What does a heart attack feel like?

Question

because i have a pain in the middle of my chest when i take a deep breath/

just for more info
I dont smoke, my blood pressure is ok (checked regularly and I am not stressed out

Answer 1

It is one of the symptoms of myocardial infarction not sure or it can be pulmonary infection too or costochondritis or muscular in origin.
Kindly report to an ER, or consult a cardiologist to have cardiac problem ruled out.OK.

Answer 2

Heart attack symptoms in females and males difer a lot. The classical left shoulder-chest pains seem to be mostly masculine symptoms, while shortness of breath and jaw discomfort seem to be female.

It is described as an anguish feeling, a pressure like an elefant was sitting on your chest, while some people only feel a general malaise or cough.
You could feel nausea, dizziness, lower abdomen discomfort (like indigestion), burping or a feeling to burp a lot, and sometimes a warning sign may be you not being able to feel well the couple of days prior to the attack.

Chest pain has a variety of sources, and virtually any structure in the chest can cause pain. This includes the lungs, the ribs, the chest wall muscles, the diaphragm, and the joints between the ribs and breastbone. Injury, infection, or irritation to any of these tissues can be responsible for chest pain, stress or Precordial catch syndrome which is a benign illness of unknown cause. It occurs most commonly in adolescents and is characterized by sudden onset of intense, sharp pain along the chest or back.

The pain occurs exclusively with inspiration (inhaling). A typical episode lasts several minutes and resolves spontaneously.

The pain can also be "broken" with a forced deep inspiration. Several episodes may occur per day.

Although its cause remains uncertain, precordial catch syndrome has no signficant side effects. There is no specific treatment, and the frequency of events usually declines through adolescence. Acid reflux can cause stomach or chest pain. It sometimes manifests as a burning sensation below the sternum.

So, don't panic and use your common sense, if you feel you must go to the ER, go.

Answer 3

You can have a heart attack and have no pain at all, It happened to me in Feb.06, i went to the ER due to shortness of breath and a severe cough, ( i thought i had a bad cold) .They did a blood test on me and told me i had a heart attack-- unbelievable because i had no pain , just a cough. I ended up going through several days of test only to find out I had severe aortic stenosis and had to have open heart surgery. But never had any chest pains at all, So not everyone who has a heart attack has pain. Check with your Doctor and ask for a EKG it will help to see how your heart is doing.If they find it is normal then ask for a echo just to double check, I could have died if not for a bad cough and the ER visit i made to get help for it. Be safe

Answer 4

That could be heartburn or other indigestion problems. Your heart is on the left side of your chest and the heart attack could be all different types of pain.

Contributing risk factors are:

* Diabetes mellitus. The risk of developing coronary artery disease is seriously increased for diabetics. More than 80% of diabetics die of some type of heart or blood vessel disease.
* Obesity. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart and increases the risk of developing coronary artery disease, even if no other risk factors are present. Obesity increases both blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and can lead to diabetes.
* Stress and anger. Some scientists believe that stress and anger can contribute to the development of coronary artery disease. Stress, the mental and physical reaction to life's irritations and challenges, increases the heart rate and blood pressure, and can injure the lining of the arteries. Evidence shows that anger increases the risk of dying from heart disease and more than doubles the risk of having a heart attack right after an episode of anger.

More than 60% of heart attack victims experience symptoms before the heart attack occurs. These sometimes occur days or weeks before the heart attack. Sometimes, people do not recognize the symptoms of a heart attack or are in denial that they are having one. Symptoms are:

* Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest. This lasts more than a few minutes, or may go away and return.
* Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, or arms.
* Chest discomfort accompanied by lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath.

All of these symptoms do not occur with every heart attack. Sometimes, symptoms disappear and then reappear. A person with any of these symptoms should immediately call an emergency rescue service or be driven to the nearest hospital with a 24-hour cardiac care unit, whichever is quicker.

Answer 5

if ur having a heart attack, you wont be able to take a deep breath. it's like life being sucked through your chest very painfully

Answer 6

there are several ways a heart attack can manifest (you should probably find a complete list on WebMD)

chest pain = angina
chest pressure "like an elephant is sitting on my chest"
indigestion
extreme sweatiness and anxiety
blacking out

etc

Answer 7

I've had the same pain multiple times. I consulted a doctor about it and was alerted it was normal and was just something to do with a muscle in my chest. If you are worried about it consult a doctor.

Answer 8

you wont be able to take a deep breath. it's like life being sucked through your chest very painfully

Answer 9

you should go see a doctor about this.
i know if someone has had a mild heart attack in their sleep when they wake up in the morning, a numb left arm is sign that a heart attack or stroke occurred while you were asleep.
there are other signs as well which doctors know them best.