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What Causes Pain In Shoulders Travelling To Arms,neck And Jaw?
Question: Hello, I am a 57 year old woman and getting a little frustrated with not getting answers- for about 8 years now I have been getting the following symptoms- and in the last 3-4 years- progressively worse. It started out with breathlessness when exercising or even briskly walking. Then I started getting shoulder blade pain if exercising or strenuous activity. The shoulder pain then became shoulder and down left arm, again always when exercising even low impact. In the lst 3 years, seens that pain starts in shoulder, down arm and side of neck and sometimes jaw. I have seen my doctor and I have had stress tests, 2 mibi tests, echocardiogram - and seems readings are normal. However, the symptoms persist- and if I eat something and go for a walk- symptoms are worse- even if walk is not brisk. I have been told that maybe it can be muscle skeletal - but I also get this pain if I get a sudden scare ( example- if I see that I may hit a car while driving)- The most recent MIBI test was 3 months ago and this too seems normal. I do feel that it may be related to the heart because of the symptoms but although I am happy tests are normal- I am not making this up. Furthermore, it is extremely uncomfortable when it happens ( pain is almost like a dull, achy burning feeling which starts in the left shoulder blade and radiates down the left arm and side towards the left breast. Can there be something else doctor should be looking at...
Brief Answer:
Other causes
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX
I am Dr Saumya Mittal. MD
I have read your query.
I must inform you that first and foremost the best test to rule out a cardiac abnormality, which I would first suspect in your case, is coronary angiography. Here a small catherter is put in the body, and the pictures are taken when a XXXXXXX in injected in. So it gives the best information.
So you can probably try to talk to your doctor about it.
Besides there are many other possibilitites of similar pain.
As you said, musculoskeletal pain is a possibility. But I agree with your that this seems less likely cause walk uses the leg muscles, not chest muscles. Still its a possibility.
Other possibility that is significant is severe gastritis. So you can consider an endoscopy, and try anantacid of proton pump inhibitor group.
Next you could try an x ray of the cervical spine, to make sure this is not cervical spondylosis. It could give similar range of problems.
Finally an evaluation by a suitable doctor to rule out anxiety and panic disorders may be important, when all other causes are ruled out.
Please feel free to present further queries
Dr Saumya Mittal
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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