Symptom 5: Chest, Neck, Jaw, or Back Discomfort: Pain That Spreads
Imagine feeling a pressure-like sensation in your chest that gradually spreads to your neck, jaw, back, or arms. It feels like an invisible vice, squeezing you, the pressure building, then ebbing away. This discomfort can be more than just a muscle strain; it might be a symptom of angina.
Chest discomfort is a classic sign of angina. However, in women, this discomfort doesn’t limit itself to the chest. It can often radiate or spread to other areas, such as the neck, jaw, back, or arms. This is because the nerves that supply these regions also come from the spinal cord in the chest area, and any distress signal from the heart can echo in these areas.
This discomfort can vary in intensity, from mild pressure to severe squeezing sensation. It can also vary in nature, from a stabbing pain to a burning sensation. Regardless of its form, it’s a discomfort that’s hard to ignore, casting a shadow of uneasiness, almost as if something is terribly wrong. (5)
