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Pericarditis Symptoms
What are the symptoms of pericarditis?
The main symptom is a sharp pain in the center or left side of your chest. The pain may spread to the shoulder blade. For some people, this pain is dull instead of sharp. It may be worse when you lie down or take a deep breath.
The pain lasts for hours or days and doesn't get better when you rest. It's different from a type of chest pain called angina, which only lasts a short time and usually gets better with rest.
Other symptoms may include a mild fever, weakness, and feeling very tired.
Pericarditis usually isn't dangerous. But your chest pain could be caused by something more serious, like a heart attack. Getting diagnosed and treated early can help keep pericarditis from leading to other problems. That's why you should call a doctor right away if you have any kind of sudden chest pain.
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