I hope you are well and 2023 brings all love, joy and healing.
I have a question regarding chest pain and left arm pain and I would appreciate it if you could please share you experiences and wisdom.
Here the link my earlier post giving details of my history and how I ended up here. The link also has the fantastic answers from the wonderful contributors on this forum.
After my post above and reassuring answers I felt a lot better. However, over the Christmas and New Years holidays my anxiety began up ramp up again. I spent the holidays not doing much and went back to work today. Over the past two weeks I have been getting chest pain and left arm pain regularly. Sometimes the pain simultaneously in the chest and arm, other times just in my arm or chest. The chest pain can feel like ribs and muscles are sore or burning sensation or sharp pain. the left arm feels like dull ache or pain in my bicep or running through the whole time. the pain can last for hours and is always at rest. For instance my left arm has bene hurting all day and it is still hurting. this pain as been accompanied with chest pain on and off, and mainly in my upper chest. MY shoulders also feel sore. The pain has be at worst when I am laying flat in bed. I was close to going to A&E last night but decided not to go because I have went to A&E two weeks with the same symptoms and the I was told ECG, blood tests and physical examinations were normal and i was sent home. I do not have any shortness of breath, nausea, sweating etc. I have been fine when walking around.
This pain is really making me anxious and that leads me to think this could be cardiac pain. I am not looking for medical advice. I would like to hear your opinions about my ongoing and painful episodes of chest and left arm pain.
Could this pain be due to anxiety or can cardiac pain last for hours everyday?
Ali
Written by
IamAli_R
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Thank you That was unexpected. I also believe it is anxiety but I tend to forget that from time to time, and overthinking takes over which as you say increases the stress hormone in my system which leads to more anxiety, and that leads to more chest pain. The anxiety leads me to look for reassurance, however, when I get the reassurance it doesn't last long. It's a crazy cycle, and I understand it well but I'm unable to apply that understanding to break the cycle. Just speaking to you here is making me feel better already.
I do appreciate your support and wisdom. It's making big difference for me.
Now that you mention it, I only really managed to get my anxiety under control when I started running in early 2020. Before I start running I was afraid to walk briskly because I thought I would have a heart attack. I had to fight my anxiety when I started the C25K programme. I remember my HR would climb to over 150 BPM on the warm-up walk and close to 200 BPM during the first 4 weeks 🥵. Once I realised that my heart was strong enough to handle the stress and strain of running my anxiety improved and I started to enjoy life again.
I have not been able to exercise since I had the incident of chest pain in October and my anxiety is back with full force. I will try your plan of going for a brisk walk when I get chest pain next time.
I think once I've had the CT Angiography I will feel better too.
Do you have any ideas on how I could get my local hospital to give an appointment without too much delay?
i do exactly the same i'm afraid to walk because i think i'm going to have a heart attack, i've been on b blockers for four years now for anxiety palpitations, which came from when my brother had a heart attack, and since then i think i'm going to have it and i did almost all tests are fine, I recently went to a psychiatrist and told him about my concerns and he prescribed escitalopram which I haven't taken yet, I hope we can find a way to overcome the cardio phobia
I am sorry to hear about your brother and the impact his heart attack has had you on.
I know how frightening Cardiophobia can be. I lived with it for year but ill share a few of things that helped me manage it.
I have 12 sessions with a Clinical Psychologist that were priceless. see if you can get a referral via you GP.
Attending Cardiac Rehab also helped be get confidence back in my ability to exercise and my hearts ability to cope with exercise in a safe environment. I managed to get a referral due to my anxiety even though I did not have a diagnosed heart issue at the time. if you can't get a referral to the hospital based Cardiac Rehab then try the community based rehab programmes.
Self-Help. After watching the TED TALK below by DR Steven Hayes I found out about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT ws a real game changer for me in my battel with anxiety. please watch the video below.
thank you very much be well but i believe the atenolol i am taking at the moment may be protecting my heart but i feel like it makes me feel awful thanks anyway be well
You've had some very comprehensive comments on both posts and I'd certainly back-up speaking to the GP again. If it is anxiety then it's affecting your daily life and sleep then you're best getting it addressed.
Just wanted to through another potential suggestion in as well... I'm not a doctor, but having recently been diagnosed with an inflammatory condition, I've heard a lot of people say they've been diagnosed with costchronditis... it's not cardiac, but does seem to affect the left chest. Not saying that's what it is, but would be worth having it ruled out if you haven't already.
I used to get stress related chest pain as well, it's really frightening. Keep at your GP, don't think you're not worth the help - because you are.
Thank for sharing your experiences. I did see my GP today and we had a god chat. I feel a little reassured now.
I was diagnosed with costochondritis a few years ago but my anxiety makes it hard for me to accept this diagnosis. I always thinks chest pain is heart related. What do you find works best when treating your costochondritis?
Hi,I have myocarditis, it's friends of mine that have costchronditis... I think they've been advised painkillers only, one has steroids.
It's good you had a chat with your doctor, there's more to the chest than the heart, and anxiety is often as bad as condition on its own! I hope you got a way forward.
I really sympathise as I have had similar symptoms for years also leading to anxiety attacks. Chest pains most days which has been suggested as muscularskeletal but it is frightening as all the signs of heart attack. I think sometimes its the way I sleep ( on my front) so I try and put a pillow next to me. Or when sitting I roll a pillow and place between my shoulder blades which opens up the chest cavity and gives relief as does stretching. Yoga calms me too. Good luck.
I agree chest pain is one of the most anxiety inducing things I can think of. No amount reassurance that's is not heart related helps. It always catches you off guard when you least expect it.
I think I have similar sleeping habits to you and I will try the pillow too. I will try yoga but sometimes I feel stretching aggravates the pain.
I too get pain that worries me but I have an extra cause I have to rule out.I have a hiatus hernia & acid pain which I can usually recognise.My pains are usually left shoulder but usually after to much excercise .Several months ago I waited 14 hours in A & E to see a doctor and only got tests after I threatened to leave at 2.00 am.However I did get an ECG by paramedics before taking me to hospital.
Discharge notice showed possible muscular!
Which I know is not the case.
I do know over excercising with my AFib causes my heart to grumble.
Seeing a GP is a good idea and maybe a GTN spray possibly could help.
I do not have anxiety problems but they do occasionally creep through and I believe not really being able to get the amount of help from the NHS really doesn't help.
Very interesting post, I had h.a. in March 21,and stented,told I had another partially blocked artery but put on the usual cocktail of medication and hopefully works,and prescribed gtn spray monthly. In June 22 I got what you described in great detail that pain in arm chest, burning sensation and I believe anxiety put my BP and heart rate up,so I went to a n e sat for 8 hrs on heart monitor in casualty,which was overcrowded and didn't help my situation,I was given painkillers to ease the pain and eventually admitted overnight . All the blood tests were carried out ,x.rays and the conclusion from the cardiologists was musculoskeletal chest wall pain,in he said resembles a heart attack,very scary episode indeed. So now as that was unexpected states I carry my gtn spray and aspirin and painkillers wherever I go at all times,I am reassured when I knyi have them with me and seems to ease my anxiety from escalating,but always best to get checked with GP 👍
thank you for sharing your experience too. It is reassuring reading what others have gone experienced in the past. I really hope my pain is musculoskeletal too. My GP has prescribed GTN spray and I have added to other medications I carry. I really hope it gives the reassurance too.
Do you still suffer from the char pain and do you use any painkillers in particular?
Yes I still suffer from the musculoskeletal chest pains, especially if I exert myself, e.g.stretching to reach something off shelf, lifting anything slightly heavy etc. I do get very sore pain in chest,neck,ribs,arms so scary for me. As I stated previously I have angina and take gtn spray, I have explained to my GP that it's difficult to know sometimes if it angina or musculoskeletal,so I take the spray and I'm prescribed with co.codamol and take them when the pain is bad, I get regular blood tests and GP monitors the amount of gtn spray I use. Cardiologists have told me not to hesitate coming to hospital if I feel the need. I hope this is helpful for you..take care.
Not much to add but it's really helpful to read these comments.
Ever since my admission to A&E for heart investigation back in October I've had a heightened awareness of my chest. I put it down to work stress at the time. Now I'm not working but have a diagnosis of an atrial septal defect (25-30mm!) the chest awareness has heightened! I can feel a heaviness along the line where they're going to cut me open for OHS
I'm not at risk of HA, I'm fit and healthy otherwise, but the stress and worry looms large. I'm back to bootcamp this evening and will note whether the awareness decreases with exercise, and if it does, build more exercise into my routine!
Thanks for sharing your experiences, I'm learning so much. X
i agree it is reassuring reading comments on here. Nothings beats hearing about peoples personal experiences when it come to illness.
The hyperawareness that anxiety and particularly heart anxiety can cause is not easy to deal with. I am sorry to hear that you are waiting to have OHS. I cant imagine how frightening that must be. However, I am sure you will ne expert hands and your heart will be like new after surgery. Do keep us posted updates from your experiences because i am sure it will help others.
Oh, and to report back - Bootcamp was great; the most normal I've felt since my diagnosis! Any discomfort in my chest was replaced with getting the burn back in my muscles and the cardio elements were all fine.
I managed to get a face to face appointment with my GP this morning. He was great and listened to for 20 minutes. He has prescribed GTN spray and Diazepam for 3 days. He was accommodating and ordered blood tests that I requested.
Now the battle will be if I'll actually bring myself to use the GTN spray 😂. The chest pain has not been too bad today but that could be because I am working form home.
Now I'll have to wait and see if get enough reassurance from having he GTN spray and aspirin my pocket to help with the pain.
I'm sorry to hear abut your blood pressure and I am glad you have found the cause. I agree anxiety never truly leaves us, we just get better at managing it over time.
Thank you. I think I'm going to blog about my experiences, partly so that I have an outlet, partly so that all the history is in one place for those seeking updates. I have a large extended family and to be honest there's only so many times I have the energy to explain the last 3 months to the dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins! A blog feels like the perfect place to refer the curious. Talking is healthy and it helps free up our minds for thinking about life's joyous things too, easily overlooked when facing Big Scary Health Stuff....
I loved that holey expected, made me smile, very similar to my issue. But everyone has a different congenital problem. But at least it put a bit of light hearted relief. To a very concerning and worrying problem. As I said to my mum she carnt get a refund for damaged goods.
It's scary for sure. The more I Google, the more I freak myself out! And everyone's journey is different, but I hope sharing mine helps to make it seem less scary for other people? I wish I could talk to my mum about it - she'd be very shocked that something potentially so serious has only been picked up now. But life can be like that - we never know what plot twists might come our way!
No we don't know what is around the corner. I must admit being an engineer I have googled and you tubed and read stuff that makes my mind go into different places, I know i should not do it. But it is fascinating as well as scary. But I do wonder how many other people are walking about oblivious, that they have got a congenital issue. We have in some ways been lucky that these issue have been found and can be cared for and improved. But I would not wish this on anyone. The mental strain is the worst bit, trying to except what has been found. Sorry that you carnt talk to your mum. I hope and pray that you get yourself sorted. But I have to admit it is one ride I would like to get off.
Oh absolutely, no one wants any of this. I'm trying to go with what the consultant said to me, but he did use the word 'hope' more than I would have liked - such as 'we would hope this could restore you to a normal lifespan'. I'd have preferred something like 'expect'! But who knows, I hope I don't get hit by a bus either, but you don't know about the bus until it hits you.... But already I've met so many kind and supportive people, it's does restore a lot of faith.
Yes it helps reading other people's stories. The trouble is I want reassurance but no one can give reassurance. Like with a congenital issue. You have had it all your life and thus come this far. The body has compensated. And you survive and even thrive but then it's found by accident or you have one off incident. And then the mind takes over, it knows you now have a problem, the body is still functioning. But the mind takes over. But the amount of people who have issues with the heart is, in my opinion staggering.
it reduces the risk of plaque rupture as well as clotting and its a blood thinner and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke they say make that a daily dose daily
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Concerned about chest pain
further to before re cardiac mri 
Worrying pain for the last 5 days in my left upper arm
