Chest Pain: When It’s Anxiety and When to See a Doctor

18 Sep 2025

Few symptoms cause as much concern as chest pain. It’s often linked with heart problems, which can make it feel frightening. But chest pain isn’t always caused by the heart — sometimes anxiety or stress can trigger it too. The challenge is knowing when it’s harmless and when it’s a sign to seek medical help.

This article explains the difference between anxiety-related chest pain and more serious causes, and when you should consider seeing a doctor.

How Anxiety Can Cause Chest Pain

Anxiety doesn’t just affect the mind, it also impacts the body. When you feel anxious, your body’s “fight or flight” response kicks in. This can lead to:

• Tightness in the chest
• A racing heartbeat
• Shallow or rapid breathing
• Muscle tension around the chest wall

These changes can cause chest discomfort that feels sharp, heavy, or squeezing. It often comes on suddenly during periods of high stress or panic attacks and may ease once you relax.

If you regularly experience anxiety symptoms alongside chest pain, speaking to a Private GP can help you explore support options.

When Chest Pain Could Signal a Heart or Lung Problem

Although anxiety can cause chest pain, it’s important not to dismiss it too quickly. Some causes are more serious and need urgent medical attention. These include:

• Heart attack or angina – Pain often feels like pressure, heaviness, or squeezing in the centre or left side of the chest. It may spread to the arm, neck, or jaw.
• Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) – Sudden chest pain with shortness of breath and sometimes coughing up blood.
• Pneumonia or chest infection – Pain made worse by breathing or coughing, often with fever.
• Musculoskeletal pain – Strain of the chest wall muscles or ribs can mimic other types of chest pain.

Because chest pain has many possible causes, it’s safest to treat it as urgent until proven otherwise.

Red Flag Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

Seek medical help immediately if you experience chest pain with any of the following:

• Pain that feels like pressure or squeezing in the chest
• Pain spreading to the arm, shoulder, neck, or jaw
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating, nausea, or vomiting
• Dizziness or fainting

These symptoms may indicate a heart attack or another serious medical emergency.

Getting Checked: The Role of Your GP

If your chest pain isn’t urgent but continues to worry you, it’s worth arranging a medical review. A GP may recommend:

• An ECG (electrocardiogram) to check heart rhythm
• Blood tests to assess for risk factors such as cholesterol or diabetes
• Blood pressure checks and cardiovascular risk assessment
• Referral for further cardiac or respiratory tests if needed

You can arrange a same-day GP Consultation or Cardiovascular Screening at South Kensington Medical & Dental.

Understanding Anxiety and Chest Pain

For those whose chest pain is linked to anxiety, the good news is that it isn’t harmful in itself. However, the symptoms can be very distressing and may affect quality of life.

Simple steps that may help include:

• Practising breathing exercises during anxious moments
• Regular exercise to reduce stress
• Limiting caffeine and alcohol
• Seeking support through counselling or medical advice if anxiety is frequent

Final Thoughts

Chest pain is a symptom you should never ignore, even if you suspect it’s due to stress or anxiety. While many cases are harmless, some require urgent medical attention.

If you’re experiencing frequent or unexplained chest pain, getting checked by a professional can provide peace of mind and ensure nothing serious is missed.