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What Causes Tightening Muscle In Chest Area?
Question: Hello,
Last month I had visited Physician as I was having dizziness and headache and found that my Blood Pressure was 140/100. Physician asked me to monitor BP every 4-5 days for next 2 weeks which came as 140/100, 130/90 and 130/100 after which she started me on hypertension medication with TELMA 40 to be taken daily once after breakfast. She also advised for different blood tests in which my TSH came higher as 7.7 and so I have also started 25 mcg dose tablet Thyronorm daily once before breakfast. My ECG had come normal during all the diagnosis tests done along with blood test.
On starting this BP medicine I used to feel something near heart in chest which was like tightening/pulling of muscle. Initially I was also feeling acidity and so doctor also suggested for taking acidity medicine NORFLOX 400 daily before breakfast. But after 1 week I consulted same physician again as discomfort in chest was remaining and she changed my medication to AMALONG 5mg once daily after breakfast. But even after starting this tablet in past 5 days I feel similar tightening near heart till evening.
So can you please help if medication is causing this as a side effect or if medication has to be changed to stopped if my BP is not remaining higher? Or does this require consulting Cardiologist or undergoing ECHO test?
Last month I had visited Physician as I was having dizziness and headache and found that my Blood Pressure was 140/100. Physician asked me to monitor BP every 4-5 days for next 2 weeks which came as 140/100, 130/90 and 130/100 after which she started me on hypertension medication with TELMA 40 to be taken daily once after breakfast. She also advised for different blood tests in which my TSH came higher as 7.7 and so I have also started 25 mcg dose tablet Thyronorm daily once before breakfast. My ECG had come normal during all the diagnosis tests done along with blood test.
On starting this BP medicine I used to feel something near heart in chest which was like tightening/pulling of muscle. Initially I was also feeling acidity and so doctor also suggested for taking acidity medicine NORFLOX 400 daily before breakfast. But after 1 week I consulted same physician again as discomfort in chest was remaining and she changed my medication to AMALONG 5mg once daily after breakfast. But even after starting this tablet in past 5 days I feel similar tightening near heart till evening.
So can you please help if medication is causing this as a side effect or if medication has to be changed to stopped if my BP is not remaining higher? Or does this require consulting Cardiologist or undergoing ECHO test?
Brief Answer:
It seems to be anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for your query.
I think the tightening is related to anxiety plus stress on heart. It may be due to unecessary medicines as well. You need to keep your blood pressure within normal limits i.e less than 140/90 mm hg. Amlong 5mg is a low enough dose and should keep your BP normal.
You havn't told your recent BP reading after starting medicines.
You havn't told if lifestyle measures were tried before prescribing medicines.
I need the above information to be better able to suggest.
According to recent JNC-8 recommendations, lifestyle has to be tried first. I am not a big fan of prescribing medicines unnecessarily, and I feel that if you havn't tried the lifestyle changes for atleast 3 months, then you should.
The lifestyle measures include addressing diet, exercise and stress.
Diet includes taking low calorie diet by excluding milk products like butter, ghee, cheese, sweets, etc. Take low salt, low sugar. Avoid oily foods. Add more fruits and salad to your meals and snacks.
Exercise atleast 30 min a day, can include walk, yoga, gym, swimming, cycling, etc.
Stress reduction techniques like breathing techniques (called as kriya), yoga should help.
Yes visiting a cardiologist and getting echo done would be worthwhile.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
It seems to be anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for your query.
I think the tightening is related to anxiety plus stress on heart. It may be due to unecessary medicines as well. You need to keep your blood pressure within normal limits i.e less than 140/90 mm hg. Amlong 5mg is a low enough dose and should keep your BP normal.
You havn't told your recent BP reading after starting medicines.
You havn't told if lifestyle measures were tried before prescribing medicines.
I need the above information to be better able to suggest.
According to recent JNC-8 recommendations, lifestyle has to be tried first. I am not a big fan of prescribing medicines unnecessarily, and I feel that if you havn't tried the lifestyle changes for atleast 3 months, then you should.
The lifestyle measures include addressing diet, exercise and stress.
Diet includes taking low calorie diet by excluding milk products like butter, ghee, cheese, sweets, etc. Take low salt, low sugar. Avoid oily foods. Add more fruits and salad to your meals and snacks.
Exercise atleast 30 min a day, can include walk, yoga, gym, swimming, cycling, etc.
Stress reduction techniques like breathing techniques (called as kriya), yoga should help.
Yes visiting a cardiologist and getting echo done would be worthwhile.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Dr. Vaishalee for your quick reply.
Please find below inputs required by you:
1) My BP after 1 week of medication measured last week was 130/95 as noted by Physician (I am currently in end of 2nd week of medication)
2) During the look out period of 15 days last month when my BP was monitored I had started diet control and physical exercises like brisk walking/gym and swimming for 30 mins which I am continuing to do for 5 or 6 days in a week. I have also started recently playing Tennis and Badminton which I substitute for walking/swimming as time permits.
I somehow feel discomfort soon after taking BP medicine and so not sure if its anxiety or medication not suiting me. Can I check by not taking medicine for 1 or 2 days to see if discomfort in chest area happens only if I take medicine?
As suggested by you I also think I should try lifestyle changes like diet control and exercise since it has been a sedantry lifestyle since past 2-3 years working in shifts of 1 PM to 10 PM till December 2014 (now I have changed job and work 10 AM - 6 PM since past 4 months). I also had some sleep problem since past few months as I used to wake up in middle of night and could sleep again after some time only. Then in mid Feb I had fallen and hurt my tail bone after which for 4-5 weeks I could not sleep properly due to pain while sleeping on back. Can such irregular sleep also cause temporary blood pressure increase?
Thanks for your advise!
Please find below inputs required by you:
1) My BP after 1 week of medication measured last week was 130/95 as noted by Physician (I am currently in end of 2nd week of medication)
2) During the look out period of 15 days last month when my BP was monitored I had started diet control and physical exercises like brisk walking/gym and swimming for 30 mins which I am continuing to do for 5 or 6 days in a week. I have also started recently playing Tennis and Badminton which I substitute for walking/swimming as time permits.
I somehow feel discomfort soon after taking BP medicine and so not sure if its anxiety or medication not suiting me. Can I check by not taking medicine for 1 or 2 days to see if discomfort in chest area happens only if I take medicine?
As suggested by you I also think I should try lifestyle changes like diet control and exercise since it has been a sedantry lifestyle since past 2-3 years working in shifts of 1 PM to 10 PM till December 2014 (now I have changed job and work 10 AM - 6 PM since past 4 months). I also had some sleep problem since past few months as I used to wake up in middle of night and could sleep again after some time only. Then in mid Feb I had fallen and hurt my tail bone after which for 4-5 weeks I could not sleep properly due to pain while sleeping on back. Can such irregular sleep also cause temporary blood pressure increase?
Thanks for your advise!
Brief Answer:
Yes irregular sleep can cause it
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Usually it takes 3 - 4 weeks for BP medicine to show its complete effect.
Yes you can check by not taking BP medicines for 2 - 3 days. It should not do any harm. Watch out for sudden rise of BP after stopping medicines. Keep a BP apparatus at home.
Yes lifestyle measures are to be employed first for atleast 3 months.
Yes irregular sleep due to any reason can cause high BP especially if it is accompanied by other stresses.
Diet and exercise are to be followed. I should also emphasize the importance of hygienic food and cleaner water.
Dr Vaishalee
Yes irregular sleep can cause it
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Usually it takes 3 - 4 weeks for BP medicine to show its complete effect.
Yes you can check by not taking BP medicines for 2 - 3 days. It should not do any harm. Watch out for sudden rise of BP after stopping medicines. Keep a BP apparatus at home.
Yes lifestyle measures are to be employed first for atleast 3 months.
Yes irregular sleep due to any reason can cause high BP especially if it is accompanied by other stresses.
Diet and exercise are to be followed. I should also emphasize the importance of hygienic food and cleaner water.
Dr Vaishalee
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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