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It can be hard for your doctor to figure out if the discomfort or pain you're feeling in your chest really is angina. To help tell what's causing your symptoms, your doctor will ask you some questions, will examine you and may suggest some tests.

Here's a list of other causes of chest discomfort or pain that can be confused with angina:^{1 2}

• Food coming back up from your stomach toward your throat (doctors call this acid reflux)
• An ulcer in your stomach
• Inflammation of your gallbladder
• Inflammation or an injury in your chest, ribs or shoulder
• Inflammation of the lining of your lungs (called pleurisy) or another disease of your lungs
• Anxiety
• A panic attack.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.