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Long term, unexplained chest pain

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ji86
ji86

Hi all

After struggling with docs for years over this I thought I would turn to the wider world some input. I am a 27 year old, healthy (enough) male who has been getting intermitment, iregular and infrequent chest pains on and off for around 10 years. 

During an 'attack' the pain can be quite severe and sharp - I guess a bit like being stabbed. The pain is localised to the left side of my sternum and feels fairly deep (i.e. it cannot be palpated). 

Attacks can last anywhere from a few seconds to a day or so, and tend to come in 'clusters' that can be present for up to a week. There can be months between each cluster of attacks (if you get my drift!).

Pain can sometimes be exacerbated when leaning forward, coughing, lying on my side or raising an arm (seems to always vary - and can sometimes not have any stimulators).

During a 'cluster' period and between attacks I can often feel a mild, underlying ache in my chest. This is easy enough to ignore however.

I have had ECGs and chest xrays that have all been fine, and am not affected at all during exercise - I can happily go out and run 10k with ease.

Doctors have in the past rulled out gastro refulx as there was no tenderness on palpation of my stomach area, although I have sometimes thought that attack can follow a big meal and be accompnied by burping (although this may be my mind tricking me). 

Muscolskeletal problems have been mentioned, but why would attacks come in clusters and seemingly out of the blue?

I am at a compltete loss and doctors have been no help. My wife is scared that I will just drop dead from a heart attack - and I am struggling to find new ways of reassuring her.

Any help/thoughts/insight/advice would be seriously welcome!

Thanks

 

20 likes, 457 replies

457 Replies

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  • robertopato
    robertopato ji86

    Posted

    I don't know if this is the same exact problem but i'm having the chest pain (it looks to be near the heart) since i was 12 (at least that i can remember). I'm 22 now. I didn't cared because the pain came like every other week and there were times like a week in every other 2, 3 months that i had it everyday. It felt (and feels) like the heart wants to grow but it can't cause the space is limited (Dunno if that's exacty it but it's what i feel). I kinda got used to it but sometimes the pain is stronger than others. I'd say i'm pretty healthy, i go to the gym 3 times a week and always run at least 3km when i go there. I'm not overweight or anything. Never had a health problem. Just this that i don't know what it is. Would you guys say that is the same problem mentioned before?

    • TGrove
      TGrove robertopato

      Posted

      These are more of a sharp, stabbing pain. Not sure if I've ever felt what you have.

    • robertopato
      robertopato TGrove

      Posted

      I saw the PCS (sugested on another comment) on wikipedia and it seems to be my problem. I guess it disapears with time or possibly can stay with you forever. It's a shame that doesn't have a cure but at least it is not serious.

  • bobsingh
    bobsingh ji86

    Posted

    Hi Guys, I have the same symptoms as most sharp pains on and off for the last 5 years in the chest area and lower back.  I have mild Crohns, I am a vegetarian, low vitamin D, B12 jabs quarterly.  Mainly have problems if I stay in one place for a couple of hours, normally happens after I'v eaten or sitting on the sofa watching TV for a couple of hours.

    What I find helps me is WATER, half glass (15 gulps of water) every 15mins until my pee is white. and I'm going to the loo to clear my bladder, an hour or 2 helps, it's never completely gone but the breathing gets easier. Also I feel better after a good night sleep, if I have had enough WATER. I am not sure what is the connection with WATER but maybe dehydration, but please let me know if it helps anyone else. But please remember that its WATER over a period of time not just 1 large glass, Good Luck!   

  • bobsingh
    bobsingh ji86

    Posted

    Hi Guys, I have the same symptoms as most sharp pains on and off for the last 5 years in the chest area and lower back.  I have mild Crohns, I am a vegetarian, low vitamin D, B12 jabs quarterly.  Mainly have problems if I stay in one place for a couple of hours, normally happens after I'v eaten or sitting on the sofa watching TV for a couple of hours.

    What I find helps me is WATER over a period of time, 1/2 a glass (15 gulps of water) every 15mins until my pee is white. and i'm going to the loo to clear my bladder, an hour or 2 helps, its never completely gone but the breathing gets easier. Also I feel better after a good night sleep, if I have had enough WATER. I am not sure what is the connection with WATER but could be dehydration, but please let me know if it helps anyone else. Good Luck! 

    But remember it has to be water over a period of time, not just one large glass 

  • 7V4utilus
    7V4utilus ji86

    Posted

    Hello ji86 and everyone else!

    My symptoms are left side shoulder, left side neck, left side pectoral, some left upper arm pain with nerve issues thrown in.

    These have lasted about 4 years.

    The cause of my symptoms appears to be a torn labram in my shoulder, accompanied with an inferior paralabral cyst (this is a common side effect of torn shoulder labrams).

    The symptoms of my neck and pectoral and back appear to be referred pain from the tear; it is likely the instability of the shoulder and scapula was a large cause of this referred pain.

    Hope this can help you and others!

  • tonimarie2017
    tonimarie2017 ji86

    Posted

    I am having the same symptoms that you are. Its been going on for about a couple days now but I have been to 3 emergency rooms and they all tell me the same thing, that all my tests are normal. But the thing is I was at first diagnosted with GERD and I have no clue how so, but also i am having the pain in my stomach. I can't keep any food or liquids down, I am dehydrated and very weak. As of right now i just finished having an attack and I normally just breathe my through it but I am gietting to the point to where I can no longer take this. Can you please help or give me any advice on what to be checked for... Also I apologize for any misspellings. 

  • li50169
    li50169 ji86

    Posted

    Hey ji86, i have similar symptoms as you. The pain is really troubling me and i would like to ask if you found any solution. I've done ECG, Chest xRAY, and took several pain killers as Doc suspected its muscular skeletal pain, but the pain keeps coming back after weeks and sometimes just few days.

  • paige25090
    paige25090 ji86

    Posted

    My husband has a very similar thing going on

    We went to gran Cameron in august and he has an attack that was very much like a heart attack

    Was given aginia spray

    Few chest pains on and off

    3 months later at home at about 5 am woke up to stabbing pains and heart rate went down to 34-'

    Ambulance crew and admitted him

    ECG abnormal

    Eco scan fine

    X ray fine

    Bloods all fine

    Running machine test all fine

    So

    The doctors saying not sure if it's his heart

    So what the hell is it

    I'm in constant fear that my husband of 44 years old with 2 children is about to pop his clogs

  • karen08917
    karen08917 ji86

    Posted

    Hi i have been having pain in my left arm and chest for over a year now im so scared cos im always thinking its heart disease . I have been to doctors had ecgs that was ok. I was sent for a mri but according to my doctor it is arthritis which im still not convinced im quite sure i make it worse because im so anxious. I hope you get your self sorted
  • deborah56377
    deborah56377 ji86

    Posted

    I have exact same symptoms seen loads of docs and most just dismissed it because all tests came bk clear however one doctor told me to look up tieze syndrome it's similar to chronitis but instead of effecting all chest and rib area it's localised to just one part of chest it's rare so not many trials have been done on it and as yet I'm still waiting to see what meds are best to take hope this helps

  • sharla0813
    sharla0813 ji86

    Posted

    Hello, I just noticed that this was posted 3 years ago, sorry but I came across this when I was entering my own symptoms in Google and are very much similar to yours. The doctor sent me for every test under the sun it seems and is just ruling it out to be anxiety. But we know our bodies when it's telling us that it's something more. My question is, were you able to figure it out or get another doctors opinion? I could read through the comments for the answer but there are so many!

    As if now my guess for myself would be Angina, Or stress related. Both have serious side effects if left untreated that's for sure. But just like your wife, I am worried about the same darn thing, it just feels so close to the same symptoms as a heart attack. Who knows, it could be one forming, godforbid. I dunno. Just scary! Anyways, nice to know I'm not alone in having the same issues and looking for the same answerssmile hope all is well.

    • Beezer
      Beezer sharla0813

      Posted

      Look into coronary microvascular disease...also sometimes called small vessel disease.
    • joh666
      joh666 sharla0813

      Posted

      Hi all - I have chose to reply to Sharla as you story is  very similar but I have read most of the posts on here and lots of them are and it kind of helps knowing im not on my own ....so my story started around 7 years ago now, I was having chest pains - could not sleep etc etc , so bad I took myself off to A & E one morning as was convinced my heart was the issue, may I add I had suffered nothing like this previously so was more than concerned, spent the morning in hospital having tests and they found nothing strange, so I went home and to see the doctor - he ended up giving me some anti depressants this was following a referral to an ENT specialist as I was and still am always having to clear my throat but again nothing was found there either, he said might be a bad habit or reflux which i was given medication for , anyway after 6 months to a year on the anti depressants  which I didnt really want to take I came off them and was feeling fine - I think being told my heart was ok at the hospital helped a lot, but on and off I still get the odd twinge and it worries me a lot  - this last 2 weeks thought I have been severely fatigued to the point I dont want to move out of bed all day really and daily tasks are just impossible, my chest has random pains more like a dull uncomfortable feeling than a sharp pain but i do also get those on occasion randonly and I find it impossible to go to sleep when i  go to bed - I listen to a lot of meditation therapies to sleep, anyway today I had to go to the dentist for a quick check and it was just  so draining, I from there went to the doctors to make an appointment as I cannot go on like this every day being  so tired, previous to this I was visiitng the gym or pool daily and never have had any pain while exercising but not been for 2 weeks as just dont have the energy to go, the doctor cant see me until the 8th Aug which worries me more that something will happen before then  - I drove home with a dull pain in my arm and feeling  so so tired and heavy in my chest - I was tempted to drive to the hospital there and then  and get checked out but after last time I dont want to waste anyones time, but  I cant go through another 10 days of this and then the doctor just tell me its nothing  sad im lying on the bed typing this and just have no energy to move at all and have not since I got back home today , I agree with you Sharla our bodies are telling us something and its just so so worrying - I have started taking magnesium  to see if that helps with the fatigue but it isnt at the moment  - I guess will just see what happens and follow your stories on here  - Best Wishes to you all 

    • gary33953
      gary33953 joh666

      Posted

      "I was tempted to drive to the hospital there and then  and get checked out but after last time I dont want to waste anyones time"

      A person should never be afraid of wasting the time of a medical professional. That's what they do. Also, and more importantly, you only have one life so don't sacrifice it on being afraid to waste someone's time. Go to another doctor if you get that feeling. I understand your frustration though. With your doctor putting you on an anti-depressant could it be you are much too stressed out and these pains and symptoms are related to that? Our bodies do not react well to stress.

    • joh666
      joh666 gary33953

      Posted

      Hi and thanks for your reply ...I know what you mean but I meant after last time and there was nothing wrong ...although I really do feel rough so may go to the walk in centre at the hospital tomorrow instead of waiting for the docs appointment, as for the anti depressants years ago, I did not really feel I was depressed then  - had never had them before or since and dont feel generally stressed now but I do worry all the time  about what could be wrong with me which probably makes it all a hundred times worse and I know google doesnt help but its just hard not to  sad See what tomorow brings I guess but all I want is to be feel normal and have my energy back  with no pains 
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