Chest pain is probably the most scary symptom that one can ever experience! The moment you feel pain or discomfort in the chest, you are bound to relate it to a heart problem! But do you know that anxiety and panic related chest pains are equally common these days?

Anxiety or panic is something that we all have experienced at some point or the other in our lives! Though we all may not have experienced chest pain, it is a very common sign and symptom of elevated stress and anxiety levels in the body! As a matter of fact, almost 40% of the people suffering from anxiety or panic disorder suffer from chest pain while getting a panic attack! The human mind always tends to hope for the worst, which is why no matter how many health issues may have chest pain as a prominent symptom, the first and foremost thought that would come into our mind is..."Oh My God, I think am getting a heart attack!" When this thought strikes our mind, we end up panicking all the more which just worsens our condition. Instead of panicking in such cases, what you need to do is to relax and take a deep breath! Though it is good to be concerned, it is not good to take additional stress while suffering from a symptom like chest pain. There are many ways through which you can differentiate between the chest pain caused by a heart problem and a chest pain caused by a panic attack. Keep reading further to understand about the same in a much better way!

Chest Pain Due to Anxiety and Panic Attack

Though there is a lot of similarity in the way we experience chest pain due to anxiety or due to a heart problem, there are still certain differences between the two. A small example for the same would be, in case of a cardiac related chest pain, the pain remains even when you try move. In the case of a heart attack; however, moving would be next to impossible. If you are experiencing chest pain related to anxiety, then diverting your attention from the thought of getting a heart attack, will help you in dissipating the chest pain. This doesn't happen in case of a cardiac pain. Due to stress and anticipation of heart attacks, in many cases, people have been rushed to the emergency rooms but what comes out of it is nothing but a chest pain related to panic attack! Therefore, it is advisable not to lose control over oneself, in times to any sort of chest pain.

To be more clear, it is important for you to understand the nature of anxiety and panic related chest pain. Mentioned below are some key points explaining the nature of this pain.

• The pain is usually confined to a small area
• The pain is usually sharp and stabbing in nature
• The pain usually dissipates within a small time frame
• The pain also dissipates as soon as you divert your focus from the pain and calm yourself
• The pain also occurs while at rest, without being physically exerted

However, there have been instances when the chest pain due to anxiety disorder has also spread from the chest to the shoulders, neck, head, and stomach. The easiest way to identify the difference is to try to reduce the amount of anxiety, so that the pain also reduces.

Among all the health articles that I have written in relevance to anxiety and panic disorders and heart problems, I have always mentioned that although the two conditions are fairly different from each other, they are still closely related to each other. Stress is known to be a boosting factor for heart problems. Therefore, even though the chest pain may not be related to heart attack as of now, it can still be a warning sign for you that you need to learn to relax! Therefore, it is important for you to get in touch with your doctor as soon as you experience any abnormality in your chest pain, breathing pattern and heart palpitations. Relax and have a healthy and safe tomorrow.