Some Basics...

• Not all chest pain is serious. But it is safer to assume that chest pain is serious until seen by a doctor.
• Serious causes of chest pain include angina, aortic dissection (tear in aorta), myocardial infarction (heart attack), pericarditis (inflammation of heart), pneumonia, and pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
• Less serious cause of chest pain include costochondritis (arthritis of ribs), gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD or acid reflux), and muscle strain.
• Pain felt in the chest can come from things besides the heart. The ribs, spine, lungs, and other organs in the upper abdomen can also cause chest pain.

Pain Scale

• None: No pain. Pain score is 0 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Mild: The pain does not keep you from work, school, or other normal activities. Pain score is 1-3 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Moderate: The pain keeps you from working or going to school. It wakes you up from sleep. Pain score is 4-7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It may be worse than any pain you have had before. It keeps you from doing any normal activities. Pain score is 8-10 on a scale of 0 to 10.

What Are the Symptoms of a Heart Attack?

• Chest pain or discomfort: This is normally felt in the center of the chest. It may feel like pressure, squeezing, or heaviness. It lasts for more than a few minutes.
• Upper body pain or discomfort: Felt in the upper arms, jaw, neck, or back.
• Shortness of breath
• Other symptoms: These can include sweating more than normal, nausea, and feeling lightheaded.

If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 (an ambulance) right away!

1. What You Should Know:
   • Not all chest pain is serious. But it is safer to assume that your chest pain is serious until you see a doctor.
   • Pain felt in the chest can come from things besides the heart. The ribs, spine, lungs, and other organs in the upper abdomen can also cause chest pain.
   • You can treat mild chest pain at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Fleeting Chest Pain: These pains last only a few seconds and then go away. They are usually not serious. They may be from pinched muscles or nerves in your chest wall.
3. Chest Pain Only When Coughing: Pain comes from the chest wall and airway irritation. This pain is most often not serious.
4. Cough Medicines:
   • Over-the-Counter (OTC) Cough Syrups: Some people find that cough syrups help decrease coughing. Dextromethorphan is the most common cough suppressant in OTC cough syrups. Often the letters "DM" appear in the name.
   • OTC Cough Drops: Cough drops can help a lot. They work best for mild coughs. They soothe the tickling feeling in the back of the throat. Cough drops are easy to carry with you.
   • Home Remedy - Hard Candy: Hard candy works just as well as OTC cough drops. Diabetics should use sugar-free candy.
   • Home Remedy - Honey: Honey has been shown to help decrease coughing at night. The adult dose is 2 teaspoons (10 ml) at bedtime.
5. What to Expect: These mild chest pains most often go away within 3 days.
6. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe chest pain
   • Constant chest pain lasts more than 5 minutes
   • Trouble breathing occurs
   • Fever occurs
   • You get worse

1. Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs:
   • The American Heart Association has helpful information about heart attack, stroke, and other diseases.
   • You can find this online at: http://www.heart.org/
2. Women and Heart Disease:
   • Womenshealth.Gov has answers to a number of questions.
   • You can find this online at: http://womenshealth.gov/