I have chest pains and the ekg, chest xray and blood work came back fine. Can anxiety cause all my chest pain?

Yes, Kris, anxiety can trigger chest pains. It has been estimated that about 20% of those going to an ER believing they are having a heart attack are actually experiencing an anxiety or panic attack. Many anxiety disorders are diagnosed when an organic cause for symptoms such as chest pains cannot be found.

And it is not necessarily all in your head. A few years ago I saw angiography video taken as the patient had a panic attack during the procedure. Quite noticeable was one of the major arteries constricting in spasms as the panic attack began and then ceasing as it eased. Such contractions may produce chest pain.

In the absence of a cardiovascular cause you should begin treatment for the anxiety as soon as possible. If you've had the anxiety for an length of time then it probably won't simply go away, though you may get periods of remission. Generally, the longer it is allowed to fester the more difficult anxiety becomes to resolve.

Anxiety responds well to both medication and/or psychotherapy. Your doctor will be able to recommend the best treatment options for you.

Best wishes

Ian

So since I have been having chest pain for over a month now due to anxiety, it can still hurt even when I am laying in bed or just reading a book? I know it is not my heart but i notice the pain and it is probably all in my head thinking that something must be there. 

Unfortunately, yes it can still hurt after a month. Which isn't to say that it is all in your head. The pain may be the type of common twinges we all get which is then magnified by your mind.

Are you being treated for anxiety? If not, I urge you to discuss this with your physician. Both medication and psychotherapy are effective, especially if treatment commences early.

Best wishes

Ian

yes i am taking amitripilyn at night time to help me sleep. I am also taking xanax for whenever I think a panic/anxiety attack will happen. Can I rule out my heart being a problem since i have had tests and doctors tell me several times that it is not my heart. I just get scared easily whenever I have these attacks. They are worse at night time. I am only 20 and have no family history of heart problems. and i do not smoke or drink.

Given your age, the test done, and that you do have anxiety, it is unlikely that the pains are heart related, though your anxiety may be triggering some physical symptoms.

In addition to the two medications, cognitive-behavior therapy might be worth pursuing. It can help you find likely triggers and to cope with your anxiety symptoms in a better way.

Fish oil/omega-3 fatty acid supplements might also help. There is good evidence that they ease anxiety symptoms, plus they are good for the cardiovascular system. Exercise is also great for anxiety.

Best wishes

Ian

this may be a dumb question but can doctors tell if your heart is healthy by listening through a stethoscope?

Yes, they can Kris. They can hear any anomalies with the valves, even narrowing of the arteries. Add in the results of the EKG which covers the heart's electrical system, and the chest x-ray which would have shown an enlargement of the heart had there been long term problems, and it is very unlikely that you have heart disease.

One of the reasons I suggested cognitive behavior therapy is that it deals with the catastrophic thinking you seem to be engaged in. Your doctor should be able to recommend a therapist in your area.

Best wishes

Ian

I've had anxiety for 13yrs. now, read so many books and watched so many video's about anxiety, depression/panic attacks. I get them all. The more you know about anxiety the better you start to feel, I do think your having anxiety/panic attacks.

You are going to be fine, you are not having heart problems is what you need to keep telling yourself in order to believe it again. because of the anxiety and stress of thinking you have a heart problem is why you keep having the pain. The best thing for you is to learn all about anxiety/panic attacks, and even talking to people who have anxiety/panic attacks will help you feel better. :)

 Carol

Thanks so much. Reading that does help. I have been feelings better for the most part this past week. I went to a counselor and she said that talking to people who understand what it feels like will help to so i know i am not alone with the pain. I am just so tired of having to take medicine for it. 

WHen you get anxiety does your chest feel like something is there. I don't have a sharp pain or anything. I just feel uncomfortable and that something is there. 

you know what .a chest xray is really an out dated form of technology, they do not show what a ct scan or mri could.i would like to share if i may, im 31 male healthy just quit smoking , same thing thought i was having a heart attack, went to one e.r. twice two ekgs same results , they were fine , had a chest xray, dr. said i had pluerisy,problem kept on ,went to different e.r. ekg was normal, blood work was fine,but then the new dr. reccommended a ct scan and they did that and they found a growth in the center of my chest the size of a grapefruit,which i guess the xray didnt catthanksch either time.so now 6 weeks later i have a four inch scar in the center of my chest ,they broke the sternum , removed it ,tested it , no cancer or anything,so far no problems,no repeat episodes, they said it looked like my thymus had just grew large and they removed it,so i dont want to scare anyone ,but would like to spread the word ,if you go to the e.r. , dont settle for an xray of your chest,im 31 im to young for this, get a ct scan they have them on site , if your dr. at a e.r. wont do it find one who will, it saved my life,because if the growth had moved south it could have wrapped on arteries orwho knows they said.so thanks if you read this,be educated, be aware that e.r. drs. are emergency medicine trained,they are not cardiovascular or internal medicine drs. who specialize in the heart or chest.and im sure that an e.r. dr. is highly educated,but there is a huge difference..

Please never believe your chest pain is anxiety related until you have exausted physical causes. I have anxiety chest pain however I have not been treated promptly for real physical emergencies because anxiety is always blamed and Dr's have treated me like everything is always in my head. I have had serious Gallbladder attacks go unrecognised after 8 DR and ER visits, A Hiatal Hernia and Gastritis as went untreated a long time because every time I had a GERD attack it was labeled as anxiety. Sure those little valume pills help because no matter what your problem is they will relax you and calm you down but in the end they dont do the trick if your problem is really a physical one.