US Trends

what makes pericarditis worse

Chest pain from pericarditis tends to get worse when anything increases pressure or irritation around the inflamed sac around your heart.

Key things that can make pericarditis worse

  • Lying flat on your back often increases pain because the inflamed pericardium is stretched and the heart sits more directly against it. Many people feel better sitting up and leaning forward.
  • Deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing can worsen the sharp, stabbing chest pain because these movements tug on the inflamed pericardial layers.
  • Physical exertion (fast walking, running, heavy lifting, intense sports) can aggravate chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue by making the heart work harder against an inflamed pericardium.
  • Ignoring symptoms and delaying treatment can allow more fluid to build up around the heart (pericardial effusion), which can progress to cardiac tamponade, a life‑threatening emergency.
  • Repeated or undertreated episodes over time can lead to thickening and scarring of the pericardium (constrictive pericarditis), which permanently affects how well the heart fills and pumps.
  • Ongoing triggers like uncontrolled infections, autoimmune flares, or kidney failure (uremic pericarditis) can keep the inflammation active and worsen symptoms or complications.
  • Stopping prescribed anti‑inflammatory medicines (like NSAIDs, colchicine, or others) too early, or not taking them as directed, can increase the risk of pain flaring back up and of recurrent pericarditis.

Everyday factors that can aggravate symptoms

These don’t “cause” pericarditis by themselves, but they can make you feel worse when you already have it:

  • Straining (for example, lifting heavy objects, intense gym workouts, or severe constipation) that spikes pressure in the chest.
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure or fast heart rate, which increase the heart’s workload.
  • Large meals or lying down soon after eating, which can increase discomfort and make it harder to distinguish chest pain sources.
  • Not resting enough when symptoms are active; overexertion can prolong recovery.

Serious warning signs – get urgent help

Pericarditis can turn dangerous quickly if fluid builds up around the heart. Call emergency services or go to the ER immediately if you have:

  • Chest pain that is sudden, severe, or feels different from your usual pericarditis pain
  • Fainting, near‑fainting, or confusion
  • Very low blood pressure, rapid or weak pulse
  • Marked shortness of breath, especially when lying flat
  • Swelling of legs, abdomen, or sudden weight gain from fluid

These can be signs of cardiac tamponade or advanced constrictive pericarditis , both of which need urgent specialist treatment.

What usually helps instead of making it worse

  • Resting and avoiding strenuous activity until your doctor clears you.
  • Sitting up and leaning slightly forward when pain is bad.
  • Taking prescribed anti‑inflammatory medications exactly as directed and for the full course.
  • Following up with cardiology or your regular doctor to monitor for fluid around the heart or recurrent inflammation.

If you have chest pain and are not sure it is “just” pericarditis, treat it as an emergency. Heart attack and pericarditis can feel similar, and only medical evaluation can safely tell them apart.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.