Chest Pain, when is it a heart attack? Prolonged chest pain is considered the telltale symptom of a heart attack. But it’s not always simple to tell when a heart attack occurs. Early medical treatment is important. If you have any questions about the cause of your pain, always seek medical attention.
Heart Attacks Vary
Some heart attack sufferers report severe chest pain, while others only feel some chest discomfort. About one-third of heart attack sufferers do not feel any chest pain at all. Other common symptoms besides chest pain during heart attacks are: left arm pain, pain that radiates to the neck or jaw, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, or sweating. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
This article is provided by White River Health System and a grant from the Arkansas Department of Health, Cardiovascular Health Section.