heart problems
 

Hi all

I've tried doing a search on this and I'm not coming up with much but I thought I'd ask you, the experts and see if anyone has any knowledge or personal experiences.....

For the last month or so I've been having chest pains. They've been coming and going but these last few days have been stronger and way more frequent. For the first couple weeks we wrote them off as anxiety induced by my new vestibular rehab but they're getting worse.

On Friday I had them for the whole day. They get worse with stress and exertion (I tried to run on the spot..big mistake! ) They ease up with rest. I was going to go to emerg but feel stupid if its anxiety and frankly I don't want to sit around for 6 hours waiting to be seen by doctor.

Tomorrow I see my family doctor anyhow so I've been trying to hold on till then. My question is... is there any kind of issue with concussions and heart problems? I'm 39, thin, was very physically fit, no family history of heart disease so I just don't fit the profile of heart problems. I do have a very small murmur though (mini murmur ;) ) but was told its nothing.

I know this probably isn't even a heart issue I just wanted to know if there could be a concussion connection or anything I should tell my doctor.

Sorry this is so long! Thanks for any help.

CC

There is a condition called Coronary Artery Spasm, that can give signs of Chest Pain, and signs that you might be feeling as if having a heart attack.

I linked info about Coronary Artery Spasm for you - not to scare you, but as answer to your question.

Ask your PCP about it, and ask for a referral to a Cardiologist for evaluation and possible treatment if they feel it necessary.

Whether your anxiety issues from the PCS are involved is hard to say but Anxiety / Stress is a known cause.

Thank you for the link. If that is what I have it must be from all my heavy cocaine use!! (Just kidding ;) )

This sounds completely opposite to what I have though as mine is worse with activity and better while resting while the link above is better while active and worse while resting.

Maybe I have Coronary Artery Relaxing instead of spasming!

Thanks again!
CC

Do you have any back or rib issues ? A dislocated rib at the vertebra can cause the rib where it connects to the sternum to be very tender. I have a rib that can easily get out of position in my back and cause me chest pain. I also have a history of hiatal hernia that causes chest pain. This is where the top of the stomach squeezes into the diaphragm and gets stuck. I have also had esophageal spasms from similar vertegra issues. All three of my different causes of chest pain have resulted in getting EKG's done 'just in case.' Twice they even did stress EKG's on a tread mill. Fortunately, my health plan at the time covered the EKG's completely. It was nice to know I have a healthy heart.

A physiatrist or osteopath may be able to help or a very good physical therapist who can manipulate your ribs and back.

My best to you.

Chest Pain
 

Hi C.C,
I have had chest pain a few times. I actually went to the E.R once for it and had an EEG or whatever it is when they stick all those electrode things on you and monitor your heart. They said it was probably a panic /anxiety attack. Is your heart beating fast or feel like it is beating weird? Mine tends to get that way when my chronic pain level goes up. I think it puts stress on the heart. Have you been having a migraine or any pain that has been worse recently? Just a thought. Hope you get feeling better soon. I was able to stop it from beating weird a few times by meditating. I see that you meditate. Good job! That has been the most helpful thing.
Brain

Thank you for the suggestions and personal stories. I saw my doctor today and he mentioned my murmur again, checked my bloodpressure, listened to my lungs etc. And he thinks it might be stress/anxiety mixed with the fact I have fibromyalgia.

I had an EKG today and he scheduled me for an echo cardiogram tomorrow. That is really fast for around here so I'm thankful he's taking it seriously.

I had them off and on again today. My heartbeat is never racing or erratic and I'm not upset or anxious for any reason. Doesn't at all feel like when I have a panic attack. Even when I'm meditating they can be there although they're usually less when resting.

We'll see what the tests say and I'll keep my physiotherapist in the loop. They do get a little worse when I'm doing my vestibular therapy. I'll also keep up with my stress relieving techniques.

Thanks again for the help!

CC

I sometimes have a feeling of intense constriction. When I occasionally do massages, the therapist always remarks on how the blood flow in my ribs/chest is constricted. Massages help and or gentle stretching has helped.

What does the vestibular therapist say?

man they're still so bad! They're daily now and so uncomfortable! There's no way this can be anxiety when I'm not anxious about anything and they're so consistent. From what I've read anxiety chest pains are quick and then go away (panic attacks) but these chest pains last for the whole day basically now but at different intensities depending what I'm doing. I had my EKG two days again and echo cardiogram late yesterday. I guess if anything's wrong I just have to wait to hear.

The vestibular therapist was saying that increased anxiety is not at all uncommon with vestibular rehab. She was saying this over the last few weeks when the chest pains were coming once or twice a week for a couple hours. She said she wanted me to talk to my doctor about them though. I will be seeing her today and will ask her opinion again. I'm sure she's going to say she doesn't think it's anxiety anymore and is not due to the treatment. May not let me do much rehab though because they do make it worse.

Everyone says I have none of the risk factors for heart issues so not to worry but I'm always the one in a million that has the bad result. This bad luck needs to turn around so I can win the lottery!

I'll let you know what she says if I haven't headed off to the emergency room! My mother is about to drag me soon if I don't go :)

CC

I had something similar this past summer, pre-injury.

They did all the usual tests which were inconclusive, then a diptetro scan (two day test, image with dye, at rest and after cardio)

Long story short, no heart problems, no diagnosis, was chalked up to injury somewhere in my chest wall/ribs from increased exercise. They tried to pass it off as anxiety too at first but it really felt different than that.

Injuries there don't have to be severe to cause long lasting pain apparently and mine went away in a few months, just in time for me to fall on my head and cause myself new issues. LOL

Hope it heals up soon or you get answers soon!!!

Thanks MsRrio for the personal story. That's probably what's going on here. Some type of infection or inflammation or something. I hope it doesn't last a few months! I find it odd though that some days it can be almost gone. If it was a muscle or injury it shouldn't go away at all I would think. I'm not going to worry about it though. Sorry to see you're "sad". hope everything's ok.

Berkeley and Mark, I saw the vestibular therapist again today and I mentioned the rib being out, etc. She did some tests and feels it is not spine, ribs, muscles, etc. She was not able to replicate or induce the pain. She also does not feel it is anxiety related or due to therapy (which can cause increased anxiety) so we went ahead with the vestibular exercises. I have been doing vestibular rehab now for about 6 weeks and have had good progress so we do not want to stop them.

The pain did get slightly worse and there were some stabbing pain moments with increased dizziness and when I did 5 minutes slow walking on the treadmill. My pulse was not erratic or racing. So she had no answers but she encouraged me to follow up with my doctor for the test results and if things get worse or don't improve.

The only other thing of interest is that she asked if I've changed my multi-vitamin recently because she also has a heart murmur and she had problems with fainting and heart fluttering when she switched multi-vitamins and the new one had no magnesium. She immediately started taking the old pill again and within two day she felt completely normal again. It's interesting that about a week ago (around the time this all got much worse) I started taking a 250mg magnesium supplement. Just out of curiosity sake I'm going to stop taking it again and see what happens.

That's about it for now.

CC