Chest pain and numbness can be caused by heartburn, heart attack, angina, blood clots, inflammation, and panic attacks. Treatment varies and it’s important to seek medical attention if symptoms are ongoing or accompanied by other serious symptoms.
There are many different causes of chest pain and numbness, but some of the more common ones include heartburn, also known as acid reflux; heart attack; and angina, which is related to coronary artery disease. Acid reflux isn’t usually very serious, but both heart attacks and angina can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Other common causes include blood clots in the lungs, swelling and inflammation of the chest cavity, and panic attacks. Treatment varies greatly for each. Most medically trained people can quickly distinguish symptoms of serious causes from those of minor irritations, but this often takes a lot of experience. People are usually advised to see a doctor whenever they experience pain and numbness in the chest region, particularly if it is ongoing or accompanied by sudden attacks of dizziness, difficulty breathing, or shooting pain in the arm, which may indicate a serious condition .
Stomach ache
Heartburn, a very common cause of numbness and chest pain, occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, the tube that leads from your mouth to your stomach. This causes a burning sensation behind the breastbone in the center of the chest. Usually, heartburn is a non-serious reaction to food eaten, medications taken, or even rapid movements such as lying down or leaning forward. In some cases, heartburn is a sign of a more serious condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Both can be treated successfully with lifestyle changes and medications.
Heart Attack
Severe chest pain and numbness can be a sign of a heart attack. A heart attack is caused by a blood clot blocking blood flow through a coronary artery, thereby cutting off blood flow to the heart. It often causes a squeezing or crushing pain in the chest that is often accompanied by numbness in the torso and arms. Numbness in the left shoulder and arm is considered a common symptom of a heart attack, but numbness can also occur in the right arm, back, neck, and jaw.
Angina
Another common cause is angina, which occurs when there is a reduction in blood flow to the heart muscle. The condition is most frequently associated with pressure and heaviness in the chest and is often described in terms of the sensation of someone standing on the chest and heart. Numbness is often part of the overall feeling. Angina is one of the symptoms of coronary artery disease, which occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood.
embolism
Severe chest pain can also be caused by a pulmonary embolism, which occurs when one or more arteries leading to the lungs is blocked. Arteries become blocked by blood clots, normally formed in the legs, that have traveled through the body and made their way to the heart. Large clots are especially problematic as they often don’t fit into the narrower passageways near the heart, whereas they may have floated more freely elsewhere. Once inside the lungs, they can prevent breathing or, in severe cases, cause the entire lung to collapse, both of which can be very serious.
Swelling and inflammation
Other common causes of chest pain and numbness include pericarditis, swelling and irritation of the membrane surrounding the heart and pleurisy, inflammation of the membrane surrounding the chest cavity and lungs. Very severe cases of chest pain can be caused by aortic dissection, which occurs when the inner layer of the aorta tears and allows blood to enter the middle layer. When this occurs, the inner and middle layers separate.
However, swelling and inflammation don’t have to be directly related to the heart to cause pain and numbness. Some serious respiratory infections may be the culprit, for example. Patients in these circumstances usually have fluid accumulated in the lungs causing the pressure to radiate.
Panic attacks
Even the causes are not always strictly physical. Panic and anxiety attacks could be to blame, particularly in people who experience them with some regularity. Panic attacks are physiological responses to stress and anxiety. They are often described as sudden episodes of fear that can trigger extreme physical reactions for no apparent reason. Tightness in the chest, numbness in the chest and face, and difficulty breathing are all commonly part of the experience. They usually don’t last long, but they can be annoying just the same. Routine panic attacks can be a symptom of a panic disorder and should be discussed with a doctor or other qualified health care professional.
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