Sharp, shooting, shock pain in left side of chest....anxiety?
Posted , 43 users are following.
I have posted in here before and everyone is so helpful and awesome... so here it goes.
I have been getting on and off sharp, shooting, shock like chest pains in the left side right near my left breast. The sharp pain will come for a second and be annoying and painful and then it'll disappear. It's on and off. It started earlier when I was at the physical therapist, and I did feel myself getting anxious and nervous when it happened. It went away while I was there and when I got home...then I ate and it started up again.
I am dealing with a thoracic disc herniation that's pushing against my spinal cord, which I would assume will cause certain shock-like feelings in certain places of the body. But I have to say, feeling this is making me INCREDIBLY nervous. I keep thinking I am going to die of a heart attack. Has anyone felt these types of sharp pains from anxiety? I do not know how to tell the difference between anxiety and an actual heart problem.
I don't have any other symptoms, some sensations in my leg and also my right shoulder but it came and went. My heart seems to be beating fine and I can breathe. The chest pains just really bothered me. It's a pretty terrifying feeling if anyone has ever felt this before also! 
1 like, 72 replies
jenni101183 saraanne8
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saraanne8 jenni101183
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You get the sharp pains in the chest as well? Oh my goodness that makes me feel better. It's true though, because when I feel these pains I automatically assume "heart attack" worst possible scenario! 😩
jenni101183 saraanne8
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Yes in my chest right there where my heart is in my back under my arm its weird you'd be surprised where I get gas pains it would probably shock you lol
saraanne8 jenni101183
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That is so unbelievably strange! I never knew gas pains could be in this area or feel like this. I have had gas pains under my breast and more towards my stomach area, but never up above my breast like this...how wild. I have GERD (acid reflux) so I'm not sure if you deal with that too? That could be contributing.
julio42427 jenni101183
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nik65739 saraanne8
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sasha79642 nik65739
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Hey. I get quick sharp pains too periodically. For me I'm pretty sure it's anxiety. Also caffeine and me don't agree.
Psyched_Out_Kim saraanne8
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I'm currently dealing with the same shooting pain in the exact same area as you, and yep, it's gas. Mine has been on and for over a week now. I just figure that a heart attack wouldn't last this long, so out came the heating pad to get things moving. It's crazy how gas can cause so much pain, and in so many areas.
saraanne8 Psyched_Out_Kim
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And it's sharp and shooting and in the same area???? That is so insane! I'm wondering now if maybe that's what it is for me too? And my anxiety is making me think the worst? I'm glad you're ok!
Psyched_Out_Kim saraanne8
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Yep, random shooting pains in the left breast area. There wasn't any gurgling in the upper or lower abdomen, so gas wasn't my first thought.
Since it's on one side, not radiating anywhere else, and feels like it's in the chest cavity, yet not the area of the heart, I try not to worry. The first time I ever had this it really freaked me out, and the anxiety mad it so much worse. The worse the anxiety got, the more heart attack symptoms I had, or so I thought. Once I calmed down, I kinda went through a mental checklist of the the things that were and weren't happening, and that helped put things in perspective. I recently found out that I have a cyst in my left maxillary sinus cavity. Well, anything with the sinuses can cause jaw pain, and that just made the panic worse. Anxiety sure makes us beat ourselves to a pulp.
Psyched_Out_Kim saraanne8
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Oh, I see where you said that you have GERD. That can definitely cause those sharp shooting pains in the chest. I have silent reflux, but I'm still new to it. I had my gallbladder removed in May, and the symptoms started not long after that. Just a couple weeks ago I asked my doctor if reflux can cause chest pains, and he said yes. He then went on to describe where it can hit, and how they feel. Everything he listed was exactly the same issues I had been having. These crazy pains all come down to digestion.
saraanne8 Psyched_Out_Kim
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That is wild and actually makes me feel better! What did he say the pains feel like... shooting pains? It's so odd how digestion could contribute to this. I'm the same as you with the jaw pain because I have TMJ and wear a night guard, and this morning I woke up with some jaw tenseness since I wasn't wearing my mouth guard the night before and did last night..but I automatically assumed since I was just getting the chest pains "heart complications" and then my mind FREAKS out. And I feel like I notice every small detail or feeling! It's just terrible isn't it? Even little shocks or sensations.
Psyched_Out_Kim saraanne8
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Yep, the doctor said the pains were sharp and short, but intensity varies due to stomach content. That's for the GERD, but gas pains seem to linger until they get worked out. My daughter is a gas queen lol so she told me about the chest pains she would get, how they felt, and all the crazy places she would get pains, including the left side of the chest.
Heat1992 saraanne8
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I've had it many times.. Chest tightness/Pressure/shocks/severe painful heart palpitations and spasms its anxiety for me. I notice when I get chest pain I have tension stuck in my back or shoulders/throat/chest so it's just the muscles that's are spazzing out so massages help.. I usually use an electrical massage on My upper back and it helps. Also breathing deeply with your chest can cause the chest pain.
saraanne8 Heat1992
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That totally makes sense and might be similiar to what I am experiencing then too, since becusze of the herniated disc in my thoracic spine, I get pains there and then I'll get sensations in the arms and I am wondering if it would also cause chest pain and shocks / sensations? Of course I immediately freak out and assume the worst though!