Pain In The Chest And Left Wrist, Difficulty In Breathing With Chest Tightness. Should I Be Worried?

Posted on Wed, 27 Jun 2012

Question: My husband told me that he had sudden sharp chest pain last week lasting for 5 minutes or so. I notice that he has been messing with his left wrist all week saying that it feels like he pulled something. for months he has been waking up with tightness in his back & chest and can not breathe. SHould I be concerned?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (2 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for the query

Presence of tightness/pain in the chest with some breathing issues is concerning. The fact that your husband is having a sharp pain associated with breathlessness needs medical attention at the earliest.

I would be able to provide you with more information if you can give me the following details:

1. Is the sharp pain self limiting? What usually relieves pain?
2. Does he have breathlessness while walking, climbing stairs?
3. Does the pain increase during respiration?
4. Where is the pain? Left side or right side?
5. Is it associated with sweating, dizziness? Does he feel like urinating once the pain subsides?

Please get back to me with these answers; I am awaiting your reply.

I wish you good health

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (19 hours later)

Answers to the Dr. questions are as follows:

1. He didn't due anything to relieve the pain. It subsided on it's own after about 5 minutes he said.
2. He wakes up with the shortness of breath. He says he feels like his ribs and chest on constricted. He goes from laying down to sitting up in almost a fetal position until he can breath again. It is so bad that there are times he can't even speak.
3. I don't know.
4. the pain in his wrist area is on the left side. He thinks that it is from sort of injury but not sure how he did it. He has been holding his wrist for a good week now. the back and chest pain is all encompassing.
5. he has been complaining of constant headaches.

He just keeps dismissing it.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (15 hours later)

Hello

Thanks for replying

The fact that he has chest pain along with shortness of breath which is not long standing and is relieved on its own points towards chest pain of cardiac origin. Please get him evaluated immediately by a cardiologist.

He needs an ECG and ECHO, if these both are normal a 24 hours holter monitoring (this is a small machine which will be placed on his chest and sent home, it will record his ECG through out the day for 24 hours so that we come to know the ECG pattern during the episode of chest pain and shortness of breath) should be done to rule out any rhythm disturbances of the heart.

The wrist pain looks unrelated to his chest pain, it could be because of an injury. Please XXXXXXX a physician for a local examination. Tab aceclofenac is a good drug of choice for the pain. Please ask your doctor for the prescription.

Please follow these advises
1. Avoid exertion, exercise and stress until cardiac evaluation is done
2. Avoid beverages such as alcohol, coffee and tea
3. Please post pone travelling until a cardiac evaluation is done.

I hope I have answered your query, please accept my answer if you have no further queries

I wish you good health,

Regards

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D