ECG test in Patong
Chest pain a long way from home is frightening, and the internet makes it worse. An ECG test in Patong takes about five minutes, is completely painless, and gives a doctor real information about what your heart is doing rather than guesswork. We have one on site at our clinic on Prachanukroh Road, available 24 hours.
Go to hospital first if this is you
Before anything else. If you have crushing or heavy chest pain, pain spreading into the jaw, neck or left arm, chest pain with sweating, nausea or breathlessness, or you feel like you might pass out, call an ambulance or go straight to a hospital with a cardiac unit.
A clinic ECG is useful, but a suspected heart attack needs a hospital with the equipment to open a blocked artery. We would rather you arrived there than sat in our waiting room.
What an ECG shows
An ECG records the electrical activity that makes your heart beat. Small sticky electrodes go on your chest, arms and legs, and the machine prints a trace of the rhythm and how the electrical signal travels through the heart muscle.
It can show an abnormal rhythm such as atrial fibrillation, signs of strain on the heart, evidence of a previous heart attack, and changes suggesting the heart muscle is not getting enough blood. It is the first test anywhere in the world when someone presents with chest pain or palpitations.
Why people come to us for one
Palpitations are the most common reason. That sensation of the heart racing, thumping or skipping is unsettling, and it is often harmless, related to caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, heat or anxiety. Sometimes it is a genuine rhythm problem, and the only way to tell the two apart is to record it.
We also do ECGs for chest pain that is more likely muscular or related to reflux, for dizziness and near-fainting, for breathlessness, and as part of a health check for anyone over 40 or with a family history of heart disease.
ECGs for diving and Muay Thai
Dive schools around Phuket and some Muay Thai gyms ask for a heart check before a course, particularly for older participants or anyone declaring symptoms. We can carry out the ECG and the wider medical, then issue the certificate in the same visit.
Chest pain that is not the heart
Most chest pain we see in Patong is not cardiac, and that is genuinely reassuring once it has been checked properly. Reflux and gastritis, which flare with rich food and alcohol, cause burning chest pain. Muscular strain from a scooter fall or the gym causes pain that changes with movement and pressure. Chest infections cause pain on coughing and deep breaths. Anxiety and panic cause chest tightness alongside racing heart and tingling.
The doctor puts the ECG together with your examination and history to reach an honest answer, rather than treating the trace in isolation.
What happens during the test
You lie down and a nurse places ten electrodes on your skin. Men occasionally need small patches of chest hair shaved so the electrodes stick properly. The recording takes seconds and there is no sensation at all, since the machine only listens.
The doctor reads it immediately and explains what it shows. You get a printed copy to keep, which is worth holding on to for comparison in the future.
If something abnormal shows up
We explain exactly what has been found and how urgent it is. Some findings need immediate hospital referral, and we arrange that and call ahead. Others need a cardiology opinion, an echocardiogram or a monitor worn for a day or two, and we set that up. Many are harmless variants that simply need explaining so you stop worrying about them.
Common questions about ECG tests in Patong
Does an ECG hurt?
No. It only records; nothing is sent into your body.
How much does an ECG cost in Patong?
It is charged alongside the consultation. Message us and we will tell you the total.
How long does it take?
About five minutes, and the doctor reads it straight away.
Can a normal ECG rule out heart problems?
Not entirely. A normal trace between episodes is common with intermittent rhythm problems, which is why further monitoring is sometimes needed.
Can you do it at my hotel?
Yes, we can bring a portable ECG on a hotel visit.