Does pulmonary embolism cause chest pain?

Pulmonary embolism happens when a blood clot travels to a blood vessel in the lungs. The pain may be one-sided or central and can occur with sudden breathlessness, a fast heartbeat, coughing, or coughing up blood. Some people feel light-headed or unusually anxious. Chest pain also has many other causes, but possible pulmonary embolism must be considered promptly when pain begins suddenly or follows a period of reduced movement, recent surgery, pregnancy, or a previous clot.

Treat sudden unexplained chest pain with caution. Stop exertion, sit upright, and seek urgent medical assessment rather than driving yourself if you have breathlessness or feel faint. Tell the medical team when the pain began, whether breathing changes it, and about recent travel, surgery, immobility, pregnancy, hormone medicines, or previous clots. Do not massage a painful swollen leg while waiting for help.

Call local emergency services immediately for chest pain with sudden difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, fainting, severe weakness, blue or grey lips, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat. Also seek urgent help for new chest pain with one-sided leg swelling or pain. Pulmonary embolism can become life-threatening without rapid assessment and treatment.

Could my symptoms indicate a clot or another urgent cause? What tests are needed? Do my recent health events change my risk? If treatment is started, how should I take it and which bleeding symptoms require immediate help?