11 Causes of Chest Pain

2. Heart attack

A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when an obstruction prevents the heart muscle from getting enough blood. According to the CDC, 790,000 Americans have a heart attack each year. The event usually presents as chest pain accompanied by pain in the arm, back, jaw, neck or stomach, or shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, or fatigue. The more quickly one seeks medical attention for a heart attack, the more likely they will experience a full recovery. An individual doesn't have to experience all of these symptoms to be having a heart attack. One should seek medical attention for all chest pain that lasts longer than 5 minutes or is associated with shortness of breath, lightheadedness, nausea, sweating, or dizziness.