Introduction

It's the middle of the night or maybe the beginning of a busy workday when you suddenly feel pain in your chest. You try to ignore it at first, but your chest pain has you scared and worried. Could you be having a heart attack? Should you go to the emergency room?

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help. Every year emergency room doctors evaluate and treat millions of people for chest pain.

Fortunately, chest pain doesn't always signal a heart attack. Often chest pain is unrelated to any heart problem. But even if the chest pain you experience has nothing to do with your cardiovascular system, the problem may still be important — and worth the time spent in an emergency room to have your chest pain evaluated.

When to seek medical advice

Pain in your chest can be severe. It can be difficult to interpret. The cause of the pain could be something as simple as heartburn or as serious as a heart attack.

If you experience unexplained and persistent chest pain or a feeling of pressure or tightness in your chest — particularly if it's accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness or pain that radiates beyond your chest to one or both of your arms or your neck — seek emergency medical care immediately. If you are having a heart attack, rapid treatment can dramatically reduce the amount of damage to your heart muscle and prevent long-term complications.

Every minute is crucial if you are in the midst of a heart attack. A trip to the emergency room could save your life — or bring you peace of mind if nothing is seriously wrong with your health.