Chest pain and dizziness are typical signs of numerous underlying causes. They frequently happen alone, but they can also happen in tandem. Typically, chest pain and dizziness are not serious symptoms.
This is particularly valid if your symptoms disappear fast. If you’re worried about this situation, you can see a doctor. You can call 911 or your local emergency number if your chest pain and dizziness continue for more than 15 minutes.
Get emergency assistance if you have trouble breathing or if the pain extends to other areas of your body.
Chest pain and dizziness might occur either separately or concurrently. Anxiety, panic episodes, and excessive exertion when working out are triggers. However, a cardiac problem could also be to blame for it.
People can experience chest pain, nausea, and dizziness for multiple reasons. One of them is vertigo, which makes you feel imbalanced and spinning. Presyncope gives you the feeling of lightheadedness as if you will faint.
Let’s explore all about chest pain and dizziness in this post.
Causes of Chest Pain and Dizziness
While chest pain and dizziness can be alarming, you typically don’t need to head to the hospital immediately. However, it would be best to investigate these symptoms further because they can point to a major medical issue. Below are the causes of these symptoms.
1. Indigestion
You experience pressure in your bowels and belly when intestinal gas builds up, but it can also cause heartburn in your chest. Everyone has this kind of chest pain periodically, which comes when stomach acid is driven into the esophagus.
However, if your symptoms are persistent, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a disorder that aches your chest, can cause chest pain and dizziness, and, if unchecked, can harm your esophagus.
2. Anxiety
Spiders, thriller books, and horror movies can all induce brief feelings of anxiety in anyone. True anxiety is a mental health condition with symptoms like chest pain and dizziness. Other anxiety symptoms include a racing heart, nausea, shaking, dry mouth, and headaches.
3. Panic Attack
Anxiety can strike you unexpectedly in episodes known as panic attacks, and it gets really bad. You can experience dread and paranoia, chest pain and dizziness, headache, difficulty breathing, nausea, numbness or tingling, temperature sensitivity, excessive sweating, or other symptoms. A panic attack episode is typically defined as any of these symptoms occurring together.
4. Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a disorder that occurs when your blood is forced through your arteries with much force. Excessive pressure damages your arteries over time, which might result in serious heart diseases.
Meanwhile, daily signs and symptoms of hypertension include nausea, fatigue, blurred vision, ear ringing, headaches, restlessness, chest pain, and dizziness.
5. Heart Problems
Of course, experiencing chest pain could mean something wrong with your heart. Another reason to see a doctor and have a precise diagnosis is that many potential health risks can exhibit the same symptoms.
These potential problems with the symptoms of chest pain and dizziness include; angina, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, mitral valve prolapse, pulmonary hypertension, and aortic stenosis.
Diagnostic Tests
A doctor may run various tests to find the cause of chest pain and dizziness.
1. Physical Exam
A medical professional will check your head, neck, and chest. Additionally, they will take your blood pressure and listen to your heartbeat.
2. Medical History
Medical history aids the doctor in determining your vulnerability to specific conditions.
3. Imaging Tests
A chest X-ray and CT scan may be performed. These examinations capture in-depth images of your arteries, heart, and lungs.
4. Blood Tests
Blood levels of some proteins or enzymes rise due to certain heart diseases. To check these levels, the doctor may suggest blood testing.
5. ECG
An ECG (electrocardiogram) of the heart measures the electrical activity. The outcomes may enable a cardiologist to identify any damage to the heart muscle.
6. Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram records a video of your heart using sound waves, which can be used to detect issues with your heart’s muscles.
7. Stress Test
A stress test examines how your heart, blood vessels, and blood flow response to physical activity. A typical illustration is using a treadmill while connected to a cardiac monitor.
8. Angiogram
This test also referred to as an arteriogram, aids a physician in identifying damaged arteries. Your heart’s blood arteries receive an injection of dye to help visualize them on an X-ray.
When to Seek Help?
You must seek medical assistance if the chest pain and dizziness last longer than 15 minutes. You must also check with the medical practitioner if you experience the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Sinking of heart
- Stomach cramps
- Pain in arms, neck, and jaw
- Chest tightness
The combination of these symptoms may indicate that you are experiencing a heart attack.
Medical emergencies may also occur if you feel pain in your heart, lungs, and GIT. This usually happens due to the following:
- Aortic dissection or aneurysm
- Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart walls)
- Arrhythmia
- Pulmonary embolism (blockage of a blood vessel in the lungs)
- Pneumothorax (air traps in the pleural cavity)
- Esophageal rupture (rupture of tube connecting throat to the stomach)
- Peptic ulcer (perforation in the stomach lining)
In some cases, chest pain and dizziness also occur due to the following:
- Exercise Injury
- Overexertion
- Anemia
- Chest Infection
- Pleurisy
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Anxiety
- Panic Disorder
- Hyperventilation
Prescription Medication
A doctor will probably recommend medicine for the majority of heart-related problems. These medications often work by lowering blood pressure or regulating irregular heartbeats. Heart problems are treated with medications like:
- Diuretics
- Calcium Channel Blockers
- ACE Inhibitors
- Beta Blockers
- Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
Conclusion
Chest pain and dizziness can have a variety of benign causes, and the symptoms sometimes go away on their own. However, a person should consult with a healthcare provider if they are worried about their symptoms or are having trouble managing them.
The majority of instances of chest discomfort and dizziness are not significant. If your symptoms linger more than 15 minutes, you should immediately seek medical attention. This may be an indication of an impending heart attack.
You can treat the issues causing your chest pain and dizziness with the help of a doctor. To achieve the best outcomes, always follow your doctor’s instructions.
HG Analytics employs data analytics to assist you in being healthy and avoiding health hazards so that you may live a long and happy life.
Using our health analytics, screening technologies, and preventative treatment, you will be able to recognize the early signs and symptoms of a variety of ailments associated with dizziness, chest pain, and nausea. Therefore, you will be able to address these issues more quickly and directly than ever before.
All of the healthcare professionals at HGA’s wellness team hold medical certifications. We can assist you in finding and comprehending any medical problems you might be worried about. To set up a consultation, please fill out the form.
