sharp pains in left side of chest when inhaling
Precordial catch syndrome PCS has consistent characteristics. Its symptoms begin with a sudden onset of anterior chest pain on the left side of the chest. The pain is localized and does not radiate like heart attack pain typically does. Breathing in, and sometimes breathing out, often intensifies the pain. Moving also intensifies the pain. Typically this causes the patient to freeze in place and breathe shallowly until the episode passes. Episodes typically last a couple of seconds to three minutes. In some cases it lasts for 1 hour. The frequency of episodes varies by patient, sometimes occurring daily, multiple episodes each day, or more spread out over weeks, months, or years between episodes. PCS is believed to be localized cramping of certain muscle groups. Intensity of pain can vary from a dull minor pain, to intense sharp pain possibly causing momentary vision loss/blurriness and often loss of breath.
Myocardial infarction Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to a part of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle.[1] The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw.[1] Often it occurs in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes.[1] The discomfort may occasionally feel like heartburn.[1] Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea, feeling faint, a cold sweat, or feeling tired.[1] About 30% of people have atypical symptoms.[7] Women more often have atypical symptoms than men.[10] Among those over 75 years old, about 5% have had an MI with little or no history of symptoms.[11] An MI may cause heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, cardiogenic shock, or cardiac arrest.[2][3]