Myths and Facts About Chest Pain

Chest pain is one symptom you shouldn’t ignore. It signals that something isn’t right in your body — but not always to the extreme that people think.

As a specialist in chest pain, David Bolon, MD, wants to clear up some misconceptions. Yes, you should absolutely visit us here at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City, if you’re experiencing chest pain. But you might not be dealing with the issue you expect: namely, a heart attack. 

Here are a few myths Dr. Bolon wants to bust about chest pain. 

#1: Chest pain means you’re having a heart attack

While this can be true, it isn’t always. You can also have chest pain because of separate heart-related conditions, like angina (poor blood flow to the heart) or pericarditis (inflammation around your heart). 

Here at our office, Dr. Bolon has a range of tools — like an echocardiogram — to figure out what’s causing your chest pain. 

#2: Chest pain is always heart-related

Chest pain doesn’t always mean you’re having an issue with your heart.

For starters, your chest pain could come from a mental, not physical, health condition. Many people experience this type of pain during an anxiety attack.

Beyond that, you might get chest pain because of a physical condition that has nothing to do with your heart, like:

• Asthma
• A blood clot in the lung
• Digestive disorders (e.g., acid reflux)
• Gallbladder disease
• Muscle strain
• Pancreatitis
• Pneumonia

If you have chest pain with a sour taste in your mouth or if it improves or gets worse with different body positions, it’s likely digestive-related. 

You don’t have to try to find out what’s going on by yourself, though. Seeing a cardiologist like Dr. Bolon gives you a way to find out if your chest pain signals a heart problem or something else. 

#3: You can’t do anything about chest pain

Some people assume that chest pain means something has already gone awry, and you just have to deal with the fallout. Actually, though, chest pain can be an early indicator that you need treatment. 

For example, you can get chest pain because plagued has narrowed your arteries. You’ll notice this chest pain worsens when you’re active but eases when you rest. If you see Dr. Bolon, he can administer treatment — like a minimally invasive balloon angioplasty — to clear the plaque and restore normal blood flow. 

In other words, chest pain doesn’t mean that the ship has already sailed. Acting now by seeing a doctor could save your life. 

If you’re experiencing chest pain, don’t wait to call (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online today.