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Chest, Heart & Circulation

Symptoms felt in the chest or linked to the heart and circulation: chest pain and tightness, palpitations, fluttering, a racing or slow pulse, swollen ankles and leg swelling. Chest symptoms always deserve respect — these pages explain the patterns and are clear about when to call emergency services.

This page lists all 11 of them in the guide. Open any symptom for its possible causes, red-flag list and frequently asked questions.

Blue or pale lipsBlue or pale lipsChest & HeartCalf painCalf painChest & HeartChest painChest painChest & HeartChest tightnessChest tightnessChest & HeartCold hands and feetCold hands and feetChest & HeartIrregular heartbeatIrregular heartbeatChest & HeartLeg pain when walkingLeg pain when walkingChest & HeartPalpitationsPalpitationsChest & HeartRacing heartbeatRacing heartbeatChest & HeartSwelling in one legSwelling in one legChest & HeartSwollen anklesSwollen anklesChest & Heart
SymptomCategoryWhat it can feel like
Blue or pale lipsChest & HeartBlue or pale lips — a bluish tinge to the lips, tongue or fingertips — can mean the blood is carrying less oxygen than it should. It is called cyanosis, and new blueness…
Calf painChest & HeartCalf pain is pain in the bulky muscle at the back of the lower leg. It can arrive suddenly during sport, ache after unaccustomed exercise, or appear with swelling — and…
Chest painChest & HeartChest pain is any pain, ache, pressure or discomfort in the chest. It ranges from brief twinges in the chest wall to the heavy, squeezing pressure of a heart problem…
Chest tightnessChest & HeartChest tightness is a feeling of constriction, band-like pressure or difficulty taking a full breath. It is a close relative of chest pain and shares many of its causes…
Cold hands and feetChest & HeartCold hands and feet are extremely common in cool weather, because the body narrows the blood vessels there to protect core temperature. The patterns that matter are…
Irregular heartbeatChest & HeartAn irregular heartbeat means the pulse does not keep a steady rhythm — it may feel like extra beats, missed beats, or a completely irregular fluttering. The best-known…
Leg pain when walkingChest & HeartLeg pain when walking — often called claudication — is a cramping ache in the calf, thigh or buttock that arrives after walking a fairly predictable distance, forces you…
PalpitationsChest & HeartPalpitations are an awareness of your own heartbeat — feeling it pound, race, flutter or miss beats when you would normally not notice it. Most episodes are brief and…
Racing heartbeatChest & HeartA racing heartbeat means your heart is beating much faster than usual — often felt as pounding in the chest, neck or ears. A fast pulse is normal during exercise, fever…
Swelling in one legChest & HeartSwelling in one leg only means one calf or leg is visibly bigger than the other, sometimes with aching, tightness, warmth or redness. Because the causes include a deep…
Swollen anklesChest & HeartSwollen ankles mean fluid has collected in the tissues around the ankles and feet, making shoes tight and sometimes leaving a pit when the skin is pressed. Ankles that…
Please note: This page is educational information about a symptom. A symptom alone cannot diagnose any condition, and the causes listed here are possibilities, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about a symptom — especially one that is new, severe, getting worse or not going away — please see your own clinician, who can examine you and arrange tests. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.