posted
So, I woke up this morning with a sort of dull, blunt pain in my left chest. It went away while I was bicycling to work. This development does not fill me with joy.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I am glad it went away while you were exercising. These pains are very commonly not related at all to the heart, but I would hope you'll get checked out soon.
How long since your last physical?
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
Nah, just pizza. It didn't feel acidy at all, if that makes any sense, and also it was over towards the shoulder where I wouldn't expect any gastro-intestinal stuff to show up.
CT, I work in a place where the girls are impressed by brains, so I get checked out every day. No, seriously, I suppose I'd better get an appointment.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Yeah, do that. Do you want to know more details about what is likely to be asked and done, or do you feel on firm footing?
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
KOM, I have serious acid reflux problems and pizza can be one of the WORST foods in terms of pain.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Hope it was nothing major. Getting your circulation going, is that usually a good idea or not, CT? It seems like an okay idea. I'd just not heard it before. The American impulse is to rest whenever possible. Well, my American impulse, at any rate.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
It would totally depend on the context. All I meant was that most chest pain due to cardiac reasons would have gotten worse with exercise, so the fact that it went away was reassuring.
I wouldn't give any blanket recommendations as to whether to get the circulation going, except to say that if you are at high risk for cardac problems, it would generally be counter-indicated.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
Odds are HIGHly in favor of overworked/strained/pulled/bruised skeletal muscles. Doesn't take much. Sleeping on your arm or draped over something stiff. Carrying a heavier-than-average purse/backpack/etc the previous*day. Doing virtually anything physically stressing that is outside of normal routine. Unusually hard or heavy coughing. Etc.
Unlikely to be a heart problem. In chest pain that turns out to be associated with the heart, there is usually also pain thoughout the left armpit&shoulder-to-neck region...and often either pain or numbness in left arm. The heart shares the vagus nerve with the stomach, so any heart problem would also probably produce nausea often described as a "stomachache" and/or "heartburn" Women quite often experience only the "stomachache" or "heartburn".
Lung cancer is extremely rare in young people. And even in the more-aged population, nearly**non-existent except in smokers and those who were chronicly in contact with cigarette smoke or certain other hazardous chemicals in their work or living environment. It's also almost always pain-free up until nearly the very end, which is why it often isn't discovered until near the very end. Unless one undergoes an unusually thorough examination during a physical, or goes in complaining about "not being able to get enough air".
If you have a family**history of either heart problems or lung cancer, yeah, hasten to a physician. Otherwise, relax and make a medical appointment to reassure yourself that it isn't serious. Mostly a case of whether the worry factor outweighs the time&cost factor.
* Or even routinely. Back and chest pain is now a problem for kids having to carry backpacks full of schoolbooks. Also if there is a chronic load imbalance while carrying, one side's muscles grow stronger than the other. And the difference in strength between the two sides' muscles causes strain even when one isn't carrying anything. If you aren't overweight, a physical trainer or masseuse at your gym/etc can often spot such asymmetry in musculature.
** There can be a genetic component to heart problems. And the "nearly non-existent" is because there is a small single-digit percentage ?1%?5%? of lung cancer victims who don't appear to have a history of chronic contact with tobacco smoke or with hazardous chemicals, which also shows some trend toward running in families.
posted
(ah, pooka, I take it you may have been noting that generally it isn't a good idea if you don't know what is going on. I'd agree with that )
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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quote:usually also pain thoughout the left shoulder-to-neck region...and often either pain or numbness in left arm. The heart shares the vagus nerve with the stomach, so any heart problem would also probably produce nausea often described as a "stomach ache" and/or "heartburn"
Huh, I'd been aware of the vagus nerve, but never understood that association before.
Of course, the vagus nerve goes lots of places, hence the title "wandering". One of the things I find fascinating about it is that MSG interacts with it to make the stomach feel full.
Also, I've heard that deep breathing disappates stress via the compression of the stomach and the vagus nerve link to the heart. In theory.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
IMPORTANT CORRECTION or rather addendum. Even if you don't have any of the other symptoms: get someone to drive you to emergency or call 911 or an ambulance if there is near-fainting, any unusual weakness, and/or sweats associated with left chest pain or with "trying to work past the pain" in the left chest.
Also a cracked rib can occur without noticing at the time of the accident, and can become quite painful afterwards without approaching the status of a medical emergency. Unless obviously severe, the doc 'll say "Yep, you've got a cracked rib. You're gonna hafta take it easy for a while. Meanwhile take a couple of aspirin* every few hours and call me back if they don't work. Then we can get you some painkillers"
* Nowadays, more likely to recommend Tylenol/acetomeniphen.
posted
If you were a little closer to a certain age, you might want to have the Dr. check anyway. I had a similar episode about a year ago. They gave me a blood test that ruled out most heart disorders. I lost about 2cc's of blood. But, gained a lot of peace of mind.
Posts: 1167 | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: KOM, I have serious acid reflux problems and pizza can be one of the WORST foods in terms of pain.
I also suffer from chronic reflux and find pizza to be a far and away worst offender.
The problem is I just LOVE spicy food, but I'm so much better when I eat bland foods.
I've also been feeling a dull pain in my chest (on the left sternum-ish) when I work out. I drink too much coffee generally and work out far too hard for my size (6'1 240 with a heavy muscular build), so I've been thinking it wasn't serious. I also have severe chronic asthma but take tons of meds for it: Flovent and albuterol plus allegra.
Anyone have an opinion? My GP consistently sites my reflux and asthma with allergies as being on big connected issue- which tends to be my view. Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I once had a very different symptom that *might* have been heart disease. It wasn't, but the peace of mind was great to have, so there is no question I am glad I went to the doctor.
Posts: 544 | Registered: Mar 2007
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No, seriously, I suppose I'd better get an appointment.
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