Chest discomfort

[JonesyAZ]

While I have had some progress in lessening my anxiety, I have still been having some really odd sensations lately. Maybe you can relate?

Essentially, my left arm from the bicep to the thumb feels numb and sometimes gets a throbbing ache in the bicep. Also, my shoulder muscle tends to be tight, and lately, i've been getting this slight numbness in my left pectoral muscle. I've been worrying like crazy that the pectoral sensation is due to my heart, but is it possible to have discomfort in the chest due to tight muscles in the back?

BTW, I have gone to a neurologist (this was before the pectoral issue arose), and he didn't find much wrong with that arm, except that because I have complained with the thumb and forefinger numbness, he said I have minor carpal tunnel. This was after an EMG was done. But he couldn't explain why i'm getting burning sensations!

Please help me as i'm trying not to freak out anymore than I have

[Guest]

I don't mean to be a nuisance, but does anyone think i'm having heart problems? I walked up and down the 5 flights of stairs here at work a couple times and I didn't notice an increase in pain or anything...i've just noticed that I tend to breathe a bit heavier afterwards...

[Guest]

I think it's worth getting checked out to put your mind at ease. I've experieced muscle pain in biceps and along the front side under my armpit. Doctor says is muscular skelaton related and to take a pain killer. For me, I get these symptoms when feeling stressed and they typically go away quickly. I worry constantly about my heart but have been checked out enough times (including a stress test)that while I'm aware of it I'm not bothered by it. For me, getting to know the physical symptoms and relating them to what's happening in my life is helping me get past the episodes and I'm finding I'm experiecing less and less of these symptoms. All that said, I as mentioned above if it's got you worried and thinking about it, why not get some piece of mind. If you expereince the symptoms again in the future you may be able to manage through them better....good luck!

[Guest]

From my own personal experience, yes, it could be related to tight shoulders (trapezius muscles), as when they contract, they pull (strain) the shoulder muscles that are attached to the pecs, going into the sternal area. I always get rid of the tightness in my chest after a massage. All of the muscles in the body are connected to another and have an attaching point. The chest area is nothing but muscle and cartilege. BUT, it is always safest to get it checked out!!

Originally posted by JonesyAZ:
While I have had some progress in lessening my anxiety, I have still been having some really odd sensations lately. Maybe you can relate?

Essentially, my left arm from the bicep to the thumb feels numb and sometimes gets a throbbing ache in the bicep. Also, my shoulder muscle tends to be tight, and lately, i've been getting this slight numbness in my left pectoral muscle. I've been worrying like crazy that the pectoral sensation is due to my heart, but is it possible to have discomfort in the chest due to tight muscles in the back?

BTW, I have gone to a neurologist (this was before the pectoral issue arose), and he didn't find much wrong with that arm, except that because I have complained with the thumb and forefinger numbness, he said I have minor carpal tunnel. This was after an EMG was done. But he couldn't explain why i'm getting burning sensations!

Please help me as i'm trying not to freak out anymore than I have

[Guest]

Hey guys,

Thank you so much for your assistance. I am close to booking another Dr. appointment to have myself looked at, but the bummer is that my wife has absolutely had it with my complaints and she and everyone else that i'm close to think nothing is wrong. The fact also is that I have had blood work; LDL was low, HDL was higher than normal, blood pressure was really good; the Dr. said it was better than his...lol. Also, when they had done a chest x-ray, nothing had shown up. This was back in December. But for some stupid reason, I am still afraid of my heart causing me issues.

Today, the only feelings I have is a very slight pressure by the left collar/upper pectoral that does ache when I push on it. I also am having some slight numbness down the left arm from the armpit to the inner part of my bicep and to my thumb and forefinger. My right hand also has issues in the thumb/forefinger. And it seems like I can exercise fine and all that. I hate to be redundant, but based on the findings of the Dr. and everything, should I just let it go and stop worrying about this?

[Guest]

Truly, I think it is muscular. But, I am just an RN, not an MD, LOL!

I had similar symptoms to yours and after a visit to the Neurologist and an EMG, discovered that I have TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome). Basically, entrapment of the nerves secondary to the constant muscle spasms in my traps. Also, at times, I catch myself so tense, and when I relax, my chest gives way and then I am like, WOW, I am causing my chest pain!

Good sign...if it hurts to press on it, probably muscular! We cannot press on our hearts and that is a very good thing for people like us (poking fun!). Try massaging or having your wife massage that area... start at the part where the neck attaches to the collarbone and work outward, never inward... pushing the blood flow AWAY from the area that is hurting... moist heat, hot shower, range of motion exercises... to help loosen up that area!

Good luck!

[Guest]

SeeBee,

I will have my wife work on that area like you said, and I will let you know how it works out. Well, since my last post, the pain has gone away when I touch the immediate area, but I still have this slight pressure there. The fact is though, that I have a knot in my left shoulder in my back almost all the time; I work at a computer too. Can the shoulder muscle being all tight from me slouching cause odd feelings like i'm having?

[Faith_TX]

Well, I can tell you that "slouched shoulder syndrome" is one suffered by many that work at a computer... shoulders rolled forward, and usually the neck is jetting forward as well. That puts a lot of stress on ALL of the musculature in the neck, shoulders, between your shoulder blades (rhomboids) and such. Basically, your entire upper body. Those muscles become contracted (shortened), thus when you go back into a "normal" posture, you are straining them back to their normal state. Absolutely, can be a cause of your pain. But, like I said, I am not a substitute for a physician... if you are truly that concerned, my advice is for you to seek medical consult.

Good luck!

[Guest]

SeeBee,

Thank again for the words of encouragement and for the advice:) So, today I woke up and still have a slight pinch in my left pectoral area. I was massaging it this morning and it seemed that I was getting a bit short of breath and it kind of hurt when I rubbed it. But the thing i'm realizing is that it doesn't seem to be so bad when i'm not thinking about it...and when I am physically active, it doesn't get worse and I don't get lightheaded or anything. Knowing that, then it's probably not my heart, right?

I KNOW this is redundant, but your reassurance is very helpful right now. I feel that today I will finally get over this and live my life.

This will hopefully be the last time that I ask...lol

[Guest]

So, I went to the Dr. again today...my blood pressure is 120/80, my blood-oxygen level is 99%. They put some pressure on my chest where I was complaining and it hurt, so the Nurse Practitioner thinks I have some swelling related to my cold that I had last month. I made an appointment today with a cardiologist though, per her recommendation. It'll be next week. So in the meantime, i'm going to remain positive and not worry about it I pray that I will turn out okay