What are the Most Common Causes of Chest Pain and Dizziness?

The most common causes of chest pain and dizziness include cardiac-related chest pain, inflammation of lining around heart, heart attack, and coronary artery disease. In addition, anxiety and panic attacks can cause significant chest pain and dizziness, which often brings people to the emergency room, fearing they are having a heart attack. Other causes, such as bronchitis chest pain, can cause dizziness from excessive coughing, but the pain usually subsides once coughing is managed. Chest pain caused by asthma is also common, and occurs when people struggle to breathe as bronchial tubes constrict. Medications such as inhalers generally resolve this condition.

Treatment for chest pain and dizziness depends upon the cause. Pericarditis is generally caused by an infection and after completing antibiotic therapy, symptoms usually resolve. Sometimes, however, fluid around the heart called pericardial effusion remains for months, but does not cause symptoms. Chest pain and dizziness related to coronary artery disease needs to be treated promptly. When arteries are blocked, blood flow is impeded and can cause damage to the heart muscle. Surgery such as angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafts are effective in restoring arterial flow.

Typically, pain that remains localized in the chest, and does not radiate, is less likely to be related to heart problems. When, however, chest pain radiates to the shoulder, neck, jaw and down the arm, a cardiac cause should be suspected. This is especially important when dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, or nausea occur. In addition, numbness or confusion are also significant symptoms that can accompany cardiac-related chest pain. Certain medications such as nitroglycerine tablets can relieve cardiac-related chest pain and subsequent dizziness by temporarily dilating constricted blood vessels and restoring circulation.

In cases where chest pain and dizziness is caused by panic attacks or anxiety, individuals need to seek help for ways in managing their stress. The physician can recommend appropriate therapy that can help patients deal with panic attacks and relevant symptoms. Sometimes anti-anxiety medications are useful in preventing panic attacks, chest pain, and dizziness. They are fast-acting and can stop a panic attack extremely quickly. These medications, however, have side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, and dry mouth. In addition, they are very habit forming, and unless taken under the strict supervision of a medical professional, anti-anxiety medications can cause physical dependence or addiction. The physician can recommend other, non-pharmaceutical methods of coping with anxiety such as exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.