How to Know When Your Chest Pain Might Be Serious

Pain in the chest may signify a heart attack-or not. Here's how to tell whether your chest pain needs immediate attention.

Published: August 5, 2019 Updated: February 12, 2020

A sensation of pressure, pain or squeezing in the center of your chest is a classic symptom of heart attack. It's common for this pain to radiate to your jaw, neck, back or arm. Even if it spreads outside the chest, it's called chest pain or, in medical terms, angina. But people can experience chest pain for reasons other than a heart attack. So how can you tell whether your chest pain is an emergency?