I’m a doctor and here’s the 13 reasons for chest pain – and when you must dial 999

MOST chest pains aren't a sign of anything serious, but you should always seek medical attention for them.

Pain can vary in severity and where it is, so it's important you know the different causes of it and what you should be looking out for.

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Posting to , Dr Karan Rajan responded to one user who said she had a "random piercing pain" under her left breast when taking a deep breath.

He suggested three causes for this. The first could be costochondritis, which he said is an inflammation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to the breast bone - the sternum.

Dr Rajan added the second benign (not harmful) cause of chest pain could be pleurisy.

He described this as: "An inflammation of the tissue between the ribs and the lungs, the pleura, usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection."

The third cause he said is precordial catch syndrome, saying: "We don't really know the cause but it involves irritation of the intercostal nerves, nerves that run through the chest wall."

As he sought to offer reassurance, he urged his followers to "never go on WebMD again".

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But Dr Rajan also said that while these are benign causes, there are other non-cardiac causes of chest pain.

He said: "There are lots of non cardiac causes of chest pain- some I didn’t mention here as well: acid reflux, gallstones etc. But if in doubt get it checked out."

The NHS says in most cases chest pain is not caused by a heart problem, and your symptoms could give you an idea of what the issue is but you should always see your GP if you're worried.

Official guidance states there are five common causes of chest pains - the most common being heart burn or ingestion.

This usually starts after eating and you'll likely bring up food and feel full and bloated.

Another cause is a chest sprain or strain, which usually starts after chest injury or chest exercise and feels better when resting.

Anxiety or a panic attack can also trigger chest pain and this could be accompanied by your heartbeat getting faster, sweating and dizziness.

You're also likely to experience chest pain if you've got a chest infection or pneumonia.

The NHS says this usually gets worse when you breathe out, and you'll likely be coughing up yellow or green mucus and have a high temperature,

Another common cause of chest pain could be shingles, according to the NHS, which feels like a tingling on the skin with a rash appearing which eventually turns to blisters.

DIAL 999

While most chest pains aren't linked to the heart, there are some which can be caused by heart problems.

The first is pericarditis, which usually causes a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or lie down.

Angina or a heart attack are also conditions linked to chest pain - they both have similar symptoms but a heart attack is life threatening and you should seek help immediately if you think you are having one.

The NHS states that you should call 999 if your sudden chest pain also sits alongside a pain that spreads to your arms, back neck or jaw.

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You should also seek immediate help if your chest pain is accompanied by a tight or heavy chest, it started with shortness of breath, sweating or being sick or it lasts more than 15 minutes.

Call 999 as you might be having a heart attack and you need immediate treatment in hospital.