So for years I have dealt with having random chest pain. It’s usually under the left side of my chest by the rib cage, but can switch to the center of the chest and to the right of the chest at times. With that I also get left arm pain, either in my bicep or in my forearm. This causes me to have panic attacks. Now I get used to the pain and sometimes will go a year or two without a full blown panic attack, but as of late it’s been pretty bad. I have spent countless of dollars on ER visits. All tests always come back clean. It’s super frustrating to be told nothing is wrong with me and it’s just my anxiety and panic disorder. It’s like at times I wish they found something wrong with me and would just cut it the f*** out of me. Anyone else going through or have gone through the same thing I have been for the past 9 years?
Random Chest Pain: So for years I have... - Anxiety and Depre...
Random Chest Pain
I've been getting the same kind of pains for years now. I've mentioned it to every Dr I've had and they've all told me the same thing, stress. Now the first time I've talked to a Dr about it I was 12 and I just thought "what the heck does a 12 year old have to worry about?" But now looking back on things it makes sense for me. I still get the pains every now and then but I try not to panic and tense up. Try doing something relaxing right away. If you can district yourself at the same time that's even better. The more you overthink things, the longer it takes for the pains to pass. At least that's how it is for me.
~S~
I've been there, exactly. With time you start realizing that it's just anxiety and it gets better. One of the tricks I use is, "If I can touch where the pain is, it's not my heart." It calms me down.
That’s a good point
You've been thoroughly checked over several times. Nothing found. So yes, it is anxiety which can express itself in many ways and usually imitates the symptoms of real organic illness. In your case you're experiencing muscular tension in the chest and arm caused by over sensitisation of your nervous system.
Although it is uncomfortable it cannot kill you or disable you nor can it send you crazy. So when you have recovered from the anxiety disorder this symptom will resolve.
Accept it for the time being, do not stress or obsess about it. Too much introspection is not good. Do not fight it, fighting only causes more stress and strain. You have nothing to fear, do not fear it: this will stop the flow of fear hormones that only serve to keep your nerves sensitive.
That was really insightful Jeff. Thank you for that.
Thank you Lacey_nicole3 but I merely repeat the ideas of Doctor Claire Weekes who first set out her method for recovery based on Facing, Acceptance, Floating and Letting time pass in her first book 'Self help for your nerves' many years ago.
Yes. I have the same pain. I drove myself crazy and broke for almost a year of seeing doctors and specialists. I was so determined to solve the pain but no one ever gave me a clear explanation. The closest I have ever come to figuring it out is a condition called "Costochondritis." I'm not quite sure what causes flare ups except that high stress and worry make it worse. I visited a Mind-Body Medicine doctor and he said it's stress and my own mind causing the pain. Still not sure if I believe that but all of my physicals, blood work, x-rays, stress tests and heart tests came back as being perfect. Can't argue with that! I do take a B-Stress Complex vitamin and it helps with the inflammation. It's made by "Twin Labs." Amazon sells them. It's improved over the last year and the more my mind is at ease that I don't have a life threatening illness the more it improves or I just don't think about it as much. I've been lifting weights lately and no severe pain or issues. Hope this helps and thanks for sharing your experience.
Thanks for the info
Titan, my wife was diagnosed with Costochondritis some 10 years ago. I'm not totally convinced it is and I'm pretty sure the pain is caused by a hiatus hernia caused by an angioplasty to fit a stent. But it is reactive to stress. I'm glad your's is clearing up. I'm no doctor but as you've had all the tests and nothing found (they'd have found a hiatus hernia if you had one) I agree that its muscular tension of the chest muscles caused by anxiety.
Now you're more reassured that it isn't life threatening you're less anxious about it and so it troubles you less.
One day in the none too distant future you will think to yourself: "Hey, what happened to that pain in the chest that caused me so much grief, I haven't felt it for weeks?"
Thanks Jeff! It's so good to speak with people going through the same, strange experiences. I hope your wife improves and feels healthy. You're right, some days I don't even think about it and then some days I get sore under my left pectoral muscle and can push on my ribs and feel the painful spots. It's so difficult to treat and even ER doctors have told me they don't put any research or thought into it because it's not life threatening. I agree but when it just shows up one day and your ribs are swollen and you have radiating pain right where your heart is located it scares the crap out of you! Haha.
At that point remember all the tests you had and how none of them found anything wrong with your heart.
Titan, we are often our own worst enemies and without realising it we can so easily perpetuate our problems by reacting to our symptoms with fear. The fear causes more nervous sensitisation which causes more symptoms which cause more fear which cause more sensitisation and on and on it goes.
The important thing is to accept the symptom utterly for the time being and not add second fear to the flash of first fear. You have the understanding of how our nerves work and you have the reassurance of modern medical science that all is well. And you know how good anxiety is at impersonating real illness and frightening us half to death.
If we stop fearing it then like all bullies it gives up. If we cease stressing and obsessing about our anxiety symptoms they eventually die of neglect. It is only our constant introspection that keeps them alive.
I have had anxiety/panic attacks that make me feel like I'm having a heart attack. I will get the tingling and pain in my left arm and back. I have gone into the emergency room and did all the proper tests but never find anything wrong with my heart. It gets frustrating for me.
That’s exactly what I get
It’s super nerve wracking. And if someone has never experienced it they can never understand it
That is true that if they haven't went through that feeling they don't understand.
Not to change the subject. But have people in your life treated you differently after they found out you got diagnosed with a mental illness? I have, I even got turned away at a job interview.
People have actually been pretty supportive. My boss did tell me he has the opinion of just get over it, but explained that’s just his mentality towards it because he’s never experienced, but he’s been very supportive of me.
Same here. Although mine is paired with heart skips. Also called PVCs. This is the bodies response to stress and usually completely benign. Scared the hell out of me and had tests done to make sure that I wasn’t dying. Your stress and anxiety levels effect your chemistry completely. Since I’ve started supplementing with anxiety relief magnesium. The skips and pains have been relieved almost entirely. I get mine on amazon and it’s been a real life saver with sleep quality as well. Keep in mind everything you do plays part in your anxiety. What you eat, what you drink... etc... I find that eating healthy and drinking a lot of water has provided relief as well. It’s all about chemistry.
Which magnesium do you use?
You have nothing to worry about that's very common with anxiety
I have had it a few times. All were stress related. Do you have one of those wrist blood pressure devices? Research Grounding Exercises and see if you can find one that will bring it back down and out of pain.
You my friend are suffering from health anxiety. How do I Know this you might ask, because I have suffered from it for the past 3 1/2 years. I went from being a very healthy 57 year old to a hypochondriac over night. It all started with an awful case of vertigo which hit in the middle of the night. I honestly thought I was dying, I rushed to the ER and after all the tests can back normal I was sent home with meclizine. A week later, I was prescribed 60mg of prednisone daily for the inner ear problem, then BAM, my first panic attack. For the next year I was in the ER 10 times, each time convinced I was dying. The last 3 years have been hell. I have had every disease you can think of (in my mind) but all tests come back perfect. I know exactly what you are feeling. Chest pain was one of my main symptoms, along with nausea and dizziness. Then I convinced myself that I was going crazy and that is my biggest fear to this day. Our minds are so powerful. I am 100 times better than I was but still suffer most days. If I can only figure out how to use this mind to think good thoughts instead of negative, maybe I could get that old girl back. I really miss her. Sending prayers your way! You are not alone.
I have a pain sometimes in the centre of my chest and have told the doctor too. But I do have Bronchitis but have been told my chest pain is not to do with any chest illness and x-rays are spotless but it is somethingelse. And it could be anxiety for me as mine are different to maybe yours with trying to break up with my friend (ffb) and trying to pay all my bills without getting too overdrawn.
I wander if you think about things that are making you anxious you can find out and isolate that for your chest pain. Hope it works for you as for me the pain was sharp. And now I watch nature programme and try to do my hobbies and later go back to work.
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