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Long term, unexplained chest pain

Posted , 235 users are following.

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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  • DemiX
    DemiX ji86

    Posted

    Hi, i have had this i am only 17, female and i have developed anxeity and panic attacks because of this pain, i have also had xrays blood tests and an echocardiogram (heart scan) every test has come back normal. Like you said ji86 i dont have tenderness near the sites where i feel pain. The pain can sometimes be sharp and stabbing when i move but most of the time the pain comes by itself .the pain is usually in my left side in my arm and chest as well as back. I also have clusters of this pain some weeks im fine sometimes its mild pain and sometimes its quite bad i wouldn't say extreme but still worrying. I dont understand how it can be chostroconditis when it isnt tender but also i believe it isnt anything serious as the tests say otherwise. I know how annoying it is though, this pain thats unexplained that doesnt ease.
  • ben85518
    ben85518 ji86

    Posted

    Hi, you have literally said everthing i have been going through exept i have had this for 4 years, i have had several tests on my heart as i was convinced this was the cause, all tests came back fine and i now feel to embarrased to go back to hospital and GP as i have been so many times and nothing obvious has been found. If you happen to find out what it is, please let me know, wish you all the best i know it is hell
    • beth49455
      beth49455 ben85518

      Posted

      im the same the doctors are getting sick of me toing there and going a&e but i cant deal with the pain sad what did your doctors say?? x
    • john84288
      john84288 ben85518

      Posted

      Muscle see a doctor about muscle relaxers you might have ripped a muscle thats what happen to me
  • adrian81561
    adrian81561 ji86

    Posted

    I live in Atlanta, am 35 yr old male and dealt with this for years. I used to have a more physically active job until about a year ago. I put on 25 lbs in a year and am much less active and now I have these pains all the time! Last year I had an echocardiogram and the cardiologist basically laughed me out of his office, said he saw absolutely othing wrong with my heart. I smoked for years so of course now I think I have lung cancer, but these pains have come and gone for the last 10 years. They used to not be so frequent and I used to not have so much anxiety about them. Nowadays I am so anxious all the time I feel like it's ruling all my thoughts. I'm afraid to take a breath sometimes because I don't want to feel the stab! The pain varies between stabbing, dull and sometimes even electric like. It hits me to the left of center in my chest, or in my upper back, or left arm, or sometimes all the way left or right of chest. It's like a ping pong of pain bouncing around in my chest cavity! Nothing specific brings it on, I'm great one second then boom I think im about to die. I'm verry quickly developing a severe anxiety disorder. I'm going to try exercising, eating healthy, losing weight, chiropractic visits and natural anxiety remedies. I hope one of those things helps
    • somiekat
      somiekat adrian81561

      Posted

      Hey! I know your post is old, but I'm curious to know if you're still experiencing these symptoms? I've been having the same symptoms for almost 1 month now and no doctors seems to think it's anything and it's becoming annoying to me because I know I feel these things. Hope to hear back from you.

    • alex37559
      alex37559 somiekat

      Posted

      Hi Kat, hope this finds you well. Are you still experiencing problems? I am experiencing everything I have read in this thread. I get sharp pains. And it travels down my left hand side and I suffer symptoms that you would think is those of a heart attack. I have suffered different kind of pains for 4 years now. I have had every test you can imagine and I've been told I'm fine. Doctors can't figure it out so I've been told I have to try and manage my pain. I'm a healthy 27 year old who keeps fit and active as I'm a PE teacher. The pain is always there, even when I run and go to the gym. Sometimes it effects me more days than others. I have recently suffered panic attacks and anxiety. It's just nice to know I'm not the only one suffering. Unfortunately no one knows what the problem is.

  • beth49455
    beth49455 ji86

    Posted

    Hello, I'm a 18year old female, and have a good life, and good job, no stresses or worries. Iv had the same pain as yourself since September 2013 they kept saying is inflammation in the cartridge, but for it be come so sudden and last anything from 5/10mins to a week really does push me over board. I don't do anything to trigger it, I can be sat watching tv and bang I'm in pain I cant control, I cant breath. And its a sharp stabbing pain and I cant put myself in a position for it to go off. My auntie seems to think it maybe fibromyalgia but my partner doesn't think it is. But blood tests are fine, xrays are fine and ECG's are fine. But I feel like the doctors can not be bothered to do anything or investigate further. Iv been in A&E as I'm in that much pain, and no pain killers they give me make any difference. I just don't know what else to do sad I'm loosing the world to live and I'm only 18... I hope you find out what the problem is and keep me up to date if you find anything x
    • ashley27329
      ashley27329 beth49455

      Posted

      Hi beth49455 I just read your story and I am experiencing exactly what you are.  I am a 39 yr old woman and in excellent health - though these days it's questionable. On 7/13/2015 I was making my daughters lunch and BOOM! I had a horrible pain in my chest and had a hard time breathing.  I thought perhaps this was anxiety but my heart rate was fine. I tried to work though it and went to work.  After about 2 hours of being at work it was a struggle to walk 50 ft.  I went to the ER and got the Normal EKG, Chest X-ray and CTscan - all Normal. The Dr. said I had pleurisy and sent me home.  Two day later I am back in the ER b/c I am having a hard time breathing - they gave me steroids, inhaler and a breathing treatment, which helped for like an hour. I have had an Echo done and a PFT as well (Pulmonary Function test) which was extremely painful but my lungs are fine.  I just recent had an upper GI and that was normal. The pain is pretty constant and does move from the middle of my chest to the right and left, to the middle of my back and the side of my rib cadge. I cannot recreate the pain I experience as other's explain. It seems to bother me more at the end of the day and while I am sleeping. It is taking a toll on me after 3 months of not knowing what this is..I was thinking that it could be intercostal neuralgia as well but not certain.  Even as I type this I have the pain in my chest on the right side and I am just sitting here.  Do you/anyone have any suggestions on how to help with the discomfort since it seems like it's a difficult thing to diagnose?
    • mustapha65069
      mustapha65069 beth49455

      Posted

      Hi beth i am also 18 and am undergoing similar problems. Did you ever find out what was wrong? I have been diagnosed with acute anxiety and am a borderline hypochondriac because of this. Any help would be much appreciated. 
    • kjohn168
      kjohn168 ashley27329

      Posted

      Last night in the ER a sonogram showed I have gallstones. I see a specialist Monday. Hope this is really the problem. I'm so tired of being in so much pain.
    • kjohn168
      kjohn168 ashley27329

      Posted

      I'm experiencing the same problems. After all the heart testing in the ER last Wednesday, they did a sonogram and found I have a lot of gallstones which are most likely the cause of my pain. I see a specialist Monday. I think it is a high probability they will surgically remove the entire gallbladder.
    • Beezer
      Beezer ashley27329

      Posted

      You getting anywhere with a diagnosis? Mine is same as yours. Hurts just sitting. Can't recreate pain by touching but my chest is tender to touch. Doing absolutely nothing I have pain. Doing anything I have pain. Moves around as well. Dull mid sternum and now it's back in left rib cage behind and below my Breast and now today I wake up with cramp like feelings under right Breast. All cardiac workup has been fine. About 20 ECG's, 2 Echo's, 2 Holter's, 2 stress tests, cardiac mri, chest CT, VQ lung scan and a lung proficiency test. All fine.
    • sunny44957
      sunny44957 Beezer

      Posted

      I went to a physio. Adjusted my spine. He actually recreated the chest pain. I started having a little bit of breathing problems too. Last night, I was carrying semi heavy things. After that, I had an unprecedented horrible feeling, similar to when u stretch ur arms far out and rotate ur wrist, that nerve sensation, but much stronger. I had this sensation for 30 minutes and difficulty to breathe. This makes me kinda sure that my chest pain is nerve compression. Im going to see my doctor later.
    • Beezer
      Beezer ashley27329

      Posted

      Ashley27329.

      You figure this out? I'm in a similar situation.

    • elica46667
      elica46667 Beezer

      Posted

      Hi all, I am writing as my husband has had almost non-stop chest pain for 2.5 months, which has been between very strong (think ER trips thinking he is having a heart attack) to bearable. The symptoms are:

      - chest pain in varying degree, mostly around the heart and the center of the chest, can move up the neck

      - increased pain in the afternoon/evening compared than morning

      - stronger pain is accompanied by burping episodes and they may happen after a bigger meal for dinner

      He has performed endoscopy which showed nothing; stress test was fine; echo test showed some possible signs for pericarditis. He has been taking colchicine to treat the pericarditis for 1.5 months with no change so far.

      He hasn't done mri and I think it might be gallbladder.

      Do you have any diagonis that helped you find a cure?

      Any help/advice would be very appreciated. The doctors are terrible and treat him as a hypocondriac and the last time in the ER almost made fun of us. But he is in pain and can't function properly.. Thanks!

    • Beezer
      Beezer elica46667

      Posted

      I was diagnosed with coronary microvascular disease.
    • jennifer6069
      jennifer6069 elica46667

      Posted

      My husband had those exact symptoms. EK, blood work and stress test were all fine. His cardiologist sent him to gastro to have a scope. That was fine. His pain was mocking that of a previous heart attack minus the sweating. For 6 weeks we kept going to ER. Same o same o. Cardiac work up, overnight stay and discharged. Still in pain. So 2 weeks ago we decided to visit a different hospital ER. After several accusations being there in search of pain meds. We insisted on another EKG. Blood work came back at the same time. SURPRISE, EKG showed heart attack and triponin level was high (triponin elevated is the verifier of a heart attack.) He was in the cath lab within minutes. 100% blockage in right artery. 2 stents later and three days in hospital, he is all better. BE PERSISTENT. YOU AND ONLY YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL. KEEP ''BUGGING'' YOUR DOC!! Had we not gone to this other hospital and gone home (an hour and half away.) My husband would not have traveled back thinking he would be told he was fine once again. Instead he would have gone to bed that night for the last time and this morning I would not have enjoyed a cup of tea with my best friend, my husband!! Be PERSISTENT!

    • heather42869
      heather42869 jennifer6069

      Posted

      I have had 5 heart attacks and I have 17 stents in my heart..I was told sooner or later i will need a tripple bypass and have been suffering with chest pains but how ever in the last 6 mo i have been having chest pain 24/7 and have had a heart cath done and was told everything is stable but was told i know have chronic chest pain pain med's they have me on are no longer working on my chest pain my cardiologist had me go see a pain management doctor to see if i could have a block put in to stop all pain to my heart the that doctor laughed and said there is no such block for the heart and even if there was and i would get it i never feel a full blown heart attack.. But any how no heart test to the day ever picks any issues with my heart there test don't even pick my stents up nor does blood work show I'm having a heart attack when i truly I'm.. My heart doctor now never orders any test he goes on me when i tell him he needs to go it because there is something wrong... My first heart attack was when i was 34 and I'm now 43... So please don't all ways go by these test if you feel something is wrong push the issue.. Good luck everyone and God Bless

    • Beezer
      Beezer heather42869

      Posted

      Heather, have you been diagnosed with coronary microvascular disease/dysfunction? That is exactly what you are describing. Chest pain after heart attack with normal coronary arteries on an angiogram is classic microvascular disease. Hopefully you are on a calcium channel blocker and a long acting nitrate.
    • heather42869
      heather42869 Beezer

      Posted

      No I was not diagnosed with that they are not sure what is causing it i went from having chest pains off and on to 24/7 with in the last 6 mo.. And no they don't have me on calcium channel blocker from the time i was 34 until now I'm up to 45 pills a day not including pain med's but calcium channel blocker is not one of them but they have sent me to a few other specialists and they are trying to figure it out from what I'm being told so far it's in my family line some where but due to me not being able to speak to father's side I have not clue if it's on there end.. I know there using my case load at the university of Philadelphia they claim what ever is going on is rare since my heart attack i got nash do to the med's a in large spleen 2 anyurezums one in the brain one in the neck.. There moving as fast as the can due to my health going down hill faster then they would like...

    • jennifer6069
      jennifer6069 heather42869

      Posted

      My husnand had 2 Heart attacks agter the second one and a few stents and caths he had a quadruple bypass. Two more caths amd 3 more stents later ..... He had been complaining of feeling tired. They told him to ''work through it. Find a purpose.'' Progressively it got worse. His chest felt heavy and his arm was hurting. He was eating tums like a kid eats MM's. 3weeks ago he thought he was having a heart attack. Had me call 911. Everything came back ''fine.'' They kept him 2 days and had a gastrointestinal Dr.do a scope. Because it ''SURELY '' could not be a heart attack. He was discharged on a Tuesday. That Friday he was feeling really bad. We were visiting at a different hospital and i talked him into going to the er there. Again EKG was fine. After several scoldings for hospital hopping and drug seeking. My husband demanded they do another EKG. The DR. must have got the labs back at the same time he saw the new EKG. HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEART ATTACK. To the cath lab he went and earned two more stents. Be persistent!!! Dr.s are only human and they can't feel your aches and pains. PERSISTENT PERSISTENT PERSISTENT

    • Beezer
      Beezer heather42869

      Posted

      Do you get shortness of breath? Fatigue? Palpitations? Migraines? Microvascular dysfunction is a problem with your microvessels. Can't be seen on any test. It is a progressive disease and needs to be treated. It can lead to strokes, heart attack, heart failure and aneurism. Persistent chest pain after HA and clear arteries are indicative of MVD. Do you have nitro spray to try? Does rest make it go away or ease it at all?

    • heather42869
      heather42869 Beezer

      Posted

      No rest does not take it away or ease it and I wear nitro patches.. I was never told I had what you are saying but have all of what you are saying plus a lot more.. Do you have this?
    • Beezer
      Beezer heather42869

      Posted

      I do have this. Yes. Took me almost 2-3 years for a diagnosis. Kept being told it wasn't my heart. I, unlike you, have not had a heart attack. I'm 35, so young like you were when your journey began. I know lots of woman with this condition and many with stories identical to you. Are you in the States?

    • heather42869
      heather42869 Beezer

      Posted

      Yes I'm in Pa I will be asking my Heart Doctor's about this and see what they say..

    • Beezer
      Beezer heather42869

      Posted

      Good idea. If you hang tight, I'll get you a name or two of cardiologists in Pa who recognize and treat this.

    • Beezer
      Beezer heather42869

      Posted

      Dr Erki in Harrisburg or Camp Hill lectures on CMVD and non obstructive heart disease so she is definitely a good one.

      Dr. Luis Telgada is a local family physician but works with some of the world renown cardiologists out of Emory in London, notably, Dr. Samaday. It's worth a second opinion from someone who is in the know of this disease. Hopefully it isn't, but it's worth a "rule out" or "rule in".

      Feel free to contact me via email at any time.

      Best of Luck

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

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