Getting Headache, Tightness In Chest, Fast Heart Rate And Feeling Congested. What's Wrong?

Posted on Thu, 7 Mar 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 7 Mar 2013 Answered on

Mon, 1 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi lately I have been getting this tightening in my chest, almost feeling like I'm congested like I need to cough. And my heart beats harder. But it only lasts a minute or two. And I've been getting pounding headaches. Today is the third day of my headache

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (29 minutes later)

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

Pounding headaches suggest a vascular origin for the headaches. These are migraine-like headaches in mechanism, but not in totality, as the migraine headache usually lasts longer than four hours.

Feeling of chest congestion and harder beating of heart are connected to the headaches. This is secondary to the release of chemicals such as adrenaline or noradrenaline.

As of now, you can take symptomatic treatment such as rizatriptan or sumatriptan tablets.

If symptoms persist, you may see a neurologist and get a brain scan done.

I hope it helps. Please get back if you have any more queries.

Wishung you good health,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (35 minutes later)

I've got migraine headaches my whole life but they seem to more consistent lately and the chest pain is more recent. It comes and goes. I also am very nauseous most of the time. And sometimes when I cough to get the chest pain to go away I get a very very sharp pain in my very low abdomen that lasts for about ten seconds then subsides.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (8 hours later)

Thank you for getting back with more information..

Since your migraine headaches have become more frequent, you may benefit from starting preventive medications such as beta blockers, topiramate, etc. This would reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.

Feeling of nausea could be a part of migraines.

Since you have chest pain on coughing, it could also be pleuritic chest pain. So, a chest X-ray may be done to exclude infection, if not already done.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar