Chest pain that isn’t caused by the heart is actually a much larger category than heart-related chest pain. Osteoarthritis, sometimes called “wear-and[1]tear” arthritis, is a joint disease that causes the top layer of cartilage covering a bone to break down and wear away.

As in other joints such as the knee, osteoarthritis can occur in rib joints, causing inflammation and chest pain.

Osteoarthritis in the neck can also cause pain that starts there and then spreads to the chest.

Rheumatoid arthritis, which is a chronic, inflammatory disorder, can cause inflammation throughout the body, including in the lining of the heart, mimicking angina.

Both these types of arthritis affect women more often than men. Osteoarthritis of the neck is a common cause of chest pain in older women.