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What Causes Pain In Chest Area?
Question: For 2.5 weeks I've been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks randomly, I also had a cold which has passed, but I still have ear and head congestion. Right now I'm having tenderness on the sides of my chest and weird feelings in my stomach and intestines. The sensations are worse when I stand up. I've never felt like this before and have no idea what's wrong with me, I went to the doctors and they took various tests including thyroid, blood count, blood clot, and enzyme blood tests and they all came out negative, I also had an X-ray and ekg done. The doctors said it was anxiety an gave me some meds to take, but I feel like something else is wrong, do you know of any possible problems that match my symptoms?
Brief Answer:
Consult a psychiatrist
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your query. I have read your query and shall answer accordingly.
You have gone through various tests including EKG and X RAY but all came negative. This indicates that whatever you are saying or experiencing, there is no evidence on examination for doctor. So when a doctor finds symptoms without any confirmatory evidence he/she will consider it as a function/psychological symptoms. This is the base of psychiatry.
You seem concerned a lot, so I am asking you few questions:
1. Do you have any other gastric complains apart from this strange experience? diarrhea, constipation, cramps etc.
2. Do you mean tenderness as a painful to touch? You have mentioned that you have tenderness on the sides of chest.
3. Which kind of sensations are worst when you stand up? Do you feel dizziness on standing? Do you have sudden blackening in front of your eyes on sudden rising from the sitting position?
4. whether these symptoms have anything related to your periods? Do these symptoms started with periods?
You have been taking zoloft and lorazepam for last 2 weeks, Do you have any improvement in these symptoms?
The all questions I have asked have some logic related to diagnose your problems. give answers accordingly.
I am waiting for your valuable reply. Wishing you good health.
Consult a psychiatrist
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your query. I have read your query and shall answer accordingly.
You have gone through various tests including EKG and X RAY but all came negative. This indicates that whatever you are saying or experiencing, there is no evidence on examination for doctor. So when a doctor finds symptoms without any confirmatory evidence he/she will consider it as a function/psychological symptoms. This is the base of psychiatry.
You seem concerned a lot, so I am asking you few questions:
1. Do you have any other gastric complains apart from this strange experience? diarrhea, constipation, cramps etc.
2. Do you mean tenderness as a painful to touch? You have mentioned that you have tenderness on the sides of chest.
3. Which kind of sensations are worst when you stand up? Do you feel dizziness on standing? Do you have sudden blackening in front of your eyes on sudden rising from the sitting position?
4. whether these symptoms have anything related to your periods? Do these symptoms started with periods?
You have been taking zoloft and lorazepam for last 2 weeks, Do you have any improvement in these symptoms?
The all questions I have asked have some logic related to diagnose your problems. give answers accordingly.
I am waiting for your valuable reply. Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Thank you for replying! I'm a bit of a hypochondriac but I never felt like this before, so it's really concerning for me
1. I have constipation and a gurgling feeling in my lower abdomen
2. It's tender when I flex
3. My head feels constricted when I stand up and the left side of my head throbs
4. And I don't think these symptoms are from my period because I never had these symptoms while on my period.
1. I have constipation and a gurgling feeling in my lower abdomen
2. It's tender when I flex
3. My head feels constricted when I stand up and the left side of my head throbs
4. And I don't think these symptoms are from my period because I never had these symptoms while on my period.
Brief Answer:
So, You need not worry to this extent
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your answers. I shall reply accordingly.
If you have constipation then You must do something to relieve it. I would suggest in my patient a walk in the morning if possible, high fiber diet rich in leafy vegetables, going to bed only at night, low coffee intake etc. apart from this if constipation does not improve with this I shall suggest then to take laxative syrup like lactulose or milk of magnesia and liquid paraffin combination. i feel that if you gastric problems are resolved you will benefit a lot in your anxiety.
Now about the tenderness on the side of chest on flexing. here I shall ask you chest means breast or the axilla? because if you have tenderness in breast then it may have so many reasons for that, for breast tenderness you have to visit a surgeon or gynecologist. If it is at axillary region then it might be functional. Do you have any chest infection recently for which you had fever? If not then don't worry about that. If you think a lot about it, the pain will increase.
The explanation you have given is of postural hypotension. when you rise from sitting position your blood pressure drops suddenly and that is causing the constricted feeling in head and throbbing on left side. I shall suggest you to go for BP monitoring in both lying down and standing position, two times in a day for a week. If the difference is more than 10mmHg in both readings then it is significant and you have to consult a physician.
So the possibility of premenstrual syndrome and dysphoric disorder is ruled out with your answer.
I have tried to explain your symptoms at my best.
You have not answer about zoloft and lorazepam. Do you feel any improvement after taking these drugs? If you are not getting any improvement then discuss whether to continue it or not with a psychiatrist.
I hope this will be helpful to you. Wishing you good health.
If you have further query feel free to ask.
So, You need not worry to this extent
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your answers. I shall reply accordingly.
If you have constipation then You must do something to relieve it. I would suggest in my patient a walk in the morning if possible, high fiber diet rich in leafy vegetables, going to bed only at night, low coffee intake etc. apart from this if constipation does not improve with this I shall suggest then to take laxative syrup like lactulose or milk of magnesia and liquid paraffin combination. i feel that if you gastric problems are resolved you will benefit a lot in your anxiety.
Now about the tenderness on the side of chest on flexing. here I shall ask you chest means breast or the axilla? because if you have tenderness in breast then it may have so many reasons for that, for breast tenderness you have to visit a surgeon or gynecologist. If it is at axillary region then it might be functional. Do you have any chest infection recently for which you had fever? If not then don't worry about that. If you think a lot about it, the pain will increase.
The explanation you have given is of postural hypotension. when you rise from sitting position your blood pressure drops suddenly and that is causing the constricted feeling in head and throbbing on left side. I shall suggest you to go for BP monitoring in both lying down and standing position, two times in a day for a week. If the difference is more than 10mmHg in both readings then it is significant and you have to consult a physician.
So the possibility of premenstrual syndrome and dysphoric disorder is ruled out with your answer.
I have tried to explain your symptoms at my best.
You have not answer about zoloft and lorazepam. Do you feel any improvement after taking these drugs? If you are not getting any improvement then discuss whether to continue it or not with a psychiatrist.
I hope this will be helpful to you. Wishing you good health.
If you have further query feel free to ask.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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