HealthInfo Canterbury
Chest pain first aid
Whakarauora mamae ā-poho
Important
Phone 111 for an ambulance straight away if you have heaviness, tightness, pressure, discomfort or pain lasting more than 10 minutes in your:
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You might also feel sick, sweaty, short of breath, tired or dizzy.
If you take angina medication, follow your angina plan. If your symptoms don't go away within 10 minutes or are severe or getting worse, phone 111 and ask for an ambulance.
If someone close to you has these symptoms, phone 111 and ask for an ambulance for them.
The symptoms above can mean you're having a heart attack and need urgent help.
You should get any other chest pain checked to be sure there isn't a serious cause.
Phone your general practice team or Healthline on 0800-611-116 for advice.
Other causes of chest pain
Other causes of chest pain include:
- heartburn or indigestion – this often starts after eating, when food or acid may have flowed back into your food pipe (oesophagus)
- chest sprain – starts after exercise or an injury
- chest or lung infection – gets worse when you breathe in and out and often causes a cough
- shingles – may also cause a tingling feeling and a rash that appears later.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- NHS – Chest pain
Useful information about the types and causes of chest pain and what symptoms you should worry about.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2022.
SourcesReview key: HIFAD-141030
