I often experience chest pain right in the middle of my chest. what could this be? the chest pain does lasts a few seconds and is quite sharp. it happens every few days, sometimes more than once a day. i am a 26 year old female and i am not overweight and

There : There are many different reasons why you might be experiencing chest pains. One of the most worrisome reasons patients experience chest pains is that they have a blockage in one or more of their heart arteries. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the blood vessel where plaque or fatty deposits grow inside the blood vessels and restrict blood flow to the heart muscle. This typically creates a presure or burning or tightness in the chest area which could radiate to the left shoulder or arm, neck, or jaw. Often it worsens with exertion and improves with rest. The most common risk factors leading to these blockages include smoking, diabetes, a close family member with this disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. If you are 26, of normal weight, a non-smoker, without diabetes or high cholesterol and your parents do not have coronary artery disease, it is quite unlikely that you have this problem. Much more likely this is due to some other reason. Stress can cause many symptoms in our bodies such as head aches, upset stomach, and anxious feelings. Stress can also cause chest pains. If your symptoms continue or worsen, i would urge you to make contact with your doctor for an appointment to discuss this further.

Esophageal reflux: Possibly reflux esophagitis -- talk with your doctor -- consider upper GI evaluation.