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What Causes Pain In Left Arm And In The Middle Of Chest?
Question: Hello Doctor,
For the last 5 months, I have been suffering from left arm pain along with pain in middle of the chest. I can easily localize and point the area of pain on arm and chest. Quite often, I also experience pain in my upper left back / neck and lower back stiffness I have visited doctor several times and done my ECG twice and 2D echo, stress echo, all came put to be normal and doctor advised me it is not related to heart. I have a history of acidity and doctor advised me with prescription of vitamins tablets along with antacids Equirox, Nexipride 50 and for nerve pain gabaneuron but still it is not helping.
I also visited physiotherapist and have been following course of UST and TENS [5 and 10 mins respectively]. I gives me relief but the pain appears again and again.
Could you please suggest. Is it a heart disorder?
For the last 5 months, I have been suffering from left arm pain along with pain in middle of the chest. I can easily localize and point the area of pain on arm and chest. Quite often, I also experience pain in my upper left back / neck and lower back stiffness I have visited doctor several times and done my ECG twice and 2D echo, stress echo, all came put to be normal and doctor advised me it is not related to heart. I have a history of acidity and doctor advised me with prescription of vitamins tablets along with antacids Equirox, Nexipride 50 and for nerve pain gabaneuron but still it is not helping.
I also visited physiotherapist and have been following course of UST and TENS [5 and 10 mins respectively]. I gives me relief but the pain appears again and again.
Could you please suggest. Is it a heart disorder?
Brief Answer:
From your history,it seems ,it could not be a heart problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,
Welcome to the HCM.
Since what pain site you have mentioned in your question ,sometime can be common sign of either acidity or heart problem(angina ,MI).But as heart reports have come normal ,so acidity and anxiety should be considered too.
If the pain is not relieving from antiacids and gabaneuron.Then the other common cause of this type of pain could be vitamin B12 deficiency.
Still I have some questions to ask ,if you have problem of breathlessness too?Does this pain triggers after having meal or before having meal? Is this pain continuous or triggers after walking or climbing stairs? Are you pure vegetarian?
If I could know these answers,it will help me to clarify you more.
Wish you best of health.
Regards,
Dr.Maheshwari.
From your history,it seems ,it could not be a heart problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,
Welcome to the HCM.
Since what pain site you have mentioned in your question ,sometime can be common sign of either acidity or heart problem(angina ,MI).But as heart reports have come normal ,so acidity and anxiety should be considered too.
If the pain is not relieving from antiacids and gabaneuron.Then the other common cause of this type of pain could be vitamin B12 deficiency.
Still I have some questions to ask ,if you have problem of breathlessness too?Does this pain triggers after having meal or before having meal? Is this pain continuous or triggers after walking or climbing stairs? Are you pure vegetarian?
If I could know these answers,it will help me to clarify you more.
Wish you best of health.
Regards,
Dr.Maheshwari.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Hello Doctor,
Please find my answers inline:
1. if you have problem of breathlessness too?
[XXXX]: No, I haven't experienced breathlessness. There was only one instant when i felt fatigue but that too was due to exertion and had done my ECG and ECHO tests day after which came out to be normal.
2. Does this pain triggers after having meal or before having meal?
[XXXX]: No specific pattern. Some days, i feel pretty normal but today it has been paining continuously in my whole left arm and upper back. It doesn't matter whether it is kept at rest or in working. Randomly pain starts and remain long.
3. Is this pain continuous or triggers after walking or climbing stairs?
[XXXX]: No such symptoms. I'm very much comfortable walking or climbing stairs. I also use to do physical exercises with no discomfort. I have stopped it as my physiotherapist asked me to stop it.
Also, I also want to point out that doctor suggested me to take all antacids and gabaneuron for 10 days and that 10 days have been completed 4 days ago.
I experience sharp needle like pain in chest [can point out and touch that muscle which ache] and whole left arm pain [specific points at arms which ache and make whole arm aching]. I can move arm without any problem.
Thanks
XXXX
Also,
I'm not a pure VEGGIE. I take non-veg meals as well but that too is quite minimal.
[2-3 times a month].
Please find my answers inline:
1. if you have problem of breathlessness too?
[XXXX]: No, I haven't experienced breathlessness. There was only one instant when i felt fatigue but that too was due to exertion and had done my ECG and ECHO tests day after which came out to be normal.
2. Does this pain triggers after having meal or before having meal?
[XXXX]: No specific pattern. Some days, i feel pretty normal but today it has been paining continuously in my whole left arm and upper back. It doesn't matter whether it is kept at rest or in working. Randomly pain starts and remain long.
3. Is this pain continuous or triggers after walking or climbing stairs?
[XXXX]: No such symptoms. I'm very much comfortable walking or climbing stairs. I also use to do physical exercises with no discomfort. I have stopped it as my physiotherapist asked me to stop it.
Also, I also want to point out that doctor suggested me to take all antacids and gabaneuron for 10 days and that 10 days have been completed 4 days ago.
I experience sharp needle like pain in chest [can point out and touch that muscle which ache] and whole left arm pain [specific points at arms which ache and make whole arm aching]. I can move arm without any problem.
Thanks
XXXX
Also,
I'm not a pure VEGGIE. I take non-veg meals as well but that too is quite minimal.
[2-3 times a month].
Brief Answer:
Dear,you may need some investigations.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thankyou for your answers.From your history,it seems it could bemuscular or nerve pain .Now there can be many reasons for this type of pain .Among those low vitamin B 12,and spinal disc problem(disc prolapse) and sitting in bad position for long hours are the common reasons.
So getting vit.B12 and MRI cervical spine would help to rule out the reason.
Until that light pain killers like acitaminophen or naproxen may help to decrease the pain.
Hope I answered your question.You may ask further without hesitation.
Regards,
Dr.Mageshwari.
Dear,you may need some investigations.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thankyou for your answers.From your history,it seems it could bemuscular or nerve pain .Now there can be many reasons for this type of pain .Among those low vitamin B 12,and spinal disc problem(disc prolapse) and sitting in bad position for long hours are the common reasons.
So getting vit.B12 and MRI cervical spine would help to rule out the reason.
Until that light pain killers like acitaminophen or naproxen may help to decrease the pain.
Hope I answered your question.You may ask further without hesitation.
Regards,
Dr.Mageshwari.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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