People experiencing sharp chest pain when working out might feel fearful and alarmed. Because some cases of sharp chest pain result from life-threatening medical conditions, people with this symptom should seek medical evaluation. Fortunately, most cases of sharp chest pain during a workout are preventable with lifestyle changes and treatable with medical care.
Features
Chest pain during a workout can happen to anyone, usually without warning. The pains might come and go or feel like a constant, sharp sensation. In addition to sharp chest pains, some people might experience additional symptoms while working out including dizziness, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, pain that worsens when breathing deeply or coughing, an off taste in the mouth or a lessening of the pain with a shift of body position.
Causes
Sharp chest pain during a workout might result from a minor injury such as a pulled muscle or a bruised rib, brought on by an overly strenuous workout. Chronic health conditions such as asthma, costochondritis, stress and anxiety or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can also cause sharp chest pain during a workout, due to difficulty with getting enough oxygen into the blood. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center website, infections such as shingles or pneumonia can also cause sharp chest pain during exercise. People with cardiac problems such as angina, aortic dissection and pericarditis might experience sudden and severe sharp chest pain, often slightly left of the center of the chest, due to too much stress on weakened heart muscle and the increase in heart rate and blood pressure that develops during a workout.
Warning
Sharp chest pain accompanied by pain that spreads to the back, neck, jaw, shoulders or arms, especially the left arm; nausea; a feeling of terror or impending doom; dizziness or vertigo; sweating; and difficulty breathing requires immediate emergency medical attention, explains the Mayo Clinic website. These are possible symptoms of a heart attack. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should immediately dial 911 or another emergency number.
Treatments
Any sharp chest pain that develops during a workout should be evaluated by a doctor. Treatments vary depending on the cause of the pain. People with sharp chest pain that results from an injury such as a pulled muscle or bruised rib might consider taking acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin as recommended by a doctor, along with ice or heat applied to the chest. Medical conditions such as pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism and heart attack require emergency surgical intervention, often followed by medications and physical therapy.
Prevention
Warm up before a workout, and build up the duration and intensity of workouts over a period of time to prevent injuries. In people with cardiovascular problems, consider a less strenouous workout to reduce stress on strained heart muscles. The National Library of Medicine website advises maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke and reducing stress to help prevent chest pain when working out. Eating a healthy diet low in sodium and saturated fat and engaging in moderate exercise most days of the week can help prevent conditions that cause sharp chest pain.
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