The symptoms of transitory benign chest wall pain (TBCWP) are fairly characteristic, but only a physician can determine whether or not someone’s chest pain is serious. Even if someone has all the classic symptoms of TBCWP, a physician may still need to perform tests to determine whether or not the chest pain is serious 

Symptoms of TBCWP vary according to the person’s natural ability to withstand pain. In addition, the individual’s state of mind when the pain occurs (e.g., anxiety factors or fear of a heart condition), and personality can influence reaction to the TBCWP. Generally, the symptoms of TBCWP have the following characteristics:

• The pain occurs suddenly and is not related to exercise or a specific activity.
  
  
• The pain is sharp, often stabbing. Younger children may have difficulty accurately expressing the type or severity of the pain.
  
  
• The pain usually lasts only a few seconds or a minute, but can reappear for an hour or more, After the pain has passed, the individual is able to return to his or her normal activities.
  
  
• The pain may recur in a variety of ways, from daily to weekly. In some cases, it may not appear for months and the individual will forget about the occurrence.  
  
  
• The individual is able to identify a specific spot where the pain occurs in the chest. In many cases, it is in the same area each time.
  
  
• Individuals may describe the pain as a “catch” or “jolt” that prevents them from taking a deep breath. Also, breathing deeply may cause the sensation to become more severe.