Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Constant Stabbing Pain In Upper Part Of Chest Near The Armpit?
Question: For the last week, on the upper part of my chest near my armpit, I have been experiencing 10-20 times per day a stabbing pain that lasts for approximately one second and then it lingers and it is more of a moderate pain. It seems to get more irritated when I move. I don't know if this is related, but the last couple of days, I have been cramping between my shoulders that radiates up towards my left neck/back of my head area. When I turn to the left, it pulls between my shoulder blades.
Is this something I should go now to the emergency room for? Is this something I should schedule an appointment with my regular doctor for? What do the symptom indicate? What could wrong?
Is this something I should go now to the emergency room for? Is this something I should schedule an appointment with my regular doctor for? What do the symptom indicate? What could wrong?
Brief Answer:
Need some information from you please sir, thank you
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I do have a few questions to first understand the possible cause, and would appreciate your kind response to them:
+Do you have heartburn?
+Regurgitation of food or liquid to the mouth?
+Abdominal bloating?
+Do you have long gaps between meals?
+Stress on a scale of 0 to 5; 0 being non-existent and 5 being overstressed
+Do you smoke? If yes, how much a day?
+Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much and how often?
+Do you burp often?
+Can you relate to your symptoms being associated with spicy food, fried food, fatty food, oily food, etc.
I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further. Please do not hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help.
Best wishes.
Need some information from you please sir, thank you
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I do have a few questions to first understand the possible cause, and would appreciate your kind response to them:
+Do you have heartburn?
+Regurgitation of food or liquid to the mouth?
+Abdominal bloating?
+Do you have long gaps between meals?
+Stress on a scale of 0 to 5; 0 being non-existent and 5 being overstressed
+Do you smoke? If yes, how much a day?
+Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much and how often?
+Do you burp often?
+Can you relate to your symptoms being associated with spicy food, fried food, fatty food, oily food, etc.
I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further. Please do not hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
+Do you have heartburn? now and then
+Regurgitation of food or liquid to the mouth? no
+Abdominal bloating? sometime i do have some stomach problems cant eat spice food lately without getting a stomach ache and i normally take prilosec otc .
+Do you have long gaps between meals? no i eat regulary
+Stress on a scale of 0 to 5; 0 being non-existent and 5 being overstressed 1
+Do you smoke? If yes, how much a day? no
+Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much and how often? yes wine few drinks most days
+Do you burp often? no
+Can you relate to your symptoms being associated with spicy food, fried food, fatty food, oily food, etc. no
+Regurgitation of food or liquid to the mouth? no
+Abdominal bloating? sometime i do have some stomach problems cant eat spice food lately without getting a stomach ache and i normally take prilosec otc .
+Do you have long gaps between meals? no i eat regulary
+Stress on a scale of 0 to 5; 0 being non-existent and 5 being overstressed 1
+Do you smoke? If yes, how much a day? no
+Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much and how often? yes wine few drinks most days
+Do you burp often? no
+Can you relate to your symptoms being associated with spicy food, fried food, fatty food, oily food, etc. no
Brief Answer:
Best to first rule out a cardiac cause, and then treat the gastric cause
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Thank you for your response sir.
From the recent response I can say that there is an increased chance of this being a gastric related issue, but being your consulting doctor here, I would still recommend an EKG to help rule out any cardiac causes.
Once an EKG rules out any cardiac cause, I can guide you with a list of recommendations and treatment options to help treat your condition and suppress your symptoms completely. But being your well-wisher I would first like to you to get an EKG conducted and we can then take it from there. What say sir?
But here are some of my suggestions:
+Avoid the daily intake of alcohol, and make it once in a week initially, and later once a month
+Avoid spicy food, fatty food, oily food, fried food
+Avoid overeating
+Eat 5-6 smaller meals in comparison to 2-3 larger ones
+Drink plenty of water
+Avoid carbonated drinks
+Take 1 tablet of 30 mg lansoprazole every morning before breakfast
+You can take 1 tablet of ranitidine or omeprazole 15 minutes prior to each meal every day until your symptoms subside
+Avoid stress
+Avoid strenuous exercise
I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further. Please do not hesitate to write to me for any further guidance and assistance, I am always here to help.
Best to first rule out a cardiac cause, and then treat the gastric cause
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Thank you for your response sir.
From the recent response I can say that there is an increased chance of this being a gastric related issue, but being your consulting doctor here, I would still recommend an EKG to help rule out any cardiac causes.
Once an EKG rules out any cardiac cause, I can guide you with a list of recommendations and treatment options to help treat your condition and suppress your symptoms completely. But being your well-wisher I would first like to you to get an EKG conducted and we can then take it from there. What say sir?
But here are some of my suggestions:
+Avoid the daily intake of alcohol, and make it once in a week initially, and later once a month
+Avoid spicy food, fatty food, oily food, fried food
+Avoid overeating
+Eat 5-6 smaller meals in comparison to 2-3 larger ones
+Drink plenty of water
+Avoid carbonated drinks
+Take 1 tablet of 30 mg lansoprazole every morning before breakfast
+You can take 1 tablet of ranitidine or omeprazole 15 minutes prior to each meal every day until your symptoms subside
+Avoid stress
+Avoid strenuous exercise
I look forward to hearing from you in order to help you further. Please do not hesitate to write to me for any further guidance and assistance, I am always here to help.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
