What is Chest Pain? Make an Appointment Ask a Question Search Conditions Chest pain can mean pain or discomfort. National Jewish Health Cardiologist Andrew Freeman, MD, explains what you need to know and when to seek help. Related Videos How to Be Heart-Healthy All Day Long Truth: You Can Reverse Heart Disease, Derrick Did Why Do We Connect Love With The Heart? Walk With A Doc Transforms Lives What Has Love Got to Do with Your Health? Walking Is Nature’s Best Medicine Lifestyle Medicine: Improve Health, Food, Sleep, Exercise & Stress Management 4 Simple Ways to Be the Healthiest You How to Eat Healthy During the Holidays Intensive Cardiac Rehab Has Amazing Outcomes Does Cold Weather Exercising Burn More Calories? How to Lower Blood Pressure with Simple Changes Ask a National Jewish Health Cardiologist if You Should Exercise in Bad Weather How to Prevent a Heart Attack when Shoveling Snow Angina = Heart Attack Symptoms of a Weak Heart Breath Test or Heart Rate? What Is a Heart Murmur? What Causes a Heart Attack? 4 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease Heart Attack Symptoms in Women 3 Keys to a Healthy Heart Transcript A lot of us cardiologists will use “chest pain” as shorthand for any discomfort above the waist. I make a habit in my practice when I ask a patient about chest discomfort, I ask him if he has pain, squeezing, burning, stabbing, anyway that could describe it, because, a lot of people will say my chest is tight but I don't have any pain. Well that actually could still be angina in the right situation and needs to be investigated. Sometimes the pain is so severe, that patients will tell me they've been rolling around on the floor for hours, thinking they have food poisoning, and it’s actually their heart. So when something really catches your attention, do something about it. And, when something is pretty reproducible, meaning, every time I walk fifty steps, I get chest pains, I take a breath, I relax and it goes away. Thats angina too and it needs to be investigated. Want to use this on your website? Fill out the content usage request form and then copy this code: