Chest Pain Due to Anxiety: Why Does it Happen and How to Deal with It?

Do you notice pains in your chest every time you feel anxious? Chest pain due to anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of this disorder. Find out how to prevent it.

Although it is a little-known symptom, the chest pain could be due to anxiety In many cases, punctures in the chest are associated (correctly) with an alarming symptom of a heart attack, but the reality is that chest pain can also be caused by a series of conditions that have nothing to do with the heart attack. heart. But, how can we know that chest pain is due to the anxiety we suffer?

Chest pain in anxiety

In many cases, anxiety symptoms can be confused with other medical conditions. So much so that people who suffer from a pain due to anxiety They often worry that these symptoms are a sign that something more serious is happening in their body.

Anxiety can manifest itself in both physical and psychological symptoms. In fact, one of the most common physical discomforts is la sensation of throbbing or pressure in the chest There are many cases in which people who suffer from this chest discomfort do not receive a diagnosis of anxiety, which contributes to continuing to feel this tightness in the chest.

Symptoms of chest pain due to anxiety

When chest pain is due to anxiety, it is normal for people to believe they are having a heart attack. In fact, people may very well feel like they have trouble catching their breath or a lot of tightness in their chest (just like a heart attack).

But in the case that this pressure in the chest due to anxiety, people usually suffer from it when they are in a situation that causes them excessive stress or anxiety. Thus, people may notice chest pain due to anxiety in the following situations.

• during work
• among crowds
• Lying in bed and worrying excessively

Furthermore, to know how a chest discomfort due to anxiety, there are a series of signs that can help you detect that it is one of the symptoms of this disorder. According to psychologists, chest pain due to anxiety is usually felt in the following way.

• Sharp or stabbing pain that makes breathing difficult
• Pain on one side of the chest, especially on the left side
• A tight feeling in the chest
• Notice how an arrow passes through us

When it comes to anxiety, stabbing pain in the chest It usually also has the following characteristics.

• It appears suddenly, but is not present all day.
• The pain remains mainly in the chest and does not spread to other parts of the body.
• Happens most often when you’re not moving

In the event that this pressure in the chest due to anxiety, people usually suffer from it when they are in a situation that causes them excessive stress or anxiety. In fact, normally this sensation does not appear during moments of stress, but rather when our body relaxes or the stress is not fully perceived.

How does anxiety cause chest pain?

Anxiety is an emotional reaction that causes our body to respond with a fight or flight response. When our body uses its mechanisms to carry out this response, one of its effects can change the way we breathe.

This hyperventilation can cause a chest pressure because faster, shallower breathing leads to lower levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Because of this, people with chest pain due to anxiety may also experience dizziness and tingling in their hands and legs.

When the twinges in the chest are due to anxiety although a sign that you need to see a professional psychologist, does not imply the risk of a heart attack.

Chest discomfort: Heart attack or anxiety?

It makes sense that when experiencing twinges in chest people start to worry. On many occasions, when people suffer from anxiety with chest pain, these types of symptoms tend to increase their worry, making an anxiety attack more possible. To differentiate chest anxiety from a heart attack, it is vital that you know the symptoms of this physical condition. In a heart attack, people experience the following.

• Chest discomfort
• Lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting
• Jaw, neck and back pain
• Discomfort or pain in the shoulders
• Difficulty breathing

Furthermore, in women, a heart attack can cause pain in the pit of the stomach, below the sternum, which is what also hurts with anxiety, since the back tenses and stretches the ribs. If you have experienced these types of symptoms but have little chance of not having heart problems, it is very likely that chest pain that you are having is caused by anxiety. Likewise, whenever you have doubts, consult a doctor or a professional psychologist immediately.

Some research has shown that anxiety can affect our heart health over time. Therefore, take measures to control anxiety especially if it causes punctures in the chest or a burning sensation in the chest, it should be one of your priorities.

How to act when faced with chest pressure due to anxiety?

It is impossible to avoid the anxiety we feel completely. Despite this, when this happens, be more aware of its symptoms to obtain greater control over its effects. In this way, one of the ways to relieve chest tightness Due to anxiety the following is recommended.

1. Deep breathing:When you feel the heavy chest or you begin to feel pains in your chest, it is important that you start breathing constantly and very deeply. The important thing is to avoid hyperventilation, one of the consequences of having very shallow breathing. When doing this technique, you must keep in mind that you should breathe with your hands covering your mouth to avoid hyperventilation.
2. Keep in mind that it is temporary: One of the effects that makes the chest discomfort to go further is precisely to worry about this type of pain. Therefore, to prevent chest tightness from getting worse, you must remember that it is a temporary symptom of anxiety.
3. Maintain a positive attitude: Focusing on positive, peaceful memories or images can help reduce the severity of symptoms of an anxiety attack, such as chest tightness
4. Account: Counting to 10 or 20 and then repeating can help people focus on other thoughts to help get rid of a chest discomfort.
5. Healthy living habits: There are some changes in our lifestyle that can help us cope with the anxiety and its symptoms Among them, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, or avoiding sugars and the consumption of alcohol or caffeine.

He chest pain from anxiety It is a sign that this disorder is taking over more and more of our lives. In these cases, if these chest discomforts interfere with your daily life, it is important that you consult with a mental health professional. You should not let anxiety take over your life.