What helps chest pain depends on what is causing it, so the first step is ruling out a heart cause: call 911 for chest pressure, squeezing, or tightness that lasts more than a few minutes or comes with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or pain spreading to your arm, neck, jaw, or back.
Once a heart cause has been ruled out, the useful treatment follows the source. Reflux pain, which often burns, comes after meals, and improves with antacids, responds to smaller meals, staying upright for about three hours after eating, and a short trial of an over-the-counter acid reducer. Chest wall or rib strain is usually tender when you press on one spot or move a certain way, and it settles with rest, gentle movement, heat, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen if those are safe for you. Chest tightness from a panic attack tends to peak within minutes and eases with slow paced breathing. Pain that starts or worsens with exertion and eases with rest points toward the heart and needs prompt evaluation, not home treatment.
When it is an emergency
Common questions
What helps chest pain?
What helps depends on the cause. Call 911 for chest pressure, squeezing, or tightness lasting more than a few minutes, or chest discomfort with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw, or back. For reflux, an antacid or acid reducer, smaller meals, and staying upright after eating often help. For muscle or rib strain, rest, heat, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen usually ease it over several days. For panic-related tightness, slow breathing helps. Any new chest pain, pain brought on by exertion, or pain in someone with heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure needs same-day medical evaluation.