Chest Pain Causes
In the case of a heart attack, one of the blood vessels supplying the heart with oxygen and nutrients has become blocked. The blockage means that part of the heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen, and this is what causes chest pain.
Of course heart attack is not the only cause of chest pain. A common chest pain cause is acid from the stomach coming up the oesophagus (the gullet or food pipe). This is called 'acid reflux' or 'heart burn', a type of indigestion. Muscle strains and inflammation in the ribs near the breastbone are among other common causes of chest pain. The important thing to remember is that without further medical assessment it is impossible to know whether chest pain is caused by a heart attack or something else.