Chest Pain in Lagos?
Assess First. Rule Out the Heart.
Chest pain has many causes: most are not the heart, but the heart must always be excluded first. Severe, crushing or spreading chest pain, or chest pain with sweating or breathlessness, is an emergency: go to the nearest hospital now or call 112. We don't handle emergencies. For milder chest pain that has settled, our doctors in Akoka assess you by appointment with an examination, ECG and blood tests, see prices.
What to Look Out For
Central crushing chest pain
Tight, heavy, or squeezing pain in the centre of the chest, may radiate to the left arm, jaw, or back. Classic cardiac ischaemia.
Emergency: go to hospital now or call 112Burning in upper chest/throat
A burning sensation behind the breastbone: particularly after meals, on lying flat, or at night. Usually GERD (acid reflux).
Assessment + antacid treatmentSharp pain worse with breathing
Pleuritic pain: sharp, worse with deep breath, may indicate pleuritis, costochondritis, or pulmonary embolism.
Assessment + blood testsPalpitations with chest pain
Heart racing or irregular with chest discomfort, warrants ECG to assess rhythm.
ECG + assessmentChest tightness with anxiety
Tightness and difficulty breathing during stress or panic, anxiety and panic disorder frequently cause chest symptoms.
Clinical assessmentPoint-tenderness in chest wall
Reproducible pain on pressing the chest wall, costochondritis (inflammation of the rib cartilages). Benign, treated with NSAIDs.
Clinical diagnosisCommon Causes
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD): most common
The most common cause of chest pain in primary care in Lagos. Acid from the stomach refluxing into the oesophagus causes a burning sensation behind the breastbone, often worse after meals, bending forward, or lying down. Commonly confused with cardiac pain by patients and sometimes by clinicians.
Musculoskeletal: costochondritis and muscle strain
Costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage connecting ribs to sternum) causes localised chest pain reproducible on pressing the chest wall. Very common, benign, and treated with NSAIDs.
Cardiac ischaemia
Angina (pain on exertion relieved by rest) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS, pain at rest, prolonged, associated with sweating and nausea). An ECG and troponin blood test are the essential investigations. If cardiac ischaemia is strongly suspected, immediate hospital referral is arranged.
Anxiety and panic disorder
Chest tightness, breathlessness, and palpitations during panic attacks mimic cardiac symptoms. The clinical distinction requires excluding cardiac cause first.
How We Treat It
Management at Mascot Healthcare depends entirely on the clinical assessment:
- GERD: Proton pump inhibitor (omeprazole), dietary advice, positioning changes
- Costochondritis: NSAIDs (ibuprofen/naproxen), reassurance, local heat
- Suspected cardiac: ECG performed at clinic; if abnormal or symptoms suggest ACS, immediate hospital referral with written clinical summary
- Anxiety-related: Explanation, breathing technique instruction, SSRI if panic disorder confirmed
- Atypical presentations: Troponin and D-dimer blood tests where PE or myocarditis is considered
FAQs
How do I know if my chest pain is the heart?
Is an ECG available at Mascot Healthcare?
I've had chest pain for a week and it's been getting better. Should I still see a doctor?
Book a Chest Pain Assessment
Chest pain assessment by appointment at Mascot Healthcare, Akoka, for pain that has settled. ECG available. If the pain is severe or ongoing, go to the nearest hospital or call 112. Consultations by appointment, see prices.
Related pages
Last updated 18 October 2026.