Angina is like a squeezing pain or a pressing feeling in the chest. This pain may come from blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. This condition is called coronary artery disease. Angina can bother you when you are performing physical activities like walking, climbing stairs, exercising or doing housework. The pain of angina may make you sweat or make it hard to catch your breath.
Some people feel the pain of angina in their arm or neck as well as in their chest.
If the pain is mild, it may go away after a minute or so of rest. If the pain is more severe, a medicine called nitroglycerin is needed. Some people have angina that comes on with a certain level of exertion and goes away easily. They may have this kind of angina for a long time. This is called stable angina.