Chest Pain ranges from a sharp stab to a dull ache. Sometimes it feels crushing or burning. In certain cases, the pain travels up the neck, into the jaw, and then radiates to the back or down one or both arms. How Bad is Chest Pain? Mild: Mild pain without limiting any activities of daily life. Moderate: Moderate pain; limiting instrumental activities of daily life (preparing meals, managing money, shopping, doing housework, and using a …