The majority of the time, individuals tend to associate chest pain with cardiac problems but wait for some time. It is not only linked to the heart attack. It seems that there might be a lot of other causes for chest pains, but the most prominent one is chest pain anxiety resulting from any alarming event. Still, anxiety pain in chest is not deemed chronic, yet it requires special attention when ignored or left unmanaged. Hence, you should be careful not to be a victim of any form of anxiety; if this is the case, going to any psychiatrist is crucial.
Feeling anxious and need a fast result? If yes, you may turn to MAVA Behavioral Health, where you will receive effective treatment. Our friendly, licensed healthcare providers will help you through the process. Continue following this engaging blog since, the next post. We’ll explain more about the symptoms and causes and guide you on how to deal with chest pain and anxiety.
What Is Chest Pain Anxiety?
Tightness in the chest is one of the common signs associated with anxiety. The anxiety pain in chest is commonly described as located, stabbing, intermittent, or a catching sensation that will interrupt a breath. The discomfort that one experiences in the chest wall may take a few hours or days if the spasm or intense muscle contraction is severe. As much as pains due to anxiety or a panic attack are real, it is correct to say that anxiety is psychosomatic in that it may, at times, manifest severe somatic symptoms like paralysis and blindness.
Symptoms of Chest Pain Anxiety
Anxiety pain in chest consists of symptoms likely to be connected to anxiety or panic attacks. Here are some common ones: Here are some common ones:
- Rapid Heartbeat
- Shortness of Breath
- Sweating
- Dizziness or Lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Tingling Sensations
- Muscle Tension
- Non-Hot or Non-Cold Flashes
Causes of Chest Pain Anxiety
When you are worried, your whole body, especially your mind, starts to experience stress. This is a matter of a shift in physiology. They felt that their body could stiffen or constrict. An inability to perform or work is also a psychological or emotional stress response. It may make you more likely to feel or express anger and possibly even hostility. The two kinds of response are referred to as the fight-or-flight response.
Your muscles tense up to protect you or run under pressure or stress. If the fight or flight stress response is new to your body, you should fully recover in thirty minutes. But your body cannot heal at the same speed when you meet it very often. This may cause some muscles to tense up, making your chest painful.
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Anxiety and Chest Pain
Chest pain anxiety is one of the manifestations of anxiety and panic attacks. Yet, anxiety attacks are less serious as the two known terms in this world closely resemble each other. In this case, trigger events in a person’s life are related to anxiety attacks. One can experience a panic attack at any time without any cause. Stress hormones help develop a person’s fight-or-flight response. Hence, the anxiety symptoms chest pain manifest in both circumstances.
This has several symptoms, one of which is breathing difficulties. In certain cases, the sufferer may have panic episodes or cases of anxiety. Several kinds of anxiety disorders include panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pain?
Yes, anxiety may lead to chest pain. It is the situation that arises when an individual experiences a stressful event that is unbearable for them. Similarly, it is the condition of severe anxiety that is linked to chest pain and its associated disorders. Furthermore, there are a lot of other issues that may arises as a result of chest pain due to anxiety. These include: unconciousness, dizziness, loud crying, and loss of self-control.
When anxiety arises, your brain releases adrenaline and cortisol into your body. These hormones cause a sharp increase in your heart rhythm and blood pressure to rise. As a consequence, many patients report chest pain, perspiration, or difficulty breathing.
Related Read: Manage Crippling Anxiety with Easy Tips to Follow
What Does Chest Pain from Anxiety Feel Like?
Chest discomfort is due to anxiety or panic attacks. It feels like a sharp, stabbing sensation that begins quickly, even when the person is idle. People get anxious even before chest pain develops in a person.
Common signs of anxiety chest pain or panic attacks include:
- Dizziness
- Faintness
- Shortness of breath
- Trembling
- Changes in body temperature
- Feeling out of control of the situation
- Numbness and sweating in the feet and hands
- Chest ache
- Heart palpitations
Anxiety Attack Vs. Heart Attack
Anxiety Attack | Heart Attack |
| Psychological stress or triggers | Blockage in a coronary artery |
| Sudden onset typically peaks within minutes | It can be sudden but may develop over several minutes |
| Usually brief, it subsides within 10-20 minutes | It can be longer lasting, potentially hours |
| Stressful events, phobias, or triggers | Excessive cholesterol level, physical exertion, emotional stress, or other factors |
| Stress, anxiety disorders, family history of anxiety, or panic disorders are the risk factors. | The risks associated include High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, family history of heart disease. |
Manage Chest Pain with Anxiety
To avoid chest pain anxiety, you must first manage your anxiety. You might attempt the following strategies to alleviate your anxiety:
- Practice relaxation techniques: There are things you could do to handle anxiety. It includes yoga or meditation, doing deep breathing exercises, or you could count up to ten or up to twenty.
- This is focused on the need to take foods that are healthy for the sake of health and fitness in appropriate portions. Concerning the meals they noted that there is no perfect diet and if one possibly should not skip a meal.
- One should minimize the amount of caffeine taken into the body. Do not take a lot of drinks that contain caffeine in them such as energy drinks and coffee and chocolates.
- Recommend aerobic physical exercise as a treatment for anxiety while using the word physical not mental.
How to Relieve Chest Pain from Stress?
Chest pains that come with stress may be uncomfortable, but some DIY management could at least help alleviate this. Chest pain anxiety is highly alarming, yet with the following treatments, help in treating it can be achieved:
Deep Breathing: Take a minute to breathe. Focus on breathing itself while attempting to breathe deeply and slowly to relax your body.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: These methods make use of exercises. It involves individual contracts and relaxes muscles in the body to release stress.
Mindfulness Meditation: It also lets you not be completely engulfed by everything going on around you. Hence, it makes you less anxious and, accordingly, relieves pain in your chest.
Physical activity: It can reduce stress and moods, which improves the cardiovascular system. It also reduces the likelihood of chest problems.
Healthy Diet and Hydration: A well-balanced diet and plenty of water also assist the body cope with stress in daily social interactions.
Sum Up
They provide valuable information and a life map to better understand and cope with those conditions that can cause chest pain, like anxiety or panic attacks. The stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline cause it during excessive worrying or panic. Thus, if you are stressed, chest pain a symptom of anxiety. The pain could result from contracting the chest wall or muscle spasm from excessive respiration or an abrupt rise in blood pressure and rate of beating. For more information about chest pain, anxiety, or other details related to mental health issues, you may visit or contact us at MAVA Behavioral Health.
