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Chest pain: First aid

Chest wall pain

Chest wall pain is a type of muscle pain. Bruised chest muscles may happen from a lot of coughing, straining or a minor injury. One type of chest wall pain is costochondritis. Symptoms include pain and tenderness in and around the area that connects the ribs to the breastbone.

If gently touching the area with your fingers causes chest pain, a serious condition such as a heart attack is not likely.

This article does not include all possible causes of chest pain. Talk with your healthcare professional if you are worried about chest pain. If you think you're having a heart attack, get emergency medical help.