Can Anxiety Cause Tightness In Upper Chest?

Posted on Tue, 12 Jan 2016

Question: Looking for a second opinion. I have had office visits with pulomonologists regarding lung issues since I quit smoking 15 years ago. I have had 6 pulmonary function tests with little to no change in the outcome. The test ranges are usually in the very high 80 to upper 90 percentiles with exception of FEF 25/75 which goes from 50-90 usuallly around 70%

Over the past 10 years or so, I have dealt with a number of anxiety provoking issues, My mother died from COPD and I took care of her as she progressed, I had a divorce, a new job, a new wife, etc.etc.etc.
Any way to my question. I have GAD, and the psychiatrist I have visited with, along with the pulmonologists and my regular physician feel that the shortness of breath and issues of getting a deep breath are anxiety caused. That is fine to accept when I have all the information needed to believe that it is just that and nothing more.

Ok the question is, I know that anxiety and stress can cause breathing to become difficult and also tighten up chest making breathing hard. The pulmonologist said that the lungs use both upper and lower parts when we breath, If I am breathing but can only take in so much and its all in lower lungs, is the anxiety and stress tightening the upper chest from working or restricting it?

This question came on today after I proceeded to walk up an incline and noticed that my breathing was working harder. I have had a higher than usual stressful past week and in addition, I have been thinking of my breathing when I should not.

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes anxiety can cause chest tightness especially upper chest

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries

I can understand your concern. Before coming to your question I'd like to go into a little technical details of anxiety. Anxiety is nothing but an inner state of turmoil and fear due to some anticipated fear or nothing. Anxiety is to some extent a protective phenomenon but if it starts to occur frequently then this causes problem.

In anxiety sympathetic autonomic nervous system gets stimulated which result in increase of noradrenaline. This hormone prepares body for fight-flight response. This prepares body for any anticipated danger. In response to this upper body muscles get tightened including throat muscles, upper chest muscles. This is the probable cause of upper body tightness, shortness of breath and chocking like sensation in anxiety.

So coming to your doubts, "YES" anxiety and stress result in tightening of upper chest and thus restrict it from working. This also result in compensatory hyperventilation which further deteriorates the condition. But this doesn't result in any respiratory issues. The condition is totally reversible. Treatment of anxiety results in improvement of symptoms.

Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.

Take care

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar