When an individual has tightness in the chest with anxiety, it’s normal to conclude that there might be something wrong with your heart. However, this is not often the case. In fact, tightness in the chest with anxiety is one of the most typical symptoms of a panic attack.

This is true even with the mildest cases of this problem. Many people aren’t even aware that they may be suffering with panic attacks, but this is actually fairly common. Surprisingly, over 20 million individuals in America alone live with varying degrees of panic attacks, some to the point of disability.

This article will cover the difference between chest pain due to anxiety and other heart conditions, the most common symptoms associated with different types of chest pain, and some simple recommendations for what you can do to experience relief from these symptoms.

To begin with, let me just say that chest pain of any type should be evaluated by a qualified doctor to rule out the possibility of a more serious health problem. With that said, are there certain ways you can know if your chest pain is being caused by an anxiety attack rather than a heart problem?

In general, the type of chest pain you will feel with a heart problem is more like someone is sitting on your chest. Physicians describe this as a "crushing" sensation.

Chest pain from an anxiety attack is usually described as a "tense" or "tight" feeling in the chest. Sometimes, the tightness in the chest will also be accompanied by a feeling that your heart is beating really intensely and fast, or like your heart is about to jump out of your chest.

Problems with the heart will also usually lead to radiating symptoms. What that means is that you might also experience traveling pain or other sensations in your arm (usually the left arm), jaw, upper back, or neck. This isn’t true every time, but it is very typical with heart problems.

tightness in the chest with anxiety is only one of the symptoms you may experience with a panic attack. You may also have difficulty breathing, unrealistic fears, a fear of impending doom (feeling like you’re going to die), nervousness, a jittery feeling (like you have rushes of adrenaline), among others.

So, why would an individual experience tightness in the chest with anxiety? Well, what is occurring is that your nervous system is actually exaggerating your reaction to stress.

Click here (tightness in the chest with anxiety) to continue reading this article, where you’ll discover more about the cause of tightness in the chest with anxiety, as well as the most successful treatments available for relief from this health problem.