Does Pain On The Left Side Of Chest Indicate Heart Ailment?

Posted on Fri, 10 Oct 2014

Question: periodically I have sharp but very bearable pains on the left side of my chest. this has been going on for two or three days. Is this related to my heart?

Answered by Dr. Kerry Pottinger (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Most likely a pulled muscle.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for using Healthcare Magic. From the description you give of your pain, it is most unlikely this is due to a heart problem. It is more likely to be a pulled muscle. You may not have noticed at the time but it is easy to inadvertently strain a chest muscle without noticing and then suffer afterwards.
My advice is to take paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain. Apply a warm compress to the area regularly. Try to rest from physical activity for a couple of days. The pain is likely to subside during this time.
If you are still in pain after 2 days then my advice would be to see your doctor for an examination and perhaps investigation to exclude a heart problem or possibly a chest infection.
I hope this is of help. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Dr K A Pottinger

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