Is it possible to experience chest pain when I have a COVID infection?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Chest pain during a COVID-19 infection can happen for several reasons. The most common causes include musculoskeletal pain from persistent coughing and fever, pneumonia (a lung infection), or myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). While some chest discomfort may be mild, other causes can be serious and require prompt medical attention.

Because chest pain has many possible causes—some minor, some urgent—it's important not to guess. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to better understand what may be causing your symptoms and get clear guidance on your next steps.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/14/2026

Important Next Steps

Learn if chest pain needs urgent care Discover possible causes of your chest pain See whether COVID-related chest pain is serious Find OTC options for chest discomfort Find a doctor for chest pain Understand medically valid home remedies for chest pain Check if chest pain means COVID complications

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Explanation

Chest pain may be caused by various factors. Typical symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and sore throat, but other symptoms may also be observed. Chest pain may be from muscle soreness due to the body's inflammatory response. It may also be due to muscle pain from coughing. A lung infection (pneumonia) may lead to chest as pain, as can inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) as is less commonly seen in COVID-19 infection. If you're experiencing chest pain along with other symptoms, take our free symptom checker to help identify possible causes and determine if you need medical attention.

(References)

Sinkeldam M, Buenen AG, Celiker E, van Diepen M, de Vos AM. Characteristics of chest pain in COVID-19 patients in the emergency department. Neth Heart J. 2022 Nov;30(11):526-532. doi: 10.1007/s12471-022-01730-7. Epub 2022 Oct 21. PMID: 36269453; PMCID: PMC9589604.
Becker RC. Evaluating chest pain in patients with post COVID conditions permission to think outside of the box. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2023 May;55(4):592-603. doi: 10.1007/s11239-023-02808-8. Epub 2023 Apr 13. PMID: 37052772; PMCID: PMC10098243.

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