by stomach acid coming back up into your mouth These symptoms usually occur soon after you've eaten and get worse if you bend over or lie down.

Bone or muscle problems If your chest is painful and tender to touch, it may be caused by a strained muscle in your chest wall. Anxiety and panic attacks Some episodes of chest pain occur as part of an anxiety or panic attack.

Lung conditions If you have sharp chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in and out, and is accompanied by other symptoms such as a cough and breathlessness, it may be caused by a condition affecting the lungs or surrounding tissue, such as: pneumonia — inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection pleurisy — inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs, also usually caused by an infection Mild cases of pneumonia can usually be treated with antibiotics , rest and fluids.

Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window. Last updated:. How can we improve this page? Email Address e. Message Maximum of characters. Send feedback. Also on NHS inform. Other health sites. Community content from Health Unlocked - This will open in a new window. Show references Tintinalli JE, et al. Chest pain. McGraw Hill; Accessed Sept. McConaghy JR. Outpatient evaluation of the adult with chest pain.

Rushton S, et al. Chest pain: If it is not the heart, what is it? The Nursing Clinics of North America. What is a heart attack? American Heart Association. McKean SC, et al. In: Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aortic dissection. Society for Vascular Surgery.

Pulmonary hypertension — High blood pressure in the heart-to-lung system.