Should I Go to the ER for Chest Pains?

Before you panic, you should know most causes of chest pain are harmless. However, if you have any pain or discomfort in your chest, it’s best to go to the ER.

You may have chest pain from heartburn, but it’s possible your symptoms are signs of a heart attack.

Emergency room specialists Dr. Kene Enekebe, Dr. Nicholas Atudonyang, and their dedicated medical staff at Memorial Springs ER in Spring, Texas, treat chest pain, providing prompt care for emergency medical symptoms.

Here, we explain why you should go to the ER for chest pains and what to expect when you get there.

ER for chest pain

Heartburn is the most common cause of chest pain. However, chest pain is also a symptom of serious conditions that affect your heart and lungs.

If you have frequent heartburn, you want to pay close attention to your symptoms so you can differentiate between acid reflux and something more serious. Heart-related chest pain may cause symptoms like:

Pressure or squeezing in your chest
Crushing pain
Pain that radiates into your neck or arms
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Fatigue
Excessive sweating

If you have chest pain as described above, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. But there’s never a wrong time to go to the ER for chest pains. If you feel uncomfortable and have concerns, an ER visit can save your life.

Evaluating chest pain

We take chest pain seriously and provide urgent emergency room care when patients come in with this symptom. We ask you to describe your pain and when it started.

We also review your medical history and the types of medications you take. Additionally, we may ask about your diet and lifestyle habits to look for other potential causes of your pain.

We do a physical exam and perform an electrocardiogram (EKG), a painless test that measures your heart’s electrical activity. An EKG can determine if you’re having a heart attack. We also do bloodwork and check troponin levels. Elevated troponin levels also indicate a heart attack.

Your ER chest pain evaluation may include a chest X-ray, CT scan, or ultrasound. We provide all lab services and imaging tests onsite.

What happens next

After your ER evaluation, we discuss our findings with you and provide any necessary treatment to stabilize your condition. If you need more intensive care, we recommend inpatient treatment at one of the hospitals in the area.

If your condition is stable, we send you home with instructions for at-home care. We may also refer you to a specialist or recommend scheduling a follow-up visit with your primary care doctor.

Chest pain is a symptom of many health conditions. Though most causes of chest pain aren’t serious, going to the ER could save your life.

Don’t wait for your chest pain to get better; come see us at Memorial Springs ER for an evaluation. Call our office at 346-899-6737. We also take walk-ins, or you can pre-register online.