After an intense chest strengthening workout, you may experience discomfort in your chest. This muscle tightening and strain is common and should resolve within a day. Chest pain, however, may also signal of a heart attack, so it becomes important to understand the difference in these discomforts as waiting a day if you are having a heart attack could result in a life-threatening situation.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain that may radiate down the left arm, across the back or into the jaw, shortness of breath, sweating, vomiting and fainting. The pain may come and go in waves of pressure, or be a constant ache. You might have all these symptoms, or only one. The American Heart Association says that women having a heart attack will more likely experience shortness of breath, back pain and nausea along with the chest pain.
Body Positions
If you experience chest pain after a workout, you may be feeling pressure, pain, squeezing or fullness. The pain may come and go or be constant. If the discomfort you feel results from muscular fatigue, adjusting your body position might help to alleviate the pain. During a heart attack, your body position will not affect the intensity of the pressure.
Breathing
Shortness of breath may occur during a heart attack. As your anxiety level increases in response to the pain your breathing changes to shallow breaths instead of deep. If your pain is muscular, a deep breath may worsen your discomfort as your lungs expand and you stretch the tired muscles. Breathing depth or pace will not change the chest discomfort for those experiencing a heart attack, says the American Council on Exercise.
Pain
After exercise, you may experience a sharp pain in your chest. This could be the result of your body expelling excess gas. If the pain does not resolve through the release of gas and feels more like a dull, persistent ache, you may be having a heart attack and should seek medical attention immediately.
Location
Your pectoral muscles are located underneath your skin. If the pain you feel is muscle related, you may be able to touch the muscle with your fingers to identify the location. Your heart is protected deep within your chest cavity and this deep pain, which may signal a heart attack, you will not be able to locate by touching it with of your fingers.
