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What Causes Pain In The Arms And Upper Back Area?
Question: pain on the both the arms, under the elbow, left upper back pain.. But i dont have any chest pain,
I am fine while walking , i stress my self by climbing stairs , i dont have any breathing problem, My GP took an ECG , he told all 12 leads are good.
But am anxious , thinking its a heart problem
Please help me
I am fine while walking , i stress my self by climbing stairs , i dont have any breathing problem, My GP took an ECG , he told all 12 leads are good.
But am anxious , thinking its a heart problem
Please help me
Brief Answer:
Muscular or cervical origin of pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for choosing HCM for asking your query!
At a age of 29 , cardiac origin of pain is highly unlikely unless you are a chronic smoker or have a strong history of cardiac disease.
You don't either have any typical symptom of cardiac problem like dyspnoe on exertion(breathlessness) or angina on exertion(pain).
Cardiac origin of pain can also be
mimiced by a large number of conditions like
gastritis
gerd
acis peptic disorders
heart burn
anxiety
and muscular pain
Left upper back pain with pain in both the limbs can be most like muscular in origin ,it can be because of cervical origin of pain ,it can be cervical spondylosis.
I would advice you to go for X ray chest PA view and LATERAL view ,to rule out diagnosis of cervical spondylosis.
Once cervical stenosis is ruled out
you could ask your gp to prescribe you with -
Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medicines
low dose cortistroid like prednisolone
and diclofenac ointment for few days !
Try to avoid using cushions on bed ,Dont use pillows for sleeping,Use hard bed to sleep for few days.
please do specify your anxiety levels,and any history of gastric pain etc !
But again if you want to be sure that its not cardiac pain then undergo a treadmill test and 2d echo test ,combined together the sensitivity of these tests is more then 80% .once cleared you are free from cardiology side.
Feel free to ask any other query if you have!
Thank you,
Dr Rishu Saxena
cardiologist
Muscular or cervical origin of pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for choosing HCM for asking your query!
At a age of 29 , cardiac origin of pain is highly unlikely unless you are a chronic smoker or have a strong history of cardiac disease.
You don't either have any typical symptom of cardiac problem like dyspnoe on exertion(breathlessness) or angina on exertion(pain).
Cardiac origin of pain can also be
mimiced by a large number of conditions like
gastritis
gerd
acis peptic disorders
heart burn
anxiety
and muscular pain
Left upper back pain with pain in both the limbs can be most like muscular in origin ,it can be because of cervical origin of pain ,it can be cervical spondylosis.
I would advice you to go for X ray chest PA view and LATERAL view ,to rule out diagnosis of cervical spondylosis.
Once cervical stenosis is ruled out
you could ask your gp to prescribe you with -
Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medicines
low dose cortistroid like prednisolone
and diclofenac ointment for few days !
Try to avoid using cushions on bed ,Dont use pillows for sleeping,Use hard bed to sleep for few days.
please do specify your anxiety levels,and any history of gastric pain etc !
But again if you want to be sure that its not cardiac pain then undergo a treadmill test and 2d echo test ,combined together the sensitivity of these tests is more then 80% .once cleared you are free from cardiology side.
Feel free to ask any other query if you have!
Thank you,
Dr Rishu Saxena
cardiologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Hi sir,
Am a person with health anxiety...on nexito 5mg which is started from today by psychologist
And my pain on the hands made me to think this is related to heart..and this pain is only on the hand muscles and the neck.when i am keep thinking of heart.i could feel some pressure in jaw and goes off...
i dont have any form of pain around the chest area ...except the left hand, shoulder , neck and upper back left shoulder
Am a person with health anxiety...on nexito 5mg which is started from today by psychologist
And my pain on the hands made me to think this is related to heart..and this pain is only on the hand muscles and the neck.when i am keep thinking of heart.i could feel some pressure in jaw and goes off...
i dont have any form of pain around the chest area ...except the left hand, shoulder , neck and upper back left shoulder
Brief Answer:
Anxiety and obssesive compulsive behaviour toward cardiac dusease
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
overthinking can increase the levels of anxiety ,and over anxiety can lead to obssession about any problem,i think in your case obsession about cardiac origin of pain, is leading to compusion about the heart disease.
most likely this problem is because of obssessive compulsive problem plus anxiety disorder!
However to get a clearance from cardiac side
Tread mill test and 2d echo is to be done!
Tab nexito should be taken for atleast 3months ,ask your gp to add a bezodiazepene like (clonazepam) ,its a antianxiety medication and will lower your anxiety levels !
Thank you !
adv
X ray cervical spine AP and Lateral
Treadmill test
2d echo
follow up with reports!
Anxiety and obssesive compulsive behaviour toward cardiac dusease
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
overthinking can increase the levels of anxiety ,and over anxiety can lead to obssession about any problem,i think in your case obsession about cardiac origin of pain, is leading to compusion about the heart disease.
most likely this problem is because of obssessive compulsive problem plus anxiety disorder!
However to get a clearance from cardiac side
Tread mill test and 2d echo is to be done!
Tab nexito should be taken for atleast 3months ,ask your gp to add a bezodiazepene like (clonazepam) ,its a antianxiety medication and will lower your anxiety levels !
Thank you !
adv
X ray cervical spine AP and Lateral
Treadmill test
2d echo
follow up with reports!
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
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