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What are the Most Common Causes of Chest Pain and Dizziness?

By Madeleine A.
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 5,422
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The most common causes of chest pain and dizziness include cardiac-related chest pain, inflammation of lining around heart, heart attack, and coronary artery disease. In addition, anxiety and panic attacks can cause significant chest pain and dizziness, which often brings people to the emergency room, fearing they are having a heart attack. Other causes, such as bronchitis chest pain, can cause dizziness from excessive coughing, but the pain usually subsides once coughing is managed. Chest pain caused by asthma is also common, and occurs when people struggle to breathe as bronchial tubes constrict. Medications such as inhalers generally resolve this condition.

Treatment for chest pain and dizziness depends upon the cause. Pericarditis is generally caused by an infection and after completing antibiotic therapy, symptoms usually resolve. Sometimes, however, fluid around the heart called pericardial effusion remains for months, but does not cause symptoms. Chest pain and dizziness related to coronary artery disease needs to be treated promptly. When arteries are blocked, blood flow is impeded and can cause damage to the heart muscle. Surgery such as angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafts are effective in restoring arterial flow.

Typically, pain that remains localized in the chest, and does not radiate, is less likely to be related to heart problems. When, however, chest pain radiates to the shoulder, neck, jaw and down the arm, a cardiac cause should be suspected. This is especially important when dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, or nausea occur. In addition, numbness or confusion are also significant symptoms that can accompany cardiac-related chest pain. Certain medications such as nitroglycerine tablets can relieve cardiac-related chest pain and subsequent dizziness by temporarily dilating constricted blood vessels and restoring circulation.

In cases where chest pain and dizziness is caused by panic attacks or anxiety, individuals need to seek help for ways in managing their stress. The physician can recommend appropriate therapy that can help patients deal with panic attacks and relevant symptoms. Sometimes anti-anxiety medications are useful in preventing panic attacks, chest pain, and dizziness. They are fast-acting and can stop a panic attack extremely quickly. These medications, however, have side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, and dry mouth. In addition, they are very habit forming, and unless taken under the strict supervision of a medical professional, anti-anxiety medications can cause physical dependence or addiction. The physician can recommend other, non-pharmaceutical methods of coping with anxiety such as exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.

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Discussion Comments
By SarahGen — On Feb 15, 2013

I've suffered from a stroke and I had chest pain symptoms and dizziness when it happened. But I've been to the ER countless more times, not because I was having a stroke or a heart attack but because I had immense anxiety about it.

My doctor says that anxiety plays a huge role in the kind of symptoms we experience. For example, if someone fears heart attacks like I do, he can start experiencing chest pain and dizziness even though he would not without the anxiety. So it can be psychological.

I know how upset people get when their doctor doesn't take their symptoms seriously. I do too but that's because most of the time there is no problem. Just because I've had a stroke before doesn't mean I will again and I'm trying to overcome my fear and anxiety about this topic.

By bear78 — On Feb 14, 2013
@MikeMason-- That's a good point. My brother has GERD and he has these two symptoms often too.

I think that when sharp chest pain and dizziness are related to heart trouble, there are more symptoms like shortness of breath and pain in the arm.

By stoneMason — On Feb 13, 2013

Just because chest pain and dizziness are experienced together doesn't mean that they're related from my experience.

I had this happen to me once. I had very bad burning chest pain and dizziness for several hours. I went to the emergency room because I had no idea what was going on with me.

It turned out that my chest pain was due to acid reflux and the dizziness was from allergies. I thought that the symptoms were related and that there was something seriously wrong. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I was given antacid medications and antihistamine for my allergies and everything cleared up in a few hours.

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