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Having Chest Discomfort, Stuffy Nose And Dry Throat. Should I Consult A Doctor?
Question: Hello I am 23 years old and I have been having chest discomfort. It started in my left chest and under my armpit a week ago and Sunday it moved dead center in my chest in my sternum, it kind of feels like somebody is pressing into my sternum with a fist. It is not painful, it is just annoying. I dont have have shortness of breath but I get a weird sensation in the center of my chest when I breathe in. i also been having dry lips and mouth. I just started getting sick with a stuffy nose and dry throat. I hacked up yellow phlegm this morning. Should I go get my heart checked? Or go to the emergency room?
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist and I read your mail with diligence.
Let us see, if you had been meth user there are certain cardiovascular complications which might occur even after you have stopped using it or even you were a casual user as opposed to regular addict. Important one is systemic hypertension that is rise in blood pressure (also pulmonary hypertension: rise in lung arterial pressure) and conditions resulting from that. So, it is settled that you have to get your heart and cardiovascular system checked up. Coming to the immediate problem of the annoying chest pain/pressure and whether you ought to go for ER. The causes for this weird sensation in chest (along with stuffy nose, dry throat and phlegm) can be quite benign so it seems to me that you feel that you ought not trouble health care facility in Emergency for minor problems. Here, I have different view, as treatment of some of the serious problems (which can potentially be there like aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection) is delayed because of this hesitation. No matter what time of the day it is where you live you should be seen by a doctor, have your blood pressure measured, an EKG and a chest x-ray taken, that would be my recommendation. So, that you have peaceful sleep tonight after finding out it is nothing serious.
I hope that answers your questions. Good luck.
If you have any more query I will be most happy to answer it.
Regards
Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist & Internist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist and I read your mail with diligence.
Let us see, if you had been meth user there are certain cardiovascular complications which might occur even after you have stopped using it or even you were a casual user as opposed to regular addict. Important one is systemic hypertension that is rise in blood pressure (also pulmonary hypertension: rise in lung arterial pressure) and conditions resulting from that. So, it is settled that you have to get your heart and cardiovascular system checked up. Coming to the immediate problem of the annoying chest pain/pressure and whether you ought to go for ER. The causes for this weird sensation in chest (along with stuffy nose, dry throat and phlegm) can be quite benign so it seems to me that you feel that you ought not trouble health care facility in Emergency for minor problems. Here, I have different view, as treatment of some of the serious problems (which can potentially be there like aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection) is delayed because of this hesitation. No matter what time of the day it is where you live you should be seen by a doctor, have your blood pressure measured, an EKG and a chest x-ray taken, that would be my recommendation. So, that you have peaceful sleep tonight after finding out it is nothing serious.
I hope that answers your questions. Good luck.
If you have any more query I will be most happy to answer it.
Regards
Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist & Internist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for writing back.
Well if your blood pressure recording has been normal and EKG has showed only sinus arrhythmia (that is normal !) then there seems to be no emergency. Your symptoms are matter of concern and not for getting alarmed. Please see your doctor by appointment, I expect nothing related to meth but nevertheless a thorough physical examination, a chest x-ray and echocardiogram would rule out anything remotely serious. For now, take a tylenol tablet and sleep well. Good Luck.
With Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
Well if your blood pressure recording has been normal and EKG has showed only sinus arrhythmia (that is normal !) then there seems to be no emergency. Your symptoms are matter of concern and not for getting alarmed. Please see your doctor by appointment, I expect nothing related to meth but nevertheless a thorough physical examination, a chest x-ray and echocardiogram would rule out anything remotely serious. For now, take a tylenol tablet and sleep well. Good Luck.
With Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello. Thank you for your help i just wanted to bring up that The chest discomfort moved from my sternum to the left side of my chest yesterday and now it is completely gone. I dont know what happened but it is no longer bothering me. I dont know what to make of it? Was it a heart problem or respiratory problem? Should I still go see a doctor? Or can I wait till after the holidays?
Thanks for writing back.
It could be neuromuscular pain the way it migrated along the way from sternum to left side to disappearance. A normal EKG constant pain, not associated with shortness of breath makes it unlikely to be related to heart.
Well you can see a doctor in ER if it recurs otherwise seeing a doctor after holidays seems good idea.
With Best Wishes.
Anil Grover
It could be neuromuscular pain the way it migrated along the way from sternum to left side to disappearance. A normal EKG constant pain, not associated with shortness of breath makes it unlikely to be related to heart.
Well you can see a doctor in ER if it recurs otherwise seeing a doctor after holidays seems good idea.
With Best Wishes.
Anil Grover
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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