If chest pains are accompanied by other symptoms like sweating, nausea, vomiting, etc.
Chest pains may be benign, but they could also signal something life-threatening. If your chest pain is accompanied by other symptoms, like sweating, nausea, vomiting, etc., you should seek medical care right away. These symptoms might indicate a heart attack or another serious health problem (like unstable angina). It’s hard to say exactly what causes chest pain — even doctors and researchers don’t know all of the possible causes — but it’s important that you see a doctor as soon as possible if you experience unusual symptoms. The sooner you get checked out, the better. Some people wait too long before seeing a doctor when they have these types of signs and end up putting their lives at risk. In one study, people who waited longer than 90 minutes before going to an emergency room for chest pain were 20 times more likely to have died within 30 days than those who went immediately. Don’t assume that chest pains are normal; everyone gets them now and then. True, chest pains are common, but not everyone has them for normal reasons or experiences only mild discomfort when having them. So you shouldn’t ignore anything different about your chest’s sensations just because these feelings are common: They’re still worth checking out by talking with your primary care physician first before making a decision about where and when to go next for further testing. Many factors can trigger these kinds of sharp pains in our chests, including injury and/or trauma; cardiac issues such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure (CHF); stomach problems such as ulcers or acid reflux disease (GERD); pulmonary issues such as pneumonia; musculoskeletal injuries like pulled muscles in our chests; emotional stressors including anxiety attacks; issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth among women. If you think yours may be something more complicated than simple indigestion, it’s best to consult with a professional who can assess your situation from head to toe — literally.
