I'm feeling some chest and back pain that seems to move around my upper body, and it's been going on for about 4-5 months now. I've done a bunch of tests like an endoscopy, throat scope, and both ECG and a 2D echo, and they all came back normal. I'm just curious, could this be related to something like variant angina? And do painkillers even help with angina pain?

Dr Dhankecha Dineshbhai

General Practitioner

• MBBS
• 6+ Yrs

Consult Now

based on your symptoms and normal test results, it is possible that you may be experiencing variant angina, also known as Prinzmetal's angina. Variant angina is a type of chest pain caused by coronary artery spasm, which can lead to temporary narrowing or constriction of the coronary arteries. For variant angina, painkillers like nitroglycerin can help relieve the chest pain by relaxing and dilating the coronary arteries, improving blood flow to the heart muscle. Nitroglycerin is commonly prescribed for angina and is available in various forms such as sublingual tablets or spray. The usual dosage is 0.3 to 0.6 mg sublingually as needed for chest pain. It is important to follow up with a cardiologist for further evaluation and management of your symptoms.

Answered 04/07/2025