Can you help me to identify when I should go to the emergency room? For example, yesterday I woke up with my back and chest feeling as though it was in a vise, and I could not breathe deeply because of the pressure in my chest. I have just been diagnosed with asthma and I also have arthritis, inflammatory spondylitis and fibromyalgia. So I don't know when it’s one or the other.

In a complicated case like yours, when there are multiple medical ailments, it is difficult to differentiate chest pain. Therefore any form of persistent chest pain must be evaluated by a medical professional and an emergency room visit is warranted. As time passes, you may find that each ailment is associated with a specific type of pain. As this becomes more apparent to you, it may alleviate the need for an ER visit. Of course, it is important also to remember that chest pain may be due to causes other than your currently diagnosed conditions, such as heart disease.

Learn more in the Everyday Health Heart Health Center.