Getting to the Bottom of Your Chest Pain: When to See a Doctor

Chest pain isn’t always a sign of a heart attack, but since cardiac and pulmonary problems can be life-threatening, most unknown chest pain should be medically investigated to rule out dangerous health issues. When you need cardiology care, visit the specialists at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. 

Today, we’ll take a closer look at some of the common causes of chest pain as well as when to see a doctor. Getting to the bottom of your chest pain is an important health priority. 

Reasons for chest pain

The most common cause of chest pain isn’t related to your heart at all. Instead, it’s a digestive issue called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), often referred to as heartburn. 

However, it’s not a problem you should self-diagnose because GERD shares symptoms with a heart attack. Even if you have reason to believe you’re suffering from heartburn, visit us so we can medically confirm a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan to avoid confusing symptoms. 

Other causes of chest pain, starting with the most potentially dangerous conditions, include: 

• Heart attack 
• Coronary artery disease
• Coronary artery dissection
• Pericarditis
• Aortic dissection
• Aortic aneurysm
• Heart valve failure
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pneumonia
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Asthma
• Disorders of the esophagus
• Gallstones
• Hiatal hernia
• Gastritis
• Pancreatitis
• Broken ribs
• Chest muscle strain

Chest pain is a common symptom for a wide range of conditions and diseases. Treatments depend on the underlying cause, rather than treating the symptoms, as might be done with headaches or arthritis pain. 

When to see a doctor about chest pain

Call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room immediately if your episode of chest pain is new and accompanied by any of these symptoms: 

• Sudden, excessive sweating
• Sudden paleness
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath or other breathing difficulty
• Pain that spreads to the back, jaw, or left arm
• Feeling of pressure or tightness under the breastbone
• Rapid heartbeat or respiration
• Slow heartbeat
• Low blood pressure
• Feelings of confusion or disorientation

Treat chest pain without these symptoms as an urgent medical condition, unless you have a previous diagnosis of a nonurgent cause of chest pain and a strong reason to believe this is a related incident. This might be a situation where you’ve completed an intense chest workout at the gym and muscle strain is likely, or you’ve had a large meal or foods that are known to trigger GERD. 

Where your heart is concerned, always err on the side of caution. An unnecessary doctor’s visit costs less than a missed lifesaving opportunity. 

Contact Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, by phone or online, Monday to Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to arrange a visit. 

We are conveniently located near Boston and proudly extend our services to communities throughout Norfolk, Plymouth, Bristol, and Providence counties, including Braintree, Canton, Stoughton, Westwood, Norwood, and Walpole. Whether you're in Foxborough, Easton, Brockton, or Abington, we're just a short drive away. 

We also welcome clients from West Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, and Middleborough, as well as Taunton, Norton, Mansfield, and Attleboro. Our reach extends to Rehoboth, Somerset, Swansea, Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, and even further to Wareham, Plymouth, and Pembroke. Rhode Island residents in Providence, East Providence, and Warwick can also rely on our services.