Sakit Dada: Punca Mengikut Lokasi (Kiri, Kanan & Tengah) & Bila Bahaya

Most sakit dada (chest pain) is not caused by a heart problem; common causes include muscle strain, heartburn, chest infections and anxiety. The side of the pain is only a clue: pain on the left is not always the heart, and heart pain is not always on the left. Sharp pain that is worse when you breathe in or cough is often linked to a chest infection, pleurisy or a strained chest muscle, though it can also be serious; a burning pain in the middle of the chest after eating is often heartburn. Call 999 straight away if the pain is sudden and does not go away, feels like squeezing, pressure or heaviness, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick or shortness of breath.

This guide maps chest pain by location and links to our detailed guides for each condition.

When is sakit dada an emergency?

According to the NHS, call 999 if:

• you get sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that does not go away; it can feel like squeezing or pressure inside your chest, burning or indigestion;
• the pain spreads to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, stomach or back;
• you have chest pain and you feel sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath;
• you have chest pain with sudden, severe difficulty breathing, a very fast heartbeat, or you are coughing up blood (this can be a blood clot in the lungs);
• someone has passed out and is not responding normally.

You could be having a heart attack, which needs immediate treatment in hospital. Do not drive yourself to the emergency department. While you wait, the NHS advises sitting and resting, and taking aspirin (300mg) if you have it and are not allergic to it. See our guide to serangan jantung for what to do.

The British Heart Foundation notes that women and men generally have the same heart attack symptoms, but women tend not to recognise them as quickly. Do not wait to see if the pain passes.

What are the common causes of chest pain?

According to the NHS, chest pain has many causes, and in most cases it is not caused by a heart problem. Your symptoms may give you an idea of the cause, but do not self-diagnose.

Source: NHS, chest pain, angina and heart attack.

Sakit dada mengikut lokasi: what the location may mean

The location of the pain is only a clue. Many conditions can cause pain on either side, and the warning signs in the emergency section matter more than the side.

Sakit dada sebelah kiri (left side)

Many people worry that pain on the left side means a heart attack. According to the NHS, most chest pain is not caused by a heart problem, and heart attack pain can spread to either arm. Possible causes of left-sided chest pain include:

• Muscle strain: pain after an injury, lifting or exercise, which may get worse when you breathe in and feels better when you rest the muscle.
• Costochondritis: inflammation where the ribs join the breastbone. According to the NHS, it can cause sharp pain in the front or side of the chest that is worse when you move your upper body, lie down, breathe deeply or press on your chest or ribs. It usually gets better on its own over a few weeks to several months, and painkillers such as ibuprofen may help.
• Chest infection or pleurisy: sharp pain when you breathe in (see batuk sakit dada).
• Pericarditis: inflammation of the lining around the heart, often after a viral infection such as a cold or flu. According to the NHS, the pain is usually sharp or stabbing, gets worse when you breathe in deeply, swallow, cough or lie down (especially on your left side), and gets better when you lean forward. Get an urgent doctor's appointment if you have this type of pain.
• Angina or a heart attack: tightness, squeezing or pressure, which may spread to the arm, neck or jaw (see emergency signs).
• Shingles (a rash on one side of the body) and anxiety or panic attacks can also cause chest pain.

Sakit dada sebelah kanan (right side)

Possible causes of pain on the right side include the following. Heart attack pain can spread to either side, so the emergency signs still apply.

• Muscle strain and costochondritis (see above).
• Chest infection, pneumonia or pleurisy: pleurisy is inflammation of the lining of the lungs. According to the NHS, the main symptom is sharp chest pain when you breathe in, which may be worse when you cough, sneeze or move and may spread to your shoulders and back. It usually gets better in a few days but can be a sign of something more serious, such as pneumonia.
• Pulmonary embolism: a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the lungs, which can be life-threatening. According to the NHS, symptoms include sudden difficulty breathing, chest pain that is worse when you breathe in, and coughing up blood, sometimes with pain and swelling in one calf. Call 999 for severe breathing difficulty, pain in the chest or upper back, or a very fast heartbeat.
• Shingles: according to the NHS, the first sign can be a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin, with a rash a few days later, usually on the chest and tummy and on one side of the body only; see our guide to kayap.
• Breast or chest wall pain, including pain above the right breast (see below).
• Gallstones can cause pain in the upper tummy, just under the ribs on the right; see our guide to sakit perut by location.

Sakit dada tengah (middle of the chest)

• Heartburn and acid reflux: according to the NHS, heartburn is a burning sensation in the middle of the chest, often with a sour taste, and is often worse after eating, when lying down and when bending over; see our guide to gastrik and pedih ulu hati. A hiatus hernia can also cause reflux.
• Costochondritis: pain where the ribs join the breastbone, often worse when you press on it.
• Angina: according to the NHS, sudden pain in the chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that feels like tightness, squeezing, pressure or a dull ache, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold. Attacks usually last less than 10 minutes and stop after resting. See a doctor as soon as possible if you think you have angina.
• A heart attack can feel like indigestion, with a burning feeling in the chest and feeling full or bloated.

Cara hilangkan sakit dada tengah depends on the cause. If it is heartburn, the NHS suggests eating smaller, more frequent meals, avoiding food and drink that trigger it, not eating within 3 to 4 hours before bed, not smoking, and raising the head of your bed by around 10 to 20cm. A pharmacist can recommend antacids or alginates for short-term relief. Do not treat chest pain as gastric if it feels tight, heavy or squeezing, or comes with any of the warning signs.

Batuk sakit dada: chest pain when you cough

Chest pain with a cough often comes from the lungs or the chest wall:

• Chest infection: according to the NHS, symptoms include a chesty cough with green or yellow mucus, wheezing and shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, and a high temperature. Most get better in about 7 to 10 days, though the cough can last up to 3 weeks; see our guide to batuk and kahak.
• Pneumonia and pleurisy: sharp pain that is worse when you breathe in or cough; see radang paru-paru.
• Costochondritis: the NHS lists coughing a lot as one of the things it has been linked to.

Get an urgent appointment with a doctor if you have sharp chest pain that has not improved after a few days, you cough up small spots or streaks of blood, or you often feel short of breath. The NHS also advises seeing a doctor for a cough lasting more than 3 weeks; see our guide to tibi (TB). Call 999 if you cough up more than a few spots of blood or find it hard to breathe.

Pain above or around the breast

Pain above or around the breast (sakit dada atas payudara) is often breast pain or chest wall pain. According to the NHS:

• breast pain is usually linked to periods: it begins up to 2 weeks before a period, feels dull, heavy or aching, affects both breasts and sometimes spreads to the armpit;
• injuries or sprains to the neck, shoulder or back can be felt as breast pain;
• other causes include some medicines, mastitis, pregnancy and menopause;
• breast pain by itself is unlikely to be a symptom of cancer.

Get an urgent appointment with a doctor if any part of your breast is red, hot or swollen, you have a very high temperature, you find a hard lump that does not move, you have nipple discharge, the breast changes shape, or the skin looks dimpled like orange peel. See our guide to kanser payudara for the signs to check.

Heart attack, gastric or panic attack?

Heart attacks, heartburn and panic attacks can feel alike, and doctors use tests such as an ECG to check for a heart attack. Some differences:

Sources: NHS heart attack, heartburn and panic disorder pages; British Heart Foundation. According to the NHS, panic attacks are frightening but not dangerous. However, if you are not sure whether it is your heart, call 999; it is safer to be checked.

When should you see a doctor?

According to the NHS, see a doctor (at a klinik kesihatan or a GP) if you have chest pain that comes and goes, or that went away quickly but you are still worried. Get an urgent appointment if:

• you have sharp or stabbing chest pain that is worse when you breathe in deeply, swallow, cough or lie down;
• sharp chest pain has not got better after a few days;
• you have chest pain with feeling sick, or a heartbeat that feels like it is racing, skipping or fluttering;
• you have been diagnosed with angina and it is getting worse, happening more often, lasting longer or happening at rest;
• you cough up small spots or streaks of blood, or you often feel short of breath.

You should always get medical advice for unexplained chest pain that does not go away.

Who is more likely to have heart-related chest pain?

According to the NHS, you are more likely to have heart problems if you are older or at risk of coronary heart disease, for example if you:

• smoke;
• are living with obesity;
• have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol;
• have a family history of heart attacks or angina in family members under 60.

In Malaysia, ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of medically certified deaths in 2024, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). If you have these risk factors, take new chest pain seriously.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What causes sakit dada sebelah kiri (left chest pain)?

Left-sided chest pain can be caused by a muscle strain, costochondritis (inflammation where the ribs join the breastbone), a chest infection or pleurisy, heartburn or anxiety. It can also be a heart problem such as angina or a heart attack, so do not ignore it. Call 999 if the pain is sudden, feels tight or heavy, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick or shortness of breath.

What causes sakit dada sebelah kanan (right chest pain)?

Right-sided chest pain can be caused by a muscle strain, costochondritis, a chest infection, pneumonia or pleurisy, or shingles. A blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) can cause chest pain that is worse when you breathe in, with sudden breathlessness. A heart attack can also cause pain on the right, so the same 999 warning signs apply.

What causes sakit dada tengah (pain in the middle of the chest) and how can I ease it?

Pain in the middle of the chest can be heartburn from acid reflux, which causes a burning feeling, often after eating or when lying down. It can also be costochondritis, a panic attack, or angina or a heart attack. How to ease it depends on the cause: for heartburn, the NHS suggests smaller meals, avoiding trigger foods and not eating 3 to 4 hours before bed, and a pharmacist can recommend antacids. Do not treat it yourself if it feels tight, heavy or squeezing, or comes with warning signs; call 999.

Is left chest pain always a heart problem?

No. According to the NHS, most chest pain is not caused by a heart problem. But heart pain is not always on the left either: heart attack pain can feel like squeezing or pressure in the chest and can spread to the left or right arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back. Judge by the type of pain and other symptoms, not only the side, and get medical advice if you are unsure.

Why does my chest hurt when I cough (batuk sakit dada)?

Coughing with chest pain is common with chest infections, pneumonia and pleurisy, where the pain is often sharp and worse when you breathe in or cough. Coughing a lot can also strain the chest muscles or cause costochondritis. See a doctor urgently if you cough up blood, the pain has not improved after a few days, or you are short of breath; call 999 if breathing is very difficult.

How can I tell a heart attack from gastric or a panic attack?

It can be hard to tell, and doctors use tests such as an ECG to check for a heart attack. Heartburn usually starts after eating, with a sour taste. The British Heart Foundation says heart attack pain typically spreads to areas such as the jaw, arm and back, while panic attack pain usually stays in the chest and lasts a few minutes to an hour. A heart attack can also feel like indigestion, so if you are not sure, call 999.

When is chest pain an emergency?

Call 999 if you have sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away, pain that feels like squeezing, pressure, burning or heaviness, pain that spreads to your arms, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or shortness of breath. Also call 999 for chest pain with sudden severe breathlessness, a very fast heartbeat or coughing up blood.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor. The location of chest pain is only a guide; do not self-diagnose. In an emergency in Malaysia, call 999. Health supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

• Chest pain — NHS
• Heart attack — NHS
• Angina — NHS
• Heartburn and acid reflux — NHS
• Costochondritis — NHS
• Pleurisy — NHS
• Pericarditis — NHS
• Pulmonary embolism — NHS
• Chest infection — NHS
• Cough — NHS
• Shingles — NHS
• Breast pain — NHS
• Panic disorder — NHS
• Heart attack — British Heart Foundation
• Statistics on Causes of Death, Malaysia, 2025 — Department of Statistics Malaysia