Stress And Chest Pain Contact Banner - Click Here

Stress And Chest Pain

It is important to learn about the connection between stress and chest pain.

Why?

These symptoms are most often referred to as angina, and often presents with similar symptoms. Understanding the differences and similarities between the two could just save your life.

A heart attack occurs when there is a lack of blood supply to the heart. It is the lack of blood flow that causes the chest pain, or angina symptoms, that the majority of people experience.

Typical symptoms of a heart attack include:

Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Palpitations
Sweating
Nausea
Vomiting
Anxiety



However, it is important to note that chest pain may not always be a symptom of a heart attack.

But, for many, chest pain can be felt underneath the breastbone, on the left side of the chest, or down the left shoulder and arm. The pain can also radiate to other parts of the body such as the jaw, throat, neck, should blades, and sometimes the right shoulder and arm.

These symptoms, however, do NOT always mean that you are having a heart attack.

Stress

The stress response IS the fight or flight response. This is an automatic alert system that is part of our brain and its main function is to help us survive.

Stress is a very normal part of each of our lives. And, it can be a good part of our lives when it is working properly.

The stress response is part of the autonomic nervous system of the brain…things that our body does without thinking about it…like breathing.

Within the autonomic nervous system, there are two options that will have an impact on whether the physical symptoms of stress become severe, or not. There is the:
  • “fight or flight” stress response – the sympathetic nervous system
  • and the relaxation response – the parasympathetic nervous system
Think of these two systems as one of the most important innate relationships the body has.

Stress and chest pain

There is a true physiology to stress.

Physiological stress manifests through the physical stress symptoms of:

High blood pressure
Cardiovascular disease
Elevated heart rate
Chest pain
Dizziness
Nausea
Anxiety
Fatigue
Dizziness
Nausea

Depression
Muscle tension
Chronic headaches
Neck and back pains
Sleep deprivation
Losing or gaining weight



Stress And Chest Pain Testimonial

Does chest pain = heart attack?

No.

As shown in the above list, the symptoms of stress can create the same symptoms as that as when someone is having a heart attack. It is important to be aware of that.

When chest pain is brought on by a stressful situation, you can typically reduce its intensity by relaxing and being calm.

If you were having a heart attack, any stress relaxation techniques would not lessen the pain.

Symptoms of a heart attack can be more severe and longer lasting and you should seek immediate medical attention.

Daily stress practices

The more you can manage your stress each day will create more opportunities for your body to be in balance, and that will help your overall stress adaptive skills.

And, if you have not had a history of heart problems, the best advice is to make an appointment with your doctor when you are experiencing any chest pain.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Just like with a heart attack, both stress and chest pain are to be respected and not ignored.

Let's talk for FREE.







Share Your Tips, and Ask Questions Too

There are lots of ways that stress can impact your life. If you have a question about how stress may be affecting yours, please share it here.

Enter the Title of Your Stress Tip or Question

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

How does chronic stress take its toll on the heart?  Not rated yet
Can you explain to me how does chronic stress take its toll on the heart? Thx.


Hello Dee. Let me try to explain how does chronic stress take ...

Can stress manifest a heart attack?  Not rated yet
I'm worried about what stress is doing to me. Can stress manifest a heart attack?


Joyce, thank you for your question. Here's the thing about stress ...






For more information, please see:

Return From Stress And Chest Pain To How Does Stress Affect Health

Return From Stress And Chest Pain To Coping With Stress Home


Pay it forward!

There a lot of people who have become overwhelmed by stress and how to get rid of it. I can understand this feeling. But it does not mean that good information is NOT out there. It is.

Please help a friend or loved one by sharing this information with them. Email this link to them or submit this page to your Tweet account, or Facebook or your favorite social bookmarking or networking site. Use the links below to pay it forward.




Looking for a specific topic?
Search for it here:

site search by freefind advanced


Stress Tip Of The Day!

It is the lack of balance that comes with chronic stress that creates so many problems for teenagers.

There is hope.

There are
teen stress management strategies that can help them cope with stress.




- FREE -
Control My Stress
stress management tools!


control my stress logo

Testimonials

“Ms. Churchill is the unique health care worker everyone hopes to encounter, but rarely does. She has an extraordinary gift that allows her to do much more than diagnose and treat.”
Abbie K. – Minneapolis




K., age 45, is a long term chronically PTSD disabled patient. She has had daily headaches for 20 years. Two weeks ago she reported that she had had 4 days of pain free time, and was having the exceedingly odd sensation of "smiling all the time". She and Cathi have made extraordinary fast progress together.
Dr. Cole




I referred C.L., age mid-forties, to see Cathi after a life of suffering the post traumatic stress disorder of parental sexual abuse over many years of her childhood, with major dysfunctions of alcohol and drug abuse, and with the disabling symptoms of migraine that have for more than twenty years become chronic.

She has lived with daily headaches that have not responded to any of the several drugs which have benefited many such suffering patients. She has needed chronic opiate treatment of her chronic pain syndrome.

In the few weeks that Cathi has worked with her, C.L. has begun to experience days without pain, periods of happiness, and a reduction in her opiate dosage requirements that represent a breakthrough in her stalled-out life as a single mom raising a teen-age daughter with only social security income resources.
Dr. Racer




“I first met Cathi Churchill eight years ago when she effectively helped my work unit through the stress of a hospital-wide layoff. I was impressed with her clear-minded approach and willingness to listen.”
Andy R.




N., age 60, is a hard driving attorney twenty year patient of mine who hit the wall with chronic fatigue four years ago, and began to realize she had to learn to rest. She recovered enough to return to her workaholic lifestyle when she was stopped by a herniated cervical disc and resumption of her chronic colitis.

Working with Cathi, she is discovering "the way she does life" and learning to make choices about it. She came in last week, having "danced until dawn". She is learning to dialogue with her body in effective ways.
Dr. Cole




“I stumbled upon Cathi after my recent heart attack that was brought on by stress. I was scared of having another one, and didn’t know what to do. I had lost hope. Working with her has changed my life. I’m so grateful."
Debbie – Canada




M.S., a woman in her late forties with progressively more and more disabling rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, whose most recent problems have arisen over the last two to three years as complications of immunosuppressive therapy for her disease. The complications have been associated with the severely disabling chronic pain of recurrent herpes neuralgia for more than three years, and for the past 15 months, recurrent osteomyelitis in her right lower mandible.

The second, more alarming (even life-threatening) problem has caused months of diagnostic and therapy confusion among her many consultants, three successive resections of the bone over the last six to eight months, and the still ongoing threat of more relapses of the smoldering bone infection and chronic pain only made bearable by chronic, massive doses of opiates.

In the few months since M. began to work with Cathi with several modalities: stress management, therapeutic touch, guided imaging, and others, her life has become more livable, as she has become able to bear the pain and the discouragement of unresolved disease.

She has relied on many of the methods for maintaining hope and getting through overwhelming discouragement by using the inner resources she has learned with Cathi.

My hope as her primary physician, is that Cathi and M. will be able to continue to work together to maintain that inner strength and hope as she faces yet more months of pain, and further repeated surgery.

Thank you for the healing guidance you've been able to give her thus far.
Dr. Racer




“I sought out the help of Cathi during my divorce, and found her to be an insightful and compassionate coach. Her ability to see deep into the heart of an emotionally stressful problem is, I believe, unique and I would highly recommend her service to anyone.”
P.R. – Brooklyn Center




S., age 48, is a Laotian patient of mine with 15 years of chronic abdominal pain. She has had an extensive medical worked up, and nothing ever worked. Cathi saw her over several months.

S. has improved! Cathi established a trusting relationship with her, and helped her to effectively break through her wall of silence and grief about her son's mental illness, and taught her how to "change her thinking".

S. now comes in smiling, notes some unusual continued symptoms, but no longer has chronic abdominal disabling pain.
Dr. Cole




“Control My Stress is so amazing. I want to thank you, again, for such a valuable resource.”
Tony.


coping with stress logo