Title: What are the potential causes of sharp chest pain and what extra questions do you need to ask to differentiate between these causes

What are the potential causes of sharp chest?

Q: What are the potential causes of sharp chest?
A: Musculoskeletal chest pain
Pleurisy
Pneumothorax
Pulmonary Embolism
  Hint: Musculoskeletal chest pain; Pleurisy; Pneumothorax; Pulmonary Embolism

What extra questions do you need to ask to differentiate between these causes?

- Has he done any strenuous exertion or exercise recently that may have caused the pain?
- Does the pain get worse if he twists his upper chest or he touches his chest wall?
- Has he had a recent cough or cold or viral infection?
- Has he had a recent fever?
- Is there a cough – Is it productive?
- Has this ever happened before?
- Does patient gender and age fit with those in the population most at risk?
- Does Joseph smoke?
- Is there any coughing of blood?
- Has he noticed any calf swelling?
- Does he have any risk factors for PE?
Q: Musculoskeletal chest pain
A: Has he done any strenuous exertion or exercise recently that may have caused the …; Does the pain get worse if he twists his upper chest or he touches his chest …
Q: Pleurisy
A: Has he had a recent cough or cold or viral infection?; Has he had a recent fever?; Is there a cough – Is it productive?
Q: Pneumothorax
A: Has this ever happened before?; Does patient gender and age fit with those in the population most at risk?; Does Joseph smoke?
Q: PE
A: Is there any coughing of blood?; Has he noticed any calf swelling?; Does he have any risk factors for PE?

Can you list some risk factors for Pulmonary Embolism?

Q: Can you list some risk factors for Pulmonary Embolism?
A: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Previous VTE
Active cancer
Recent surgery
Significant immobility, for example, due to hospitalization or bed rest
Lower limb trauma or fracture
Pregnancy and, in particular, for 6 weeks' postpartum
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/pulmonary-embolism/background-information/risk-factors/
  Hint: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT); Previous VTE; Active cancer; Recent surgery; Significant immobility, for example, due to hospitalisation or bed rest; Lower limb trauma or fracture; Pregnancy and, in particular, for 6 weeks' postpartum