In life, there are times when things are beyond our control, and we feel nervous, worried, and anxious. Sometimes, it’s temporary and settles as the distressing situation settles. Other times, it prolongs, causing various symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and even chest pain.
Chest pain due to anxiety usually happens during a panic attack, which is actually an extreme stress reaction.
But, as chest pain is also linked to heart attack and other heart conditions, proper diagnosis is crucial to understand the cause and then plan the treatment accordingly.
In today’s blog, we’ll explain anxiety-related chest pain in detail:
- Can anxiety cause chest pain?
- What does anxiety chest pain feel like?
- Causes and symptoms of chest pain from anxiety:
- What to do if you feel anxiety chest pain?
- Anxiety vs Heart Attack:
- When to seek help for anxiety chest pain?
Chest pain can be a symptom of a heart attack. If you or someone near you is experiencing severe chest tightening, lightheadedness, jaw pain, discomfort in the arm or shoulder, and extreme shortness of breath, call 911 or your local emergency services for immediate help!
Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pain?
Yes, anxiety can cause chest pain. But anxiety shows itself in different forms, which makes understanding and detecting symptoms difficult. Anxiety symptoms not only vary from person to person, but sometimes they aren’t even the same for the same person. (Changes according to situation, fear, and anxiety level)
What Anxiety Chest Pain Feels Like?
Chest pain because of anxiety feels different for each person. Some experience gradual and consistent chest pain. For others, it may be unexpected and sudden. It usually feels like:
- Sharp, throbbing pain
- Persistent
- Burning, numbness
- Unbearable pressure
- Chest tightness
- Muscle twitch or spasm
The surprising fact is:
A study conducted in 2022 showed that nearly 50% of people who reported in the emergency department with chest pain, a cause of their chest pain was not related to cardiac issues. The two most common causes of non-cardiac chest pain are:
- Panic disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
Causes of Anxiety Chest Pain:
Anxiety produces physical reactions in the body, such as sweating or shortness of breath.
When you feel stressed, worried, or anxious, your body’s stress response system activates, inducing physical changes such as tightening up.
Stress response also causes psychological or emotional changes. You may get aggressive or upset over small matters. These responses are actually known as fight or flight responses. When you’re stressed, your body stays hyper alert and active to fight back aggressively or run away.
If you’re experiencing anxiety or this fight-or-flight response temporarily, don’t worry, as it goes within 30 minutes, and your body will fully recover. But if you’re in chronic anxiety or experience it frequently, your body might require more time to recover from it. This frequent fight or flight response leads to increased muscle tension that builds up in your chest as pressure or pain.
Similarly, if the stress keeps piling up, it may increase your heart rate and heartbeat. These, along with chest tightening, can make you feel unusual chest pain from anxiety.
Symptoms of chest pain from anxiety:
Anxiety chest pain generally feels sudden, sharp, and throbbing in the chest area. Some usual symptoms that appear alongside chest pain from anxiety are:
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Increased body temperature
- Stomach discomfort
- Dizziness
- Tingling in the finger
Anxiety vs Heart Attack:
Anxiety-related chest pain and a heart attack usually feel similar, but their underlying causes and symptom patterns differ greatly.
Anxiety chest pain is usually linked to stress or panic. It usually improves with relaxation. Heart attack pain is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart and typically worsens over time.
Recognizing these differences can help, but symptoms can overlap, so medical evaluation is essential.
| Symptom | Anxiety | Heart Attack |
| Chest Pain Type | Sharp, stabbing, burning, and tightness | Pressure, squeezing, heaviness |
| Onset | Suddenly, usually during extreme stress or panic | Gradual or sudden, often with exertion |
| Duration | Minutes to a couple of hours | Persists and usually worsens with time |
| Breathing | Shortness of breath, hyperventilation | Shortness of breath with no fast breathing |
| Radiation of Pain | Usually stays in the chest | Spread to the arm, jaw, neck, and back |
| Other Symptoms | Sweating
Dizziness Tingling Fear |
Nausea
Cold sweat Lightheadedness |
| Relief | Improves with deep breathing and calming techniques | Usually, it never improves with rest or breathing |
Because chest pain can signal a heart attack, never self-diagnose!
If chest pain is severe, new, persistent, or shows symptoms like jaw or arm pain, extreme shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, seek immediate medical care. Don’t delay.
A proper medical evaluation is the only way to determine whether chest pain is anxiety-related or heart-related and to ensure timely, appropriate treatment.
How Long Does Anxiety Chest Pain Last?
According to Dr Pozuelo:
“It’s hard to tell exactly how long anxiety-related chest pain lasts. The pain can go within minutes or last for two hours.”
Though while experiencing it, it feels like it may last forever, usually, it goes on its own.
But if you’re experiencing it for the first time and are unsure what it is, don’t risk your health. Immediately take emergency help and don’t drive yourself. Explain the symptoms to determine whether it’s anxiety-related chest pain or a cardiac source of chest pain.
What To Do If You Feel Anxiety Chest Pain?
First of all, if it’s for the first time, seek immediate medical help to rule out the cause.
Once the cause is confirmed and you know it’s because of anxiety, you can practice following relaxation techniques to manage anxiety. But please note that these techniques or home remedies for anxiety may not work every time, depending on the situation and anxiety level.
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Practice Deep Breathing
If you feel shortness of breath or an increased heart rate, do deep breathing. Find a peaceful, quiet area. Inhale deeply for a count of 10, hold for a second, and then exhale for a count of 10. Keep repeating until you feel your heart rate is getting normal.
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Mindfulness
Anxiety usually happens because of future concerns of what’s, ifs and buts. Train your mind to focus on today. It helps you stay calm and reduce anxiety. You can practice mindfulness by naming what you’re seeing, hearing actively, touching and feeling things around you, and by smelling.
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Journaling
At the end of the day, debunk your mental, emotional, and spiritual stress. Write every day what you feel, why you feel, and does it matters. If it matters, resolve it. If it doesn’t matter, let it go and teach your mind that it’s okay, and you don’t have to worry about it. (It helps to keep the mind calm and reduces its stress, and fight or flight mode)
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Take Care of Your Physical Health
A healthy body has a healthy mind. If you feel anxious, ask yourself:
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- Are you eating healthy?
- Are you practicing any physical activity? (Walk, running, gym, yoga)
When you take care of your body, you actually take care of your mind and soul as well. They are all correlated. Taking care of your physical health won’t relieve anxiety or chest pain, but it’ll help reduce the risk of anxiety in the future.
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Change Your Perspective
If you’re anxious, use your imagination. Visualize a place that calms your mind. Think of the things you love to have. Change your position. Go to the people you love, talk to them. Divert your mind.
In case you’re in an unavoidable situation. Practice deep breathing while visualizing the place or the people you love.
When To Seek Help For Anxiety Chest Pain?
If your anxiety chest pain is severe, chronic, and disturbing your normal life, don’t wait; immediately seek medical help. First emergency department to check if it’s anxiety-related or heart-related. If it’s heart-related, follow the diagnosis and treatment. If it’s anxiety-related, consult with your therapist.
Though the above-mentioned techniques are helpful and proven, if you’re already anxious, you might need someone to counsel, help, and get out of this anxiety cycle. That’s where a mental healthcare professional can help.
A therapist helps you understand the root cause of your anxiety and how to cope with it. It ultimately helps you to feel secure, safe, and controlled, which brings calmness. When you achieve calmness and a sense of security, anxiety symptoms, including chest tightness, usually subside.
If therapy or coaching techniques don’t work, your psychiatrist can prescribe anti-anxiety medications, depending on your symptoms and anxiety level. Remember, only a licensed psychiatrist can prescribe anti-anxiety medications because they’ve some side effects and risks, but using them temporarily to control symptoms is generally helpful.
Need Telepsychiatry Services To Overcome Anxiety?
Digipsych offers online telepsychiatry services across six states of the USA: Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Our board-certified, child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, Dr Hussain, has years of experience in psychiatry care. He listens to your concerns, understands the root cause of your anxiety, and provides proven anxiety coping techniques and medications ( if required). We stay with you until you achieve your recovery goal.
If you’re experiencing anxiety, don’t fight alone. We’re here to help you out, that too from the comfort of your home. Contact Now To Regain Clarity and Calmness in Life.
People Also Ask
Can stress cause discomfort in the chest?
Yes. Stress can cause chest discomfort by triggering your body’s fight-or-flight response. Muscle tension, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate during stress can lead to chest tightness or pain.
Why does stress cause chest pain?
Stress activates stress hormones like adrenaline, which tighten chest muscles and speed up breathing and heartbeat. This muscle tension and reduced oxygen balance create pain that feels scary but isn’t heart-related.
Can anxiety cause chest pain every day?
Yes. Chronic anxiety can cause recurring chest pain due to ongoing muscle tension, frequent panic responses, and constant stress on the nervous system. Repeated anxiety episodes can make chest discomfort feel persistent or daily.
How to relieve chest tightness from anxiety?
Slow deep breathing, grounding exercises, and calming your nervous system can help. Similarly, controlled breathing, mindfulness, and reducing caffeine can also relieve chest tightness. However, we strongly recommend that ongoing or severe chest tightness should always be medically evaluated first.
Can anxiety cause chest pain on the left side?
Yes. Anxiety-related chest pain can occur on the left side and may feel similar to heart pain. Anxiety chest pain can affect any part of the chest, which is why a medical evaluation is essential to rule out heart issues.