Other possible causes

There are many other potential causes of chest pain, including:

  • shingles a viralinfection of a nerve and the area of skin around it, whichcausesa painful rash that develops into itchy blisters
  • mastitis pain and swelling of the breast, which is usually caused by an infection, most commonly during breastfeeding
  • acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder, which can causea sudden sharp pain in the upper right side of your tummy that spreads towards your right shoulder
  • stomach ulcers a break in the lining of the stomach, which can cause a burning or gnawing pain in your tummy
  • a pulmonary embolism a blockage in the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs, which can causesharp, stabbing chest pain that may be worse when you breathe in, as well as breathlessness, a cough and dizziness
  • pericarditis inflammation of the sac surrounding your heart, which can causea sudden, sharp and stabbing pain in your chest,or more of a dull ache; the pain usually worsens when lying down

Some of these conditions can be very serious. Make sure you seek medical advice so you can be correctly diagnosed and treated.


Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018