Mild chest pain

Rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 indicating very little pain and 10 being the worst pain you have ever experienced. Use the list below to find the number that best describes your pain.

• 1 to 5 = Mild pain
• 6 to 7 = Moderate pain
• 8 to 9 = Severe pain
• 10 = Worst pain possible

Often when you have mild pain in your chest, you know the reason for the pain. Coughing or an injury may be the cause of your mild chest pain. When the cause is known, you may wait to see whether the pain goes away on its own. Home treatment can decrease your discomfort.

Mild chest pain that prevents you from bathing, eating, or going to work or school needs to be evaluated by a health professional. Call your health professional if you have had mild pain in your chest that has not improved after 4 weeks of home treatment.