Sharp, Sudden Chest Pain Lasting a few Seconds

Posted , 4 users are following.

Yesterday in the middle of my spin class I experienced a very sharp, sudden pain in the upper left portion of my chest. It lasted no more than 2 seconds; however, shortly thereafter my right arm started to feel clammy and swollen, culminating in the upper right hand part of my arm feeling sore to the touch.

I am only 30 years old and work out every day; I could not believe I was having a heart attack but the pain coupled with the arm made me think something was wrong. I went to the ER and they did an EKG and took a blood sample. All normal.

Now today, I am sitting at my desk at work and the same thing happened. I got a shooting pain in the upper left hand portion of my chest that lasted no more than a second or two.

The doctor said it maybe could have been a pinched nerve or muscle spasm but has anyone else experienced something like this before?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Yes yes yes and scares the #### out of me and like you I have gone and had tests and I'm told its all muscular, I was told that short sharp chest pain that lasts seconds is more than anything else non cardiac

    If you press where the pain was does it hurt, as for the right arm feeling sore I'm again sure that it's muscles responding to your tension

    Could even be referred pain from other parts of your body

    • Posted

      Thanks. That's what the doctors said, could be a muscle spasm or even a pinched nerve. My concern was cardiac obviously. Today if I press down on where the pain was it did feel tight/sore in a way. It's just odd because I don't do much weight lifting; I primarily do spin classes and run. So i'm not sure what would have given me an upper body muscular injury. But so long as it's not heart related I can live with it.

  • Posted

    Hi, I've had exactly the same sharp pain in heart area as you. It's intermittent, random, for no apparent reason, only lasts a few seconds then goes away. Sometimes I get it 3, 4, 5 times a day, some days maybe only once or even none for 2 or 3 days then comes back again. Have been for ECG and chest x-ray and both showed no problems with heart, which is good news, but then what is the cause of these pains. One doctor thought it was coming from my stomach and gave me stomach pills. Other doctors think it's muscular and now on pills for muscle pain which are having no effect so far. Have had these pains for almost 3 months now and not sure what to do next. Did you ever find out the cause of your pains ?

    Regards, dave

    • Posted

      It is so strange that these pains last so much

      My pain also started 2 weeks ago and with this in mind I think it lasts forever!:(

  • Posted

    Hi I see others have also posted regarding short sharp stinging chest pain.

    This may sound a little off the wall but if this pain was any where else say in your back,,,, side,,,, leg,,,, foot, you get what direction I am going in, I don't think you would bat an eyelid would you, when muscles are even remotely strained they will ping hence pain, same as cramp you very rarely can put a reason to it.

    Try not to focus on it and massage the spot when it strikes this will help, obviously if your really worried then speak to your GP but definitely don't fret if you have had the tests and they have said it is not cardiac then believe them they know best.

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