Chest pain
Pending clinical review Educational information from public health sources, pending clinical review. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice.
Most chest pain is not a sign of anything serious, but it can be a sign of a heart attack, so always get medical advice. Get emergency help immediately if you think you are having a heart attack.
Get emergency help now (call your local emergency number (112 in India)) if you have:
- Sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away (squeezing, pressure, burning)
- Pain that spreads to the arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back
- Chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, lightheadedness or shortness of breath
Contact a doctor or clinician today if you have:
- Chest pain that comes and goes
When to see a clinician
- You have chest pain that comes and goes, or went away quickly but you are still worried.
What it can be associated with
This page cannot tell you what is causing your symptom. Many different things, minor and serious, can cause the same symptom, and only a clinician who can examine you can assess it. The list of things a symptom can be associated with is in alphabetical order, not in order of how likely they are.
- A chest infection, pneumonia or pleurisy
- A chest sprain or strain
- Anxiety or a panic attack
- Heart problems such as angina, a heart attack or pericarditis
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Shingles
General self-care
- Do not wait to see if sudden chest pain goes away: get help first.
For medicines, ask a pharmacist or doctor; SuperHealthyAI does not advise on medicines or doses.
Check for warning signs
Tick any that apply now. This does not diagnose anything; it tells you how soon to get help.
Sources
- NHS (England): Chest pain (retrieved 2026-10-19)
- MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine): Chest Pain (retrieved 2026-10-19)
This page is general education, not personal medical advice. For diagnosis, treatment or medicines, please talk to a qualified doctor, registered dietitian or pharmacist. Read our medical & AI disclaimer.