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What else besides heart problems can cause chest pain?

By September 30, 2010 - 3:06pm
 
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It's been a few weeks now I've been having this weird left-sided chest pain that comes and goes. It feels more than a burning that an acute pain. It also feels like pressure on my chest and it radiates up into my neck and into my left shoulder some times.
The week it first started I almost went to the hospital one night I scared me so much. I didn't go that night but I did go see my family doctor a couple of days later. One of his nurses did an EKG right there and she and he both said my heart looks fine.

So, the next thing I wonder about is anxiety but any time I have physical symptoms of anxiety, I get them in my stomach area and this is just below my clavicle to the left of my breast bone.
My doctor is sending me for a stress test but that's not till the end of October and that isn't going to tell me anything because I can't walk without a cane without falling over so there's no way I'm gong to be able to run for 10 to 12 minutes on the treadmill so that they can get a reading on me. But doc say's I have to fail the stress test in order for OHIP (our health care insurance) to pay for the next test, which is some kind of xray with dye.
In the meantime, the feeling is bothering me. Sometimes it's really painful and very distracting. My doc says it can't be engina because if it was my heart, I'd be in the hospital by now and the pain would be so bad that I wouldn't be able to sleep.
Anyone know what else it could be? I recently (about 6 weeks ago) started taking estrogen for menopause symptoms. Could it be a side effect from the estrogen?

Trish:-)
TRISH ROBICHAUD
http://www.ChangingPaces.com

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

in my experience with chest pain... the stress test was negative however i had a 99% blockage in my RCA. needed a stent. they are not always accurate. also I had the "tightness" for at least 2 months before I had the heart catheterization. need to get to the bottom of the pain. always carry a bottle of aspirin with you. that could save your life if it is your heart. i just had another heart cath yesterday and nothing was wrong. this time I had same tightness and the stress test showed changes however it was incorrect again. i think you would know if you would take a brisk walk to see if the pain is brought on by exercise and if it gets more intense with exercise.... then you should know . you will still need to take the stress test as protocol. God speed....hope it is not your heart

February 10, 2015 - 7:35am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I feel as though at times there is a knife in the back of my throat or I swallowed a knife. HELP what can I do???

October 29, 2011 - 11:51pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

II need help; my chest on the left side hurts so bad that at times it hurts me to do something as simple as move. What can I do? I have been to my family doctor and all he said was to do back streches and got o the chiropratoe. I did and still felt the same, I mean maybe a little relief but the pain was still there.

October 29, 2011 - 11:49pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

II need help; my chest on the left side hurts so bad that at times it hurts me to do something as simple as move. What can I do?

October 29, 2011 - 11:47pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Trish Robichaud)

What was the problem?

September 8, 2011 - 1:37pm

Thanks Cary. I've now got my appt for the stress test but it's not till late Oct. To answer your direct questions (for me as much as in response to you)...
1 - Short of breath? I don't think so but it's painful to breathe while it's happening.
2 - Nausea? No.
3 - Provoke or Relieve? Not that I've noticed.
4 - Weak or faint? I had a dizzy spell today out of nowhere. That's never happened before.
Doesn't sound too serious at this point I think. Thanks again Cary!
Trish:-)

October 2, 2010 - 11:53am
(reply to Trish Robichaud)

Good luck with the test, Trish. I'm sure if it was serious you would have been sent directly to the hospital for testing. Please let us know how you do!

October 2, 2010 - 2:08pm

Hi Trish

There are many things that can cause chest pain. Reflux can make a person think she is having a heart attack. Heart issues, of course, and there are many types of heart issues. Lung issues can cause chest pain, as well as musculoskeletal or neurological problems.

An EKG doesn't tell you your heart is fine. It is a snapshot that says you are not having a rhythm problem at that moment the test is done. It is a screening test more than anything else. As far as the stress test, if you can't do the walking one you lie down and have a stress test where your heart rate is increased with medication rather than exercise. So you can get the stress test done whether you can do a treadmill or not.

Blood vessel issues or anxiety can also cause chest pain. There are just a lot of possibilities here. Angina does not always send people to the hospital, either. Usually angina is eased a bit by rest.

Make note of all your symptoms: do you become short of breath? Do you have nausea? Does anything in particular provoke or relieve the pain? Do you become weak or faint? The more symptoms you can describe, the easier it will be to diagnose because you will present a fuller picture of the problem.

If you vomit with this pain or become breathless or faint, please call an ambulance. If we can help further, let us know. Thank you for writing and good luck.

October 1, 2010 - 6:48am
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