Rosh Emergency Medicine Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In the emergency department, musculoskeletal pain is the most commonly diagnosed cause of chest pain. This type of pain can arise from various sources, including muscle strains, rib injuries, or inflammation of the chest wall structures. It is often sharp or aching, and the patient may be able to localize the pain, which can help differentiate it from other serious causes of chest pain.

Musculoskeletal pain is prevalent because many people present with it as a result of physical activity, injury, or even prolonged poor posture. When assessing chest pain, clinicians often consider musculoskeletal causes after ruling out more critical conditions, particularly when the pain is reproducible on palpation or movement.

Other causes such as myocardial infarction, pneumonia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease can lead to chest pain as well, but they are associated with more acute presentations and a higher risk of immediate complications. Therefore, while those conditions are important to assess and rule out, musculoskeletal pain remains the most frequently encountered cause in a busy emergency department setting.