Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to Relieve Anxiety Pain
• Method 2 of 3: How to diagnose chronic severe chest pain
• Method 3 of 3: How to handle a heart attack
• Tips
• Warnings

People of any age can experience chest pain, and there are many different causes of it. Pain attacks can occur due to anxiety or panic attacks. More severe chest pain may indicate a problem with the lungs or arteries, or a heart attack (heart attack). If chest pain is caused by anxiety, it can be relieved by controlling and slowing down your breathing. For more serious problems, including a heart attack, be sure to see a doctor immediately or call an ambulance.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to Relieve Anxiety Pain

1. 1 Slow down your breathing. When anxiety attacks, people often experience chest pain due to breathing too deep and fast, which can cause severe chest pain in the region of the heart. To relieve this pain, slow your breathing and do not take deep, chaotic breaths. Breathe in at a calm, moderate pace. Stretch each breath for a few seconds.
   • If the pain you are experiencing is acute and you can point to a specific area without worrying about a heart attack, this is not your case. The pain from a heart attack spreads throughout the body and it is impossible to pinpoint its exact location.
2. 2 Seek support from a friend or family member. Ask someone close to you to reassure you with these words: "This is not a heart attack" - or: "You will not die." Using a calm, soothing tone can help increase blood carbon dioxide levels and reduce hyperventilation.
   • Hyperventilation is a fairly common symptom that people experience with panic attacks.It causes the blood vessels in the chest to shrink, causing severe pain.
   • If you are prone to frequent anxiety or panic attacks, try seeing a doctor or therapist. Medication and psychotherapy can help reduce anxiety and its effects, which in turn can relieve you of chest pain caused by anxiety.
3. 3 Learn to breathe through pursed lips. Purse your lips as if you are about to blow out a candle and exhale slowly through your lips. Do this until you feel calm and relieve hyperventilation. This type of breathing raises the level of carbon dioxide in the blood and helps to relax.
   • It is not recommended to breathe into a paper bag to cope with hyperventilation.
4. 4 See your doctor if you experience persistent chest pain. The doctor will also be able to examine you for a variety of other lung problems that can cause chest pain. In some cases, chest pain can be caused by pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure).
   • Long-term chest pain can even be a sign of pneumothorax (lung collapse).
5. 5 Ask your doctor to test you for pleurisy. If you are not suffering from anxiety but have persistent chest pain, you may have developed pleurisy. In this condition, the membranes around the lungs become inflamed and rub against each other. Pleurisy can be treated with medication.
   • If you do have pleurisy, the pain will get worse and worse during physical activity, as you will find it difficult to breathe.

Method 2 of 3: How to diagnose chronic severe chest pain

1. 1 See your doctor if you have prolonged chest pain. If your chest pain persists within a few days, make an appointment with your doctor. While this is unlikely to be a sign of a heart attack, it can still indicate a number of serious medical conditions, including heart disease. Describe your symptoms to your doctor and ask him to diagnose.
   • Long-term chest pain can also indicate health problems in the aorta, lungs, or internal organs.
   • When your doctor makes a diagnosis, they will prescribe medicine for you to relieve chest pain.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about angina. It is a medical term to describe chest pain caused by the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of the arteries. Ultimately, it can cover the main arteries that carry blood to the heart. If you experience frequent but mild chest pain, talk to your doctor about angina and have you tested for it. The cause of angina pectoris - atherosclerosis - is treated with medication, which the doctor will immediately prescribe to you.
   • It can be difficult to distinguish chest pain caused by a heart attack (heart attack) from chest pain caused by stable angina. Typically, a heart attack causes more prolonged and more painful pain than stable angina.
   • Pain from a heart attack can start suddenly and is usually severe, while pain from stable angina is slow and less severe.
   • If you think you have angina, your doctor will be able to tell if it is stable or not. Unstable angina can cause more prolonged or severe pain.
3. 3 See your doctor if you have prolonged pain after a chest injury. If you've recently fallen or otherwise injured your chest area and the pain lasts longer than two to three days, you may have a broken rib. The doctor will take x-rays to check if your ribs are damaged.
4. 4 Learn about chronic conditions if you have bone or muscle pain. If your chest muscles or bones are often sore, make an appointment with your doctor and tell them in detail about your symptoms. If your chest muscles are often sore, you may have fibromyalgia.
   • A condition called rib dystrophy (or Tietze's disease), in which the cartilage in the chest becomes inflamed, can also cause chronic chest pain.

Method 3 of 3: How to handle a heart attack

1. 1 Recognize the symptoms of a heart attack. It occurs when a blood clot enters the heart and blocks some of the blood flow. A heart attack can also occur due to narrowing of the artery from the accumulation of deposits on its walls. Be alert for any kind of chest pain. Pain from a heart attack tends to spread throughout the body and cannot be pinpointed to a specific area. Signs of a heart attack:
   • shortness of breath and sweating;
   • nausea and vomiting;
   • dizziness and rapid pulse;
   • pain that spreads throughout the body.
2. 2 Call an ambulance. A heart attack is a serious and urgent case. You don't have to ask a friend or relative to take you to the hospital. Call an ambulance right away so that help is on the way if your condition worsens.
3. 3 Take one aspirin tablet if you experience heart attack symptoms. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive or on your way to the hospital, chew and swallow one adult aspirin. This blood thinner may help relieve chest pain.
   • Do not take aspirin if you are allergic to this drug.
   • If your doctor has prescribed nitroglycerin for these situations, take it as directed by your doctor.

Tips

• The fact that you are experiencing symptoms similar to those of a heart attack does not mean that this is your case. Such symptoms are often due to peptic ulcer disease - its manifestations are rather difficult to distinguish from symptoms, for example, angina pectoris.
• For any health problem, always consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Warnings

• A heart attack can be fatal. If you think you have a heart attack, don't wait to see if it gets worse. Call an ambulance immediately.