How do you know if it is a heart attack or an anxiety attack?

Also discover how to eliminate chest pain due to anxiety and how to calm the physiological changes that occur due to it.

Anxiety is an emotional response that encompasses unpleasant thoughts, physiological, and motor aspects produced by external stimuli such as situations or internal stimuli of the person (thoughts, images), and that are perceived as threatening or dangerous.

The physical symptoms of anxiety appear suddenly and reach maximum intensity in the first ten minutes of their appearanceamong these are:

  • Palpitations
  • Elevation of heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Tremors
  • Feeling of suffocation or shortness of breath
  • Choking sensation
  • Chest pressure
  • Nausea or abdominal discomfort
  • Dizziness or feeling faint
  • Instability
  • Tingle
  • Numb feeling
  • Chills or hot flashes

There are other physiological changes which also occur under an anxiety reaction, but that we cannot perceive, since they require a physiological recording instrument; Among those are the changes in blood pressure and changes in electrodermal responsewhich measures the electrical properties of the skin, resistance or conductance.

How to calm anxiety, tremor and other symptoms?

When we wake up the levels of a hormone called cortisolrelated to fear and stress, They may be higher, causing anxiety when waking up. which is accompanied by tachycardia, tremor and rapid breathing, This could be improved by trying sleep 7 or 8 hours a daytrying eat light and healthy dinnersincluding breathing techniques when waking up and exercising in the afternoons.

Anxiety and heart attack

Anxiety could be confused with a heart attack, however, there are certain differences between the two:

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First:

  • In a heart attack there is pain in the center of the chest, neck and left arm.
  • In anxiety, pain can appear in different areas of the body.

Second:

  • In anxiety, the symptoms can be reduced when we exercise or focus our attention on other activities such as breathing.
  • In a heart attack, the pain persists no matter what we do.

Third:

  • Anxiety does not damage the heart, even though it beats faster.
  • In a heart attack there is direct involvement of the heart.

Consequences of physiological changes

The physiological changes experienced during anxiety can lead to a series of transient psychophysiological disorders, such as Headaches (headaches), insomnia, erectile dysfunction, muscle contractures and gastric dysfunctions.

Other possible solutions

The psychological relaxation techniques as muscle relaxation and respiratory techniques They reduce physiological activation and, therefore, the intensity of these anxiety symptoms. These techniques must be practice daily and it is advisable to appropriate this habit permanently.