Chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness on one side, a fit or heavy bleeding needs help now, not an appointment.

112Any emergency108Ambulance102Pregnancy and newborn
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Chest, heart and lungs

Chest pain

Also called chest pain, seene me dard, chest tightness, heart pain, chati me dard

What it meansSafe at homeDo not doSee a doctorWarning signs
This can be a medical emergency. If it is happening right now, call 112 or 108, or get to the nearest hospital. Do not wait for an appointment and do not drive yourself.

What this means

Chest pain has many causes, from acidity or muscle strain to heart and lung problems. Because some causes are life threatening, chest pain should always be taken seriously.

Safe to do at home

  • Stop activity and sit or rest quietly
  • Loosen tight clothing
  • If it is mild and clearly linked to a known cause like acidity, follow your doctor's earlier advice
  • Note what brings it on and how long it lasts

Please do not do this alone

  • Do not ignore chest pain or assume it is only gas
  • Do not drive yourself to hospital if the pain is severe
  • Do not take anyone else's heart medicines

Book a consultation if

  • You get chest discomfort on exertion that eases with rest
  • You have mild but repeated chest pain
  • You have risk factors like diabetes, high BP or a family history of heart disease

Get help immediately if

  • Chest pain that is severe, crushing or lasts more than a few minutes
  • Chest pain spreading to the arm, jaw, neck or back
  • Chest pain with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or fainting

The right doctor for this

Cardiologist

This is the specialist who sees this symptom most often and can examine you properly. If you are not sure, a general physician is always a safe place to start and will refer you onward if you need it.

Consult a CardiologistStart with a General Physician

Get care for this

Doctors and care for chest pain

Verified Teleprac doctors you can see online or in a clinic, lab tests with home sample collection, and genuine medicines delivered to your door.

Lab tests at home

Book online, a trained phlebotomist collects the sample at home.

See all heart tests
See all symptoms

How to use this page. It explains what a symptom usually means, so that you can decide whether to watch it, book a consultation or get help now. It does not diagnose you, it does not know your age, your pregnancy or your other medicines, and it cannot replace being examined. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own.

Consult a doctorCardiologist Book a test

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Emergency numbers in India

Save these in your phone now, not when you need them. Tap any number to call it.

112Any emergencyOne number for police, fire and ambulance across India108AmbulanceFree emergency ambulance in most states and union territories102Pregnancy and newbornAmbulance for mothers and babies in most states14416Mental health supportTele MANAS, free counselling every hour of the day, many languages1800 116 117Poisoning or overdoseNational Poisons Information Centre, AIIMS New Delhi1098Child in distressChildline India, free and confidential

Where to read more

Public health sources written for patients rather than for doctors, and kept up to date.

Ministry of Health and Family WelfareOfficial Indian health programmes, advisories and public guidanceWorld Health Organization health topicsGlobal fact sheets written for the public, on hundreds of topicsNHS health A to ZPlain language pages on symptoms, conditions, tests and treatmentsMedlinePlusPatient information from the United States National Library of MedicineTele MANASIndia's national mental health support service, free and available all day

Important: Everything in Teleprac patient resources is general health education. It does not give you a diagnosis and it cannot replace examination by a qualified doctor, because it does not know your age, your reports, your pregnancy or the other medicines you take. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own. Teleprac Healthcare is not liable for decisions made on the basis of this information. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital immediately.