Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses in FemalesHeart CausesLung CausesGI CausesMusculoskeletal CausesOther CausesWhen to Get HelpDiagnosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes in Females
Heart Causes
Lung Causes
GI Causes
Musculoskeletal Causes
Other Causes
When to Get Help
Diagnosis
Sharp pain on the right side of the chest can result from a variety of issues, ranging from acute (short-lived) muscle strain to more serious conditions involving the heart or lungs. In women, it may be linked tobreast changesor, less commonly, heart attacks, which are more typically felt on the left side in men. Infections like pneumonia or pleurisy can also cause sharp discomfort in this area and may require medical attention.
Verywell / JR Bee
Sharp Right-Sided Chest Pain in Women
Females may experience sharp pain in the right side of the chest as a result of:
Heart attack:The “classic” heart attack symptom is sudden, severe chest pain in the center or left side of the chest. However, females having a heart attack may note a burning sensation anywhere in the chest, not just in the center or left side. Some females have no chest pain at all, but experience other vague symptoms like nausea, cold sweats, or lightheadedness.
Fibrocystic breasts:Painful, lumpy breasts are called fibrocystic breasts. This is a common and normal breast condition in which cysts and thickened tissues form in the breasts, usually due to menstrual cycle-related hormone fluctuations. Symptoms include swollen, lumpy, and painful breasts that get worse before your period starts and better once it begins.
Breast cancer:A breast tumor may cause pain, but not always. In most cases, a breast tumor feels like a painless, hard mass with irregular edges. Sometimes, all or part of the breast swells. The nipple may also be painful.
Clogged milk ducts:A clogged milk ductoccurs when a milk duct becomes obstructed, preventing milk from flowing properly. As a result, milk can accumulate in the breast tissue, resulting in localized pain, tenderness, and swelling in the affected area. Some people may also feel a hard lump or knot in the breast. Clogged milk ducts typically only affect one breast at a time.
Cardiovascular Causes of Right-Side Chest Pain
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.Many forms of heart disease cause some sort of chest pain, including:
Coronary artery disease(CAD):Coronary artery disease is the most common heart disease, affecting about 20.5 million U.S. adults.It occurs when arteries supplying blood to the heart become hardened and narrowed. CAD can cause pain on either side of the chest, including the right side where the ascending aorta is located.
Aortic dissection:This occurs when a tear in the aorta, the largest blood vessel, allows blood to flow between its layers, potentially reducing blood flow to organs and depriving them of oxygen. This condition causes severe, sudden, and sharp pain that can occur anywhere in the chest. It is often described as a tearing sensation and can lead to unconsciousness. It can result from trauma, high blood pressure, or connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome.
Lung-Related Causes of Right-Side Chest Pain
The three lobes of the right lung, as well as the lining of the right lung and associated lymph nodes, are located on the right side of the chest. The lungs themselves do not have pain receptors, but you may still experience pain that seems like it is in your right lung.
Possible causes of right-sided chest pain include:
Pneumonia:This infection occurs when the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs get inflamed, causing them to fill with fluid or pus. Pneumonia can lead to common symptoms such as a cough and fever, as well as chills and difficulty breathing. When the right lung is affected, pneumonia can also cause pain on the right side of the chest that may feel worse when you breathe or cough.
Pulmonary embolism:Pulmonary emboli occur when a blood clot, often originating in the legs (deep venous thrombosis), breaks off and travels to the lungs. If a clot lodges in the right lung, it can cause sudden, sharp right-sided chest pain that worsens when breathing, sudden shortness of breath, and sweating.
Collapsed lung:Also called a pneumothorax, a collapsed right lung can cause pain on the right side of the chest.The chest pain will typically be sharp and stabbing and will get worse when you try to breathe in. Causes of a collapsed lung include a chest injury andlung disease.
Gastrointestinal Causes of Right-Side Chest Pain
Gastrointestinal conditions, especially those involving the esophagus or organs on the right side of the abdomen, such as the gallbladder and liver, may cause pain restricted to the right side of the chest.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease:Known asGERD for short, this digestive disorder affects the ring of muscle between your esophagus and stomach—the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. If the LES doesn’t work properly, you can get heartburn or acid indigestion. You may also feel pain in the right side of the chest alone. In some cases, the chest pain may resemble a heart attack.
Gallbladder disease:Bothgallstonesandcholecystitis(infection of the gallbladder) may be felt as right-sided chest pain. This pain often travels through to the back and may also make its way to the right shoulder. The radiating pain may also lead a person to suspect heart attack.
Pancreatitis:Inflammation of the pancreas is called pancreatitis. The pain associated with pancreatitis can be worse when lying down and better when sitting up. People with excess alcohol intake orgallstonesare at an increased risk.
Peptic ulcer diseaseandgastritis:Both peptic ulcer disease (stomach ulcer) and gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach) can cause heartburn-like chest pain. Some people with severe gastritis compare the experience to having a heart attack.
Liver disease:Liver diseases such ashepatitisandcirrhosiscause pain that is felt on the right side of the chest. The pain mostly arises when the inflamed organ presses against the diaphragm. The pain is sometimes associated withjaundice, a yellowish discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes.
Musculoskeletal Causes of Right-Side Chest Pain
Musculoskeletalrefers to the system of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues that support the body and help you move. Some causes of right-side musculoskeletal chest pain include:
Muscle strain:Muscle strains are one of the more common causes of right-sided chest pain. Many people can recall activities such as heavy lifting or a new workout program that they engaged in before developing this type of pain.
Costochondritis:This term refers to inflammation of the cartilage where the ribs connect to the breastbone, often due to chronic overuse without specific trauma, such as in furniture movers. It causes pain that worsens with activity or deep breathing and is tender to touch at the rib junctions.
Other Causes of Right-Side Chest Pain
There are several other possible causes of pain in the right side of the chest, some of which include:
Shingles:Also called herpes zoster, shingles is a condition that occurs when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. If the virus has been lying dormant in nerve roots supplying the right side of the chest, pain may occur in this region. About one in three people in the United States will develop shingles; Some of these people with have long-term pain as a result.
Mediastinal tumors:Tumors or swollen lymph nodes in the mediastinum, the space between the lungs, can cause chest pain that may be felt on either side, including specifically on the right side. Other symptoms include coughing up blood, night sweats, and shortness of breath.
Anxiety and panic disorders:Chest pain is one of the physical symptoms that often accompanies a panic attack. Others include rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and shortness of breath. These symptoms can also occur with other life-threatening issues. If you experience them and are not sure why, get medical attention right away.
COVID-19 infection:Symptoms of the COVID-19 virus include chest pain that occurs with difficulty breathing, and coughing that may lead to chest muscle pain and tightness. Most people will recover from their symptoms, but about 5% of COVID-19 infections lead to severe cases and potential heart damage.People with “long COVID” chest pain may have lingering symptoms, with shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations or heart rate changes common among them.
When to Get Medical Attention
Call or visit your healthcare provider if you notice any of the following:
How Right-Side Chest Pain Is Diagnosed
Depending on your symptoms and other factors, there are several tests your healthcare provider may order.
But the first thing healthcare providers do is to make sure your “ABCs” (airway, breathing, and circulation) are stable. If it appears so, the provider will review your medical history and symptoms, and then do a physical exam.
Healthcare providers may want to know when the pain started, where it’s located, how you would describe it, what triggers it, and whether it’s improving.
Some conditions, such as shingles, can be diagnosed during a physical exam. Others require a more intensive investigation. This usually starts with these diagnostic tests:
Based on these findings, other tests and procedures may be ordered. For example, anechocardiogrammay be done so a practitioner can see a moving image of your heart. Acardiac stress testmay be done to measure the heart’s response to physical exertion.
Summary
Diagnosis will involve a physical exam and a review of your medical history and symptoms. Based on the findings, other tests and procedures may be ordered, including blood and imaging tests.
Right-sided chest pain is not as likely to be related to heart disease as left-sided chest pain, but that doesn’t mean it is any less serious. If your pain is severe, you’re noticing shortness of breath, or you just aren’t sure if what you’re experiencing could be life-threatening, don’t wait. Call 911.
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28 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.American Cancer Society.Breast mastitis.Mount Sinai.Fibrocystic breast disease.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support.Plugged ducts, mastitis, and thrush.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is coronary heart disease?.American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?.UChicago Medicine.What is aortic dissection: What you need to know about the causes, types, and more.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia symptoms.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pulmonary embolism.Hochberg U, Elgueta MF, Perez J.Interventional analgesic management of lung cancer pain.Front Oncol. 2017;7:17. doi:10.3389/fonc.2017.00017American Lung Association.Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs).Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).Penn Medicine.About pleural effusion.Penn Medicine.Pleurisy.Temple Health.Top 5 most surprising GERD symptoms.Daliparty V, Amoozgar B, Razzeto A, Ehsanullah S, Rehman F.Cholecystitis masquerading as cardiac chest pain: A case report.Am J Case Rep. 2021 Sep;22(1). doi:10.12659/AJCR.932078Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pancreatitis.Bumrungrad International Hospital.Gastritis and peptic ulcer disease: What you should know.American Thoracic Society.Pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease.Mount Sinai.Costochondritis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About shingles.Penn Medicine.Mediastinal tumors.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anxiety and heart disease.Hedayat B, Hosseini K.Chest pain and high troponin level without significant respiratory symptoms in young patients with COVID-19.Caspian J Intern Med. 2020;11(Suppl 1):561-565. doi:10.22088/cjim.11.0.561.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart problems after COVID-19.UChicago Medicine.What causes chest pain and when to consult a heart doctor.Additional ReadingAroesty J, Kannam J.Patient Education: Chest Pain (Beyond the Basics).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.American Cancer Society.Breast mastitis.Mount Sinai.Fibrocystic breast disease.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support.Plugged ducts, mastitis, and thrush.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is coronary heart disease?.American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?.UChicago Medicine.What is aortic dissection: What you need to know about the causes, types, and more.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia symptoms.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pulmonary embolism.Hochberg U, Elgueta MF, Perez J.Interventional analgesic management of lung cancer pain.Front Oncol. 2017;7:17. doi:10.3389/fonc.2017.00017American Lung Association.Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs).Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).Penn Medicine.About pleural effusion.Penn Medicine.Pleurisy.Temple Health.Top 5 most surprising GERD symptoms.Daliparty V, Amoozgar B, Razzeto A, Ehsanullah S, Rehman F.Cholecystitis masquerading as cardiac chest pain: A case report.Am J Case Rep. 2021 Sep;22(1). doi:10.12659/AJCR.932078Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pancreatitis.Bumrungrad International Hospital.Gastritis and peptic ulcer disease: What you should know.American Thoracic Society.Pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease.Mount Sinai.Costochondritis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About shingles.Penn Medicine.Mediastinal tumors.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anxiety and heart disease.Hedayat B, Hosseini K.Chest pain and high troponin level without significant respiratory symptoms in young patients with COVID-19.Caspian J Intern Med. 2020;11(Suppl 1):561-565. doi:10.22088/cjim.11.0.561.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart problems after COVID-19.UChicago Medicine.What causes chest pain and when to consult a heart doctor.
American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.
American Cancer Society.Breast mastitis.
Mount Sinai.Fibrocystic breast disease.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.
USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support.Plugged ducts, mastitis, and thrush.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is coronary heart disease?.
American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?.
UChicago Medicine.What is aortic dissection: What you need to know about the causes, types, and more.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia symptoms.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pulmonary embolism.
Hochberg U, Elgueta MF, Perez J.Interventional analgesic management of lung cancer pain.Front Oncol. 2017;7:17. doi:10.3389/fonc.2017.00017
American Lung Association.Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs).
Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
Penn Medicine.About pleural effusion.
Penn Medicine.Pleurisy.
Temple Health.Top 5 most surprising GERD symptoms.
Daliparty V, Amoozgar B, Razzeto A, Ehsanullah S, Rehman F.Cholecystitis masquerading as cardiac chest pain: A case report.Am J Case Rep. 2021 Sep;22(1). doi:10.12659/AJCR.932078
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pancreatitis.
Bumrungrad International Hospital.Gastritis and peptic ulcer disease: What you should know.
American Thoracic Society.Pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease.
Mount Sinai.Costochondritis.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About shingles.
Penn Medicine.Mediastinal tumors.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anxiety and heart disease.
Hedayat B, Hosseini K.Chest pain and high troponin level without significant respiratory symptoms in young patients with COVID-19.Caspian J Intern Med. 2020;11(Suppl 1):561-565. doi:10.22088/cjim.11.0.561.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart problems after COVID-19.
UChicago Medicine.What causes chest pain and when to consult a heart doctor.
Aroesty J, Kannam J.Patient Education: Chest Pain (Beyond the Basics).
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