Please note it is essential to have these symptoms thoroughly assessed by a doctor before coming to Breathing Works.
How can poor breathing cause Chest Pain?
Chest pain or chest tightness can be a frightening symptom, as pain in the chest area is generally associated with heart problems such as a heart attack. Many of our patients are referred from GPs, Cardiologists, and the Emergency Department at hospitals. They have been thoroughly investigated for any heart conditions, cleared, and then sent to us. They are usually very surprised to learn that poor breathing can be a cause of chest pain!
Chest pain, Chest tightness, tension, fullness, or heaviness are common symptoms of anxiety and high stress, and are not usually related to the heart (however if you do experience chest pain, it is ALWAYS best to be first checked out by your doctor).
Along with chest pain, anxiety related symptoms could include dizziness, heart palpitations, tingling in the extremities, a foggy head, sweating, feelings of constant worry, a busy mind, feeling breathless or like you can't take a deep breath in, among others.
How can Breathing Works help with chest pain and tightness?
As the main cause of anxiety and stress related chest pain is upper chest breathing, the first step to improving these symptoms is to learn how to breathe in a low, slow manner, using your diaphragm muscle. We use specific techniques to help you to learn correct breathing at rest, as well as day to day and during exercise and sports.
Sometimes other components need to be addressed such as:
- Dynamic hyperinflation (storing air in the upper chest)
- Diaphragm weakness
- Musculoskeletal maladaptions such as neck and shoulder tension and pain
- A blocked or poor functioning nose
- Physiological and metabolic issues such as poor iron levels, nutrition, caffeine, or alcohol intake
- Autonomic nervous system balance
We have an extremely high success rate in treating stress and anxiety related chest pain. Breathe well to be well!
