If you have chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness, or feel acutely unwell, call 999 now — or your local emergency number if you are outside the UK. This is not an emergency service.
Call 999 now if chest pain Call 999 now if chest pain is so bad you cannot speak normally, walk, or sit or stand comfortably, lasts more than 15 minutes, or comes with any of these features:
pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back
sweating, feeling sick, or shortness of breath
feeling faint, collapsing, or a sense of impending doom
If you think you might be having a heart attack, call 999. Do not drive yourself. Do not wait to see if it passes.
It is better to call and be wrong than not to call.
If your symptoms have settled and none of the above applied, the rest of this page explains what chest pain can be and how clinicians decide what to do next.
What kind of chest discomfort?
Select any features you recognise. This does not diagnose the cause; it describes common patterns and routes you to care.
Select the features that fit
The guide will describe the pattern and show the safest route to care.
Why different causes can feel alike
The heart, ribs, muscles, oesophagus, lungs and upper stomach all sit close together, and their nerve signals overlap. That is why angina, muscular or rib pain, reflux, anxiety, and lung causes can all be felt as chest tightness, pressure, sharp pain or burning.
Angina is discomfort from the heart muscle needing more blood flow. Muscular or rib pain often changes with movement, touch or posture. Reflux comes from acid or irritation in the oesophagus. Anxiety can tighten breathing and chest muscles. Lung causes may hurt more with breathing or coughing.
What happens when you seek help
A clinician is not trying to label the pain from one word. They look at timing, triggers, risk factors, observations and examination. An ECG checks the heart's electrical pattern. Blood tests can look for heart muscle injury. Depending on the story, they may repeat tests or arrange imaging.
The aim is to separate emergencies from problems that can be assessed safely in primary care or clinic. Bring a clear timeline, your medicines, and any previous ECGs or discharge letters if you have them.
Would you like specialist advice?
I offer face-to-face appointments, normally 30 minutes, at the Finchley Road clinic.