All too often, the mention of chest pain conjures up images of a heart attack, but there are plenty of other diseases and conditions that can trigger this symptom. Some of them—like that chest muscle you pulled raking leaves last fall—are more annoying than serious. But others can be far more serious.
Health.com spoke to three leading cardiologists across the country, and all of them reiterated one thing: If you’re having chest pain, and you’re not 100% sure what’s causing it, either call your doctor or call 911.
“I know of one person who died and the last thing in their search bar was ‘heart attack symptoms,’” says Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Christine Jellis, MD, PhD, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic, seconds that. “As a physician, I would much rather let someone know that it’s nothing to worry about than have someone [come to us] too late and has permanent damage,” Dr. Jellis says.
Here are seven conditions that can cause chest pain—and what everyone should know about to treat them.
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