Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack. And while many are familiar with tell-tale heart attack signs – chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. – what comes after the heart attack and what your recovery might look like isn’t always as clear.
According to Philip Vendittelli, D.O., a cardiologist at Henry Ford Health, almost everyone who has a heart attack will experience pain to some extent.
“Residual chest pain, fatigue, feeling wiped out or pain around your surgery access point are all completely normal feelings to have after a heart attack,” says Dr. Vendittelli. “While patients regularly follow up with their cardiologist after a heart attack, we encourage patients to reach out sooner if they are feeling especially uncomfortable.”
Why Pain After A Heart Attack Is Expected
Think of your heart like any other muscle of the body. If that muscle undergoes strain or injury, you often will feel tightness or soreness in the weeks while that muscle heals. The same is true for your heart. A heart attack weakens these muscles meaning your body may experience some discomfort while you heal.
Managing Pain After A Heart Attack
After your heart attack, your provider will recommend you for cardiac rehabilitation. The point of cardiac rehab is to help you feel more confident in building up your heart muscle again.
“While taking it easy after a heart attack does help with healing, you can never reach 100% again if you don’t work on strengthening your heart muscles,” says Dr. Vendittelli.
Through this program, patients will slowly start to feel relief from any post-heart attack symptoms – and connect with a community of individuals who have had similar experiences.
If you are still experiencing minor symptoms such as achiness or low energy, your provider can make adjustments to your medications to help improve these symptoms.
“Most patients can expect to feel relief from their pain in about a month or two after their heart attack – as long as they are following with their provider and continuing with cardiac rehab,” says Dr. Vendittelli. “It is not normal to have extreme, long-lasting pain after a heart attack. In this case, consider your discomfort a medical emergency and discuss with your doctor right away.”
Some patients may find it tough to distinguish what is acceptable following a heart attack, pain-wise. It is best to reach out to your doctor as soon as possible if at any point you are concerned about what might be normal during your recovery.
Reviewed by Dr. Philip Vendittelli, a cardiologist who sees patients at the Cardiovascular Institute of Michigan in Roseville.
