What does it mean when your chest hurts on one side?

Location, location, location. When your chest hurts, where you feel the pain can offer clues about what’s causing it. But location is only one piece of the puzzle. Chest pain can come from the heart, lungs, digestive system, muscles and bones — or even anxiety — and some causes need emergency care.

If chest pain is new, severe or unexplained, especially if it comes with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness or pain that spreads to your arm, back, neck or jaw, call 911.

Chest pain on the left side

Left-sided chest pain often makes people think of a heart attack. But heart attack discomfort is commonly felt in the center of the chest and can sometimes spread to the left or right arm, back, neck, jaw or stomach.

The discomfort may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. You may also have shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea, unusual tiredness or lightheadedness. Some heart attacks start suddenly, while others begin more gradually with mild discomfort.

Left-sided chest pain can have other causes, too. Acid reflux, inflammation around the lungs, a strained chest muscle or inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone can all cause pain in this area.

Because location alone can’t rule out a heart problem, don’t try to diagnose new or concerning chest pain on your own.

Right side chest pain

Pain on the right side of your chest can also come from several parts of the body, including your lungs, digestive system, ribs and chest muscles. And although heart-related pain is often described in the center or left side of the chest, it can sometimes be felt on the right.

Possible causes of right-side chest pain include:

• Broken or fractured rib
• Costochondritis, or inflammation where the ribs connect to the breastbone
• Digestive conditions such as acid reflux, gallstones or gallbladder inflammation
• Pleurisy, or inflammation of the tissue around the lungs
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Shingles
• Strained or sprained chest muscle

Some of these conditions are relatively minor, while others require prompt treatment. A pulmonary embolism, for example, is a blood clot that travels to the lungs and can be life-threatening. Sudden chest pain with shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness or fainting needs emergency care.

Can anxiety cause chest pain?

Yes. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real physical symptoms, including chest pain, tightness, shortness of breath, sweating and a racing or pounding heartbeat.

When you’re anxious, your body’s fight-or-flight response can increase your heart rate and breathing and tense your muscles. Those changes can contribute to chest discomfort. Then feeling chest pain can make you more anxious, creating a cycle that can intensify the symptoms.

The difficult part is that panic attacks and heart attacks can feel similar. You can’t reliably tell the difference based only on how the pain feels. If the chest pain is new or unusual, or you’re not sure what’s causing it, seek medical care rather than assuming it’s anxiety.

If a doctor has previously evaluated similar symptoms and you know anxiety is the cause, breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques may help you manage an episode. 

When chest pain needs emergency care

Chest pain has many possible causes, so the right treatment depends on what’s behind it. Heartburn and a strained muscle need very different care from pneumonia, a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack.

Call 911 if you have chest pain or pressure that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back, especially with:

• Cold sweat
• Lightheadedness or fainting
• Nausea or vomiting
• Pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath

You don’t need to know whether the pain is coming from the left side, right side or center of your chest before getting help. When symptoms could signal a heart attack or another emergency, it’s safer to be evaluated promptly.