6 chest pain symptoms you should never ignore

When your body speaks, you should listen, but most people aren't very good at it. You can use the six examples here to help you decide how urgently you need to see a doctor when you are experiencing chest pain.

•  May radiate to the jaws, back or teeth and worsens with exertion; may come on suddenly (unstable) or regularly during exertion (stable)
• Could be angina, which occurs when the heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen
• Go to the emergency room; unstable angina can be very dangerous. Stable angina usually goes away within a couple of minutes if you stop the exertion that brought it on, but it is still a serious condition that requires a doctor's care

• Could be asthma
• If you have an inhaler, use it. If you don't, make an appointment with your doctor
• If you can't breathe, go to the emergency room

• May be accompanied by flu-like symptoms; sometimes hurts when you press your hand against your chest
• Could be a lung condition such as pneumonia, a blood clot in the lung, a collapsed lung, inflammation of the lung's lining or inflammation of ribcage cartilage
• Call your doctor or, if you can't breathe, go to the emergency room, where doctors will order chest x-rays and other diagnostic tests

• Accompanied by GI symptoms such as indigestion or reflux
• May be an ulcer, pancreatic disease or an inflamed gallbladder
• See your doctor, who may recommend diagnostic tests or refer you to a gastroenterologist

• Comes on suddenly; may be accompanied by pain that radiates from your chest to your jaw, back, neck, shoulders or arm, particularly your left arm; may also be accompanied by nausea, racing pulse or shortness of breath
• May be a heart attack
• Call 911 or have someone drive you to the hospital immediately
• If your doctor has prescribed nitroglycerin pills to have on hand, take the suggested dose
• After you call 911, chew one regular aspirin (325 milligrams) or four low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams each) right away

• You may be having a panic attack
• Breathe deeply and try to relax. If symptoms persist, call your doctor
• Panic attack symptoms can mimic those of more serious conditions such as heart attack. If you have reason to believe it's more than a panic attack, call your doctor or go to the emergency room

Even if you do pay attention to your symptoms, it's not always easy to understand what they mean. That's why diagnosis of chest pain is a job for your doctor.