Can anxiety cause chest pains? When to get urgent help

Can anxiety cause chest pains? Yes, anxiety and panic can cause chest pain or tightness. But chest pain should never be assumed to be anxiety until a doctor has checked it, because chest pain can also come from the heart.

Prepared by Trevor Keen Founder and Physiotherapist · Reviewed 13 November 2026

If your chest pain is new, severe or worrying, or comes with other symptoms listed below, ring 000 now. This guide is general information only and can't tell you what is causing your symptoms.

When should I ring 000 for chest pain?

Chest pain can have a physical cause, including a heart attack. Healthdirect Australia says to call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance if chest pain is severe, getting worse, or has lasted longer than 10 minutes. [1]

Healthdirect also lists these as reasons to call 000:

• chest pain that feels heavy, crushing or tight
• chest pain with breathlessness, nausea, dizziness or a cold sweat
• chest pain with pain in your jaw or down your left arm
• palpitations (a racing heartbeat)

Its page on chest tightness adds pain spreading to the neck, jaw, stomach, back, shoulders or arms, and says to call an ambulance rather than drive yourself. [2] The Heart Foundation lists chest pain, arm or shoulder pain and shortness of breath as common heart attack warning signs, and feeling sick, sweating, dizziness, or pain in the back, neck or jaw as less well-known ones. It says to call 000 straight away and ask for an ambulance if you have warning signs. [3]

Why see a GP first about chest pain?

Healthdirect says any type of chest pain should be checked by a doctor, and that chest pain should be considered heart-related until proven otherwise. [1] Its chest tightness page says it is important to see your doctor to make sure nothing serious is causing your discomfort, including when it comes and goes or passes quickly but still worries you. [2]

Anxiety and panic disorder are on its list of other causes, alongside conditions such as reflux (GORD) and inflammation of the chest wall (costochondritis). It also says it is not always easy to find the cause of chest tightness. [2]

Healthdirect notes that, when panic attacks are suspected, a doctor will first rule out serious medical conditions. [4] The Better Health Channel also recommends a check-up so that recurring panic-like symptoms are not due to other illnesses, and lists heart complaints among the possible causes. [5]

That is why a GP check comes first. A psychologist can't examine your heart or rule out a medical cause.

Can anxiety cause chest pains, and how?

Healthdirect describes anxiety as your body's natural and automatic response to a real or possible threat. [6] The Better Health Channel explains that when the brain triggers the fight-or-flight response, the body is flooded with chemicals including adrenaline to get it ready for danger. A panic attack happens when that response is triggered but there is no danger about to happen. [5]

That response can change your body in ways that feel alarming. The Better Health Channel lists a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, tense muscles and a feeling of constriction in the chest among the symptoms of a panic attack, and notes that over-breathing (hyperventilation) can upset the body's balance of gases. [5] Healthdirect lists chest pain or discomfort, a racing heartbeat, and fast, shallow breathing as symptoms, along with a fear of having a heart attack. [4]

The sources we read don't explain exactly which part of this causes chest pain in each person, so we won't guess.

Can you tell anxiety chest pain from heart pain yourself?

No, and nobody should try to decide this alone. The sources we read don't give a reliable way to tell the two apart at home. Healthdirect says it's not always easy to find the cause of chest tightness and discomfort, so a doctor's assessment is needed. [2]

What they do say is this: heart-related discomfort may be felt on the left side of the chest and in the neck, jaw or arms. [2] Healthdirect also says angina pain usually gets better with rest, while heart attack pain usually doesn't go away when you rest. [1] Panic attacks are described as a sudden feeling of intense fear, often with a racing heart, breathlessness, sweating and dizziness. [4]

These descriptions overlap and are not a checklist. Don't use them to decide that your pain is "just anxiety". If you're not sure, get medical help.

When does talking to a psychologist help?

If a doctor has checked your symptoms and anxiety or panic is part of the picture, talking therapy may help. Healthdirect describes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a type of talk therapy that helps you learn practical tools for managing panic attacks. [4] Beyond Blue says CBT is one of the effective treatments for panic disorder. [7]

At CHSA, our psychologists offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for anxiety and panic. Our anxiety psychology page says a psychologist helps you understand what your body is doing, practise coping, and return to places you've been avoiding. We see adults, teens and children from age 4, in clinic or by telehealth. Psychologists don't prescribe medication, but can work alongside your GP.

You don't need a referral for a private appointment. For Medicare rebates, ask your GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan and a referral. Our guide to mental health care plans in SA explains how this works, and our fees page has current prices. You can book through our referral form or read about our psychology services.

What can I do during a panic attack?

These tips are for panic attacks that a doctor has already helped you recognise. If you're unsure what's happening, or chest pain is severe, follow the 000 advice at the top of this page.

• Try slow, deep breathing. Healthdirect suggests breathing exercises, such as deep breathing, during an attack to calm your symptoms. [4]
• Try grounding. Healthdirect suggests counting backwards from 10, or naming five things you can see, hear or touch. [6] The Better Health Channel suggests focusing on something outside your body, such as counting backwards in threes from 100 or noticing your surroundings. [5]
• If a doctor has told you your symptoms are from panic, the Better Health Channel suggests reminding yourself they are uncomfortable but not life threatening. [5]

Anxiety doesn't have to be faced alone. Healthdirect lists Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for mental health support, and the healthdirect helpline (1800 022 222) puts you in touch with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. [2]

Common questions

Related reading

• Anxiety psychologist in Adelaide
• Mental health care plans in SA: how they work
• Psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor: which do you need?

Prepared by

Trevor Keen Founder, Conscious Healthcare SA · Physiotherapist (AHPRA PHY0002063374) · Master of Physiotherapy and Bachelor of Psychological Studies, Flinders University

Trevor is a physiotherapist whose lived experience of disability led him to found CHSA, bringing psychology, assessments, occupational therapy, behaviour support and dietetics under one roof in Adelaide. He has completed a Bachelor of Psychological Studies at Flinders University, is now studying psychology at honours level, and helps write our guides alongside the clinicians who deliver each service.

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Sources

1. [1] Healthdirect Australia: Chest pain (accessed 13 November 2026)
2. [2] Healthdirect Australia: Chest tightness and discomfort (accessed 13 November 2026)
3. [3] Heart Foundation: Heart attack warning signs (accessed 13 November 2026)
4. [4] Healthdirect Australia: Panic attacks and panic disorder (accessed 13 November 2026)
5. [5] Better Health Channel (Victorian Government): Panic attack (accessed 13 November 2026)
6. [6] Healthdirect Australia: Anxiety (accessed 13 November 2026)
7. [7] Beyond Blue: Panic disorder and panic attacks (accessed 13 November 2026)

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

This guide is general information, not advice about your situation. Speak with your GP or one of our team about what's right for you.