Is My Chest Pain a Symptom of Anxiety or COVID-19?

How anxiety causes chest pain

According to a 2017 criterion-standard study involving 965 randomly sampled patients across 15 U.S. primary care clinics, anxiety disorders affected about 1 in 5 participants 。

Additionally, early research published in 1999 concluded that about half of study participants from the outpatient psychiatric sample group who were diagnosed withgeneralized anxiety disorder, per clinical standards, had a history of chest pain.

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive worrying about common situations and life events.

When you feel anxious, your body activates its “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system. This causes changes in your body that lead to symptoms like:

• muscle tightness
• rapid heartbeat
• shaking

Increased tension in the muscles around your chest can cause chest pain and shortness of breath.

Some people with anxiety developpanic attacks。Panic attacks are sudden and intense episodes of anxiety that can onset without warning. They can cause symptoms that mimic a heart attack, such as:

• chest pain
• rapid heart rate
• shortness of breath

Chest pain and COVID-19

The virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to enter your heart, lungs, and other tissues through an enzyme called angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) 。当病毒进入你的心脏和肺,can damage these tissues.

Researchers speculate that COVID-19chest painmay be caused by injury to the heart or inflammation of your lungs.

Once the virus is in your heart and lungs, it can cause your body to release molecules that promote inflammation called cytokines. These molecules can damage your heart cells by creating an out-of-control immune reaction.

Chest pain is most common in people with severe COVID-19 infection. It’s about three times more common in people who die of the disease than in survivors.

Emergency COVID-19 symptoms

If you experience chest pain or shortness of breath that could be caused by COVID-19, call 911 and go to the nearest emergency room. The CDC also lists the following as emergency symptoms:

• newly developed confusion
• inability to stay awake
• pale gray or blue lips, skin, or nails

黑皮肤的人可能不会be able to notice changes in skin or nail color as easily as people with light skin.

How are chest tightness and pain symptoms different between COVID-19 and anxiety?

Even though both COVID-19 and anxiety can cause chest pain, they’re typically accompanied by different symptoms. Here’s a look at how symptoms of the two conditions typically compare.

Comparing the other symptoms of anxiety and COVID-19

Here’s a look at how the other most typical symptoms of anxiety and COVID-19 compare. Symptoms are highly individual, and it’s possible to experience symptoms that are not on this list for either condition.

When to get medical help if you have chest tightness or pain

Chest tightness or pain can be a sign of a serious health condition. It’s a good idea to see a doctor whenever you experience chest pain with an unknown cause. It’s especially important to seek medical help if your pain onsets suddenly or does not respond toanti-inflammatory medicationslike ibuprofen.

紧急症状

If you experience the following symptoms, or anything else concerning, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room:

• shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• pain that spreads to your left arm, back, shoulder, or jaw
• confusion
• rapid heartbeat

Treating chest pain as a result of COVID-19 or anxiety

Treatment for chest pain depends on the underlying cause. Here’s how it’s typically treated when caused by COVID-19 or anxiety.

COVID-19

If you have chest pain or trouble breathing due to COVID-19, you should seek emergency medical attention. COVID-19 does not have a cure, but medical professionals can help manage your symptoms.

People having trouble breathing may be given oxygen or put on a ventilator to assist their breathing. A variety of medications may also be used tomanage COVID-19。

• Antiviral drugs.Antiviral drugs such as remdesivir help your body fight off viral infections.
• Monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that are designed to target the virus that causes COVID-19 and prevent it from entering your cells. The combinationsbamlanivimab/etesevimabor casirivimab/imdevimab may be used.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs.Drugs such as the corticosteroid dexamethasone may be given to reduce inflammation caused by COVID-19.Current researchsuggests dexamethasone has the greatest benefit for people requiring mechanical ventilation.
• Immunomodulators.Drugs such as baricitinib/remdeivir or tocilizumab may be added to your treatment plan. Immunomodulators are a class of drugs that modify the activity of your immune system.

Anxiety

If you experienceshortness of breathcaused by anxiety, you may benefit fromfocusing on your breathing。During a panic attack, theNational Health Servicerecommends the following technique:

• breathe in through your nose slowly and as deeply as possible
• exhale through your mouth slowly and gently
• close your eyes and focus your attention on your breathing
• you may find it helpful to count to five each time you inhale or exhale

If a doctor suspects an underlying mental health condition, they may recommendmedications,psychotherapy, or lifestyle changes.

Takeaway

COVID-19 and anxiety can both lead to chest pain or tightness. Generally, COVID-19 also causes flu-like symptoms, and chest pain tends to be present continuously. Chest pain and shortness of breath are most common in people with severe illness.

Chest pain caused by anxiety is more likely to onset rapidly. If it’s caused by a panic attack, it will probably go away in less than an hour.

It’s a good idea to seek medical attention whenever you experience chest pain with an unknown cause. Chest pain that onsets suddenly can also be a sign of a serious condition, such as a heart attack.