Chest pain manifests itself in different forms. It might feel like a sharp stab or a dull ache in your chest. At times, the pain might feel crushing or burning. Chest pain is one of the most common signs of a heart attack and may be caused by less severe conditions.

The symptoms listed below are divided into heart-related symptoms and other symptoms. Heart-related symptoms:

• Chest tightness 
• Back, jaw or arm pain
• Fatigue
• Light-headedness
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea 
• Pain during exertion

Other symptoms include:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain accompanied by a rash
• Fever 
• Aches
• Chills
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Feeling anxious or panicky 
• Hyperventilating
• Pain after swallowing or eating
• Pain that worsens when breathing in deeply or coughing

If you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, see Dr Naicker. Your doctor might conduct tests which include electrocardiogram, blood tests, chest X-ray and a CT scan. Depending on your results, you might need follow-up testing, which involves an echocardiogram, stress test and an angiogram.

Treatment for chest pain is dependent upon the cause of your chest pain. It can be medications such as artery relaxers, aspirin, blood thinners, antidepressants and acid-suppressing medications. Treatment can also be surgical and other procedures such as angioplasty and stent placement, bypass surgery, dissection repair and lung re-inflation. Treatment for heart-related causes of chest pain include medications such as nitro-glycerine, cardiac catheterisation and surgical repair of the arteries.