Chest Pain
An Introduction to Chest Pain
“Chest pain” is a general term used in the medical profession to describe ANY SYMPTOM IN THE CHEST. It may be a sign that the heart is not getting enough blood and should be evaluated in a timely manner. Pain in the chest may be described as a tightness, burning, squeezing, or sharp pain. It is important to remember that every person is unique, and symptoms may not necessarily come out of a textbook.
The location of chest pain is not necessarily critical in determining how serious it is. A heart attack or angina can present with right-sided chest pain even though the heart is located primarily in the center and left part of the chest. The nerves inside the body (unlike the nerves on our skin) are very vague and may not exactly correlate with the location of the problem.