Anxiety and Chest Pain: Causes, Duration, and Treatment

• Increased heart rate: This is one of the most common symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Anxiety can speed up your heart rate, making you feel as if your heart is pounding, intensifying discomfort.
• Shortness of breath: Anxiety often causes rapid, shallow breathing, making breathing difficult and increasing distress.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness: Faster breathing during anxiety attacks can lower blood carbon dioxide levels, causing dizziness.
• Sweating: The body’s response to anxiety includes sweating, which helps cool the body but can feel uncomfortable.
• The feeling of impending doom: A strong sense of fear or dread, often associated with anxiety attacks, can accompany chest pain.
• Headaches: Tension headaches can occur due to stress and anxiety, adding to discomfort.
• Nausea: Anxiety can cause stomach upset, leading to feelings of nausea.
• Muscle tension: Anxiety can cause muscles, particularly in the chest and upper body, to tighten, contributing to the sensation of chest pain. ³

Factors influencing duration anxiety-related chest pain

Several factors can influence how long the chest pain lasts and how it is experienced:

• Intensity of anxiety: The severity of the anxiety episode can affect the duration of the pain. More intense anxiety can lead to longer-lasting chest pain.
• Physical health: Underlying health issues, such as heart conditions or gastrointestinal problems, can worsen anxiety and chest pain, causing it to last longer.
• Stress management skills: Individuals with good stress management techniques may find that their anxiety chest pain is shorter and less intense.
• Previous episodes: Those who have experienced anxiety chest pain before may either become more sensitized to the sensation, potentially prolonging the pain, or they may develop coping skills that shorten its duration.

• Tightness or pressure: Often described as a heavyweight or tight band squeezing the chest, creating a constricting sensation.
• Sharp or stabbing pains: These can manifest as sudden, sharp jolts quite different from the deep aches related to heart issues.
• Burning sensation: This may feel like a burning or tingling in the chest, intensifying as anxiety levels rise.
• Difficulty breathing: A feeling of breathlessness or difficulty catching your breath.
• Dull ache: A persistent, dull ache that comes in waves and doesn’t go away until you try some breathing & relaxation techniques.

Compare the symptoms of anxiety caused by heart attack and anxiety

When trying to determine whether chest pain is due to anxiety or a heart attack, consider the following:

• Onset: Anxiety chest pain can occur suddenly but is usually triggered by identifiable anxiety symptoms. In contrast, heart attack chest pain can occur unexpectedly and increase in intensity.
• Physical activity influence: Heart attack chest pain can start or worsen with physical exertion, while anxiety-related pain is more tied to emotional stress.
• Response to anxiety management: Pain related to anxiety often improves with relaxation techniques, whereas heart attack symptoms do not subside with such methods and require immediate medical attention.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

• Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder experience excessive, ongoing worry not limited to specific situations or objects.
• This constant state of tension can lead to physical symptoms, including chest pain.
• Along with chest pain, GAD can cause muscle tension, fatigue, and restlessness, which may contribute to or increase the sensation of chest discomfort.

Panic disorder

• Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, intense episodes of fear that can trigger severe physical reactions, including chest pain, which might mimic those of a heart attack.
• Those with panic disorder might frequently experience bouts of extreme anxiety with symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom, alongside chest pain.

Social anxiety disorder

• While social anxiety is primarily associated with intense fear and avoidance of social situations, it can also lead to physical symptoms like chest pain.
• The stress and discomfort it causes are especially pronounced when the person feels scrutinized or judged.
• High stress levels experienced during social interactions can manifest physically, causing symptoms that include rapid heart rate and chest discomfort.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, happens when someone has a strong, ongoing reaction to something traumatic they’ve experienced in the past.
• This can make them extra alert and anxious, which might cause physical problems like chest pain.
• People with PTSD might react more intensely to things that remind them of the trauma, see dangers where there aren’t any, or have sudden, sharp chest pains when they’re stressed.

Persistent or severe chest pain

• If you experience chest pain that feels different from your typical anxiety symptoms, or if the pain is more intense and doesn’t subside with your usual methods to reduce anxiety, it’s important to see a doctor.

Difficulty differentiating from a heart attack

• Because symptoms of a heart attack can overlap with those of anxiety-related chest pain (like sweating, nausea, or pain radiating to other parts of the body), seeing a doctor can help you determine whether your symptoms are due to a heart attack or anxiety.
• Always err on the side of caution. If you are unsure about the cause of your chest pain, seek immediate medical care.

Increase in frequency or intensity

• If your chest pain becomes more frequent or severe, or if your usual anxiety management strategies no longer control your symptoms, it’s best to consult with a healthcare provider.
• Any new symptoms accompanying the chest pain that have not been previously associated with your anxiety attacks should be assessed by a doctor.

Impact on daily life

• When chest pain and anxiety start to interfere significantly with your daily life, professional medical advice can help you manage and reduce anxiety, thereby improving the quality of your life.
• Continuous anxiety and chest pain can lead to further health complications, including chronic stress and depression. A healthcare professional can offer comprehensive treatment that addresses both the mental and physical aspects of anxiety.