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Can anxiety really cause reoccurring chest pain?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hayhue
Hayhue

I've been having sharp chest pains since Saturday morning. I had pain, got dizzy and my left arm went numb. That lasted 10 seconds at most. I was on vacation so I went to urgent care and had EKG done that was normal and saw my PCP today who said I was ok it was probably just anxiety or skipped beat but she scheduled a nuclear stress test within next 2 weeks to make sure.

I've had 5 EKGs, an echocardiogram, and wore a 24 hour holter monitor all within the last 8 months; as well as bloodwork.

I do have generalized anxiety and panic disorder but sometimes the pains just happen out of nowhere. I also have GERD and some spine issues going on I'm seeing a neurologist for. Sometimes they can be exacerbated when I move my arm around or when I stretch my back or if I press on the area but 90% of the time they just come for no good reason. It can also happen in clusters. I can have it for days or a week and then not for weeks or months.

It's at the top of my left breast mainly but can happen in different spots on my left side.

It's been doing this off and on for months. Can it really be anxiety?

Any input would be appreciated. Thank you!

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Traceyjar
    Traceyjar Hayhue

    Posted

    They say anxiety can cause so many symptoms its unreal.

    I am 39 and have Arythmnia... ectopic beats and pauses....I get dizziness...and weird feelings in my chest from pains...to ice block feelings.These are from my heart problems as well as the anxiety..Which you cant help if you have heart problems.

    Also intergestion can cause awful pains.

    Sometimes my left hand goes a little tingerly...I have disc degen probs as well as neck degen probs...which I'm sure can all play a part too.

    Keep going and going if you are worried.It took 18 months to pick my heart problems up and im still not right yet.So for peace of mind see the gp again and again! X

    • Hayhue
      Hayhue Traceyjar

      Posted

      Thank you! That's what I'm trying to do, too. I'm only 29 but I just want to make sure there's nothing really beneath the surface of these. I rather be safe than sorry so good thing for the nuclear. 

      I hope all yours works out ok!! 

  • madge07350
    madge07350 Hayhue

    Posted

    Your symptoms could be due to costochondritis which is an inflammation of cartilage between the ribs. The pain of this can mimic heart symptoms
    • derek76
      derek76 madge07350

      Posted

      With that a doctor knows where to press his finger to make you yell out.
    • madge07350
      madge07350 derek76

      Posted

      I have suffered this rib pain due to fluoroquinolone toxicity for months. I have several places round my rib cage where the pain is very bad if pressed or poked!
    • derek76
      derek76 madge07350

      Posted

      Fluoroquinolone gave me tendonitis each time I had it.

      When I recently had rib pain my doctor gave me a hug, I yelped and he said sprung ribs.

       

    • madge07350
      madge07350 derek76

      Posted

      The rib pain is a result of the same process that causes the tendonitis. The FQs cause a degeneration of the collagen fibres that make up both tendons and cartilage. The effects on cartilage have been well known for years. This is why these poisons are not supposed to be given to children as it cripples their joint development. Experiments on beagle puppies showed this donkeys years ago. I went to my doc yesterday to complain about my rib pain and he poked me ( I yelled it was so painful) and then said I had degenerated cartilage and unfortunatel this came with getting older ( I am 64) . I pointed out that I first experieced this at the age of 47 shortly after being given an antibiotic for bronchitis that I am now sure was Cipro as I also developed severe neck pain and Achilles tendonitis.
  • derek76
    derek76 Hayhue

    Posted

    An A&E (ER) doctor told me that nearly 50% of people going with chest pain have no cardiac cause found for it.

    If you google chest pain and anxiety you will find 100's of articles.

    • Hayhue
      Hayhue derek76

      Posted

      But I don't feel very anxious you know? Maybe it's subconscious or something.

      I'm tired of going to the ER so that's why I asked for more testing. I'm sick of it!

  • jacqueline01135
    jacqueline01135 Hayhue

    Posted

    Sounds as though you are permanently stressed to your eye balls, so your

    body is coming out in sympathy you appear to have had enough tests to

    convince you that you are O.K 

    Adopt my principle    If I am vertical,,, I'm fine

    , 

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