Can Your Heart Hurt From Stress?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCan Your Heart Really Hurt From Stress?Is My Chest Pain Due to a Panic Attack?When Is Chest Pain More Than Just Stress?Can Your Heart Hurt After a Breakup or Loss?What to Do If You’re Chronically Stressed

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Can Your Heart Really Hurt From Stress?

Is My Chest Pain Due to a Panic Attack?

When Is Chest Pain More Than Just Stress?

Can Your Heart Hurt After a Breakup or Loss?

What to Do If You’re Chronically Stressed

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Yes, in short, it’s possible for your heart to hurt from stress. Some of us may feel deeply attuned to how our body expressesstress. For instance, you may feel pain in your heart or somewhere in your chest.

This article will explore why your heart can hurt from stress, when it may not be related to stress, and things you can do to start feeling better.

It turns out that sensations in our hearts can be part of our body’s fight-or-flight response.

Chest ContractionsIt isn’t uncommon to have your heart rate quicken when confronted with a dangerous situation. Your heart and other muscles can contract more strongly. This muscular contraction in your chest might feel like a sharp shooting pain or a jump that makes you lose your breath for a moment.

Chest Contractions

It isn’t uncommon to have your heart rate quicken when confronted with a dangerous situation. Your heart and other muscles can contract more strongly. This muscular contraction in your chest might feel like a sharp shooting pain or a jump that makes you lose your breath for a moment.

This is due to the release of the body’s stress hormones, likecortisolandadrenalinewhen we are experiencingacute stress, like an unexpected altercation or car accident. Generally when the stress has passed, our bodies' reaction to it will subside.

Understanding Stress Cardiomyopathy

There are some circumstances where the chest pain will be much more severe—this pain might even require a trip to the hospital. For example, your chest pain might be indicative of apanic attack. In fact, one study reported 58% of those who visit the hospital for chest pain haveanxietyand stress-related contributions.

Panic Attack Symptoms Might Feel Like a Heart Attack

There are somatic symptoms associated with panic attacks that can mimic a heart attack. This can be a racing heartbeat, difficulty breathing, stomach pain and nausea, and chest pain.

You may also feel that same type of chest pain associated with a stress response where there is a shooting pain or a feeling of a jump in your chest.

Although estimates vary, 30% to 40% of those who visit the hospital for chest pain are experiencing an anxiety or panic attack.

Recurrent panic attacks with other accompanying symptoms may warrant a diagnosis of panic disorder.

If you’re experiencing panic attacks regularly, seeking out the support of a mental health professional can help determine if you’re experiencingpanic disorder.

Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments of Panic Attacks

When it comes to chronic stress, there are additional concerns to be aware of.Chronic stressis the type of stress that is ongoing (e.g.living in povertyor being in a toxic relationship).

This form of stress can not only produce anxiety-related heart pain, but it can also increase the risk for heart disease.

Severe Chest Pain Might Be a Sign of a Heart Attack

While there can be many causes of chest pain, it is critical to know the signs of a heart attack. A heart attack is caused when the consistent flow of oxygen to the heart becomes blocked, potentially leading the heart muscle to die if blood flow doesn’t return.

Heart Attack Warning SignsBelow are some warning signs of a heart attack:Chest painUpper body painShortness of breathDizzinessSweatinessNausea

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Below are some warning signs of a heart attack:Chest painUpper body painShortness of breathDizzinessSweatinessNausea

Below are some warning signs of a heart attack:

Broken Heart SyndromeBroken heart syndrome (also known as stress-induced or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) can occur after an acute stress such as the loss of a loved one or a painful breakup. The stress hormones that are triggered cause changes in heart muscle that prevent the ventricle from pumping properly.

Broken Heart Syndrome

Broken heart syndrome (also known as stress-induced or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) can occur after an acute stress such as the loss of a loved one or a painful breakup. The stress hormones that are triggered cause changes in heart muscle that prevent the ventricle from pumping properly.

Broken heart syndrome is most common in post-menopausal women. If you’ve been understressand are experiencing some of these symptoms, it is best to get in touch with your medical provider to rule out potential cardiac causes of heart-related symptoms before assuming it is anxiety or “stress.”

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If you’re consistently stressed, it is imperative to employstress managementtechniques.

There are times when it isn’t possible to change our circumstances to decrease stress, but it is worth assessing your current stressors to see what is in yourcontroland what is beyond your control.

Try This Exercise to Asses Your Stress LevelsGrab a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle—creating two columnsLabel the left column “Things I Can Control:” In this column, write down all the stressful things in your life that you can control. For example, if you have a challenging friendship, it may be possible toset boundariesthat decrease your stress.On the right column, label it “Things I Cannot Control.” In this column, you can jot down things that are outside of your control, like financial stress when you’re actively seeking a new position.This exercise can be helpful in noticing where you may be able to change some of your stressors and seeing what support you may need to cope with the things that are outside of your control.

Try This Exercise to Asses Your Stress Levels

Grab a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle—creating two columnsLabel the left column “Things I Can Control:” In this column, write down all the stressful things in your life that you can control. For example, if you have a challenging friendship, it may be possible toset boundariesthat decrease your stress.On the right column, label it “Things I Cannot Control.” In this column, you can jot down things that are outside of your control, like financial stress when you’re actively seeking a new position.This exercise can be helpful in noticing where you may be able to change some of your stressors and seeing what support you may need to cope with the things that are outside of your control.

This exercise can be helpful in noticing where you may be able to change some of your stressors and seeing what support you may need to cope with the things that are outside of your control.

Stress Management Techniques to Try

Decreasing your stress levels is important for your general health. To manage your stress levels try the following techniques:

10 Things to Stop Doing If You’re Stressed

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Stress.Musey PI, Lee JA, Hall CA, at al.Anxiety about anxiety: a survey of emergency department provider beliefs and practices regarding anxiety-associated low risk chest pain.BMC Emerg Med.2018;18:10. doi:10.1186/s12873-018-0161-xNational Institute of Mental Health.Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What Is a Heart Attack?Boyd B, Solh T.Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Review of broken heart syndrome.JAAPA.2020;33(3):24-29.Vakamudi M.’Broken-heart syndrome’… Be aware..Indian J Anaesth.2016;60(3):155. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.177863National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need to Know.

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Stress.Musey PI, Lee JA, Hall CA, at al.Anxiety about anxiety: a survey of emergency department provider beliefs and practices regarding anxiety-associated low risk chest pain.BMC Emerg Med.2018;18:10. doi:10.1186/s12873-018-0161-xNational Institute of Mental Health.Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What Is a Heart Attack?Boyd B, Solh T.Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Review of broken heart syndrome.JAAPA.2020;33(3):24-29.Vakamudi M.’Broken-heart syndrome’… Be aware..Indian J Anaesth.2016;60(3):155. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.177863National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need to Know.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychological Association.Stress.Musey PI, Lee JA, Hall CA, at al.Anxiety about anxiety: a survey of emergency department provider beliefs and practices regarding anxiety-associated low risk chest pain.BMC Emerg Med.2018;18:10. doi:10.1186/s12873-018-0161-xNational Institute of Mental Health.Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What Is a Heart Attack?Boyd B, Solh T.Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Review of broken heart syndrome.JAAPA.2020;33(3):24-29.Vakamudi M.’Broken-heart syndrome’… Be aware..Indian J Anaesth.2016;60(3):155. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.177863National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need to Know.

American Psychological Association.Stress.

Musey PI, Lee JA, Hall CA, at al.Anxiety about anxiety: a survey of emergency department provider beliefs and practices regarding anxiety-associated low risk chest pain.BMC Emerg Med.2018;18:10. doi:10.1186/s12873-018-0161-x

National Institute of Mental Health.Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What Is a Heart Attack?

Boyd B, Solh T.Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Review of broken heart syndrome.JAAPA.2020;33(3):24-29.

Vakamudi M.’Broken-heart syndrome’… Be aware..Indian J Anaesth.2016;60(3):155. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.177863

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need to Know.

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