Okay, about fifteen minutes ago, my chest really started hurting. It started off as a quick sharp pain in my back, and as I adjusted my shoulder to try and make it go away, the center of my chest really started to hurt. The pain goes up into both sides of my neck. What gives?
I’ve just taken a couple of asprin as prescribed by some coworkers, but this is really bugging me. I’m 24 years old, about 5’9, 160 lbs, go to the gym about three times a week, eat fairly sensibly. I don’t sleep much due to my job (about four hours a night), but ever since I’ve been working out about two years ago, I’ve always had slight pains in my chest here and there that I aquaited with overexersion. I’m currently at work, and haven’t worked out since Wednesday. This little bit came about while I was in the bathroom doing nothing incredibly strenuous (bending over the sink washing my hands). Aside from the asprin, I took some Imodium Advance last night due to an upset stomach, and took another pill this morning before coming into the office because my stomach is still a little upset.
Well, that’s most of the information I’ve got to give. I’m thinking I should really get to the doctor’s office sometime next week, but I’m just curious if this sounds like anything too incredibly serious, or if it’s just one of those things people go threw. (By the way, while typing this, the pain’s gone down considerably)
Do you have Athsma Elvis? Have you been over exerting yourself lately.
See I have athsma, and when I over exert myself either doing a project at home, running on a nature trail too fast etc…etc…I get sharp pains in my chest and neck like you describe. I went to the doc and he said I was straining the muscles around my lungs and it was affecting my back, neck, and chest. He said the very same symptoms can come from stress as well…Either way seeing a doc would not be a bad idea.
Does breathing affect it? Could it possibly be pleurisy? The symptoms don’t sound exactly right, but it’s still a possibility. A few years ago, when I was eighteen, I developed bad chest pains. After a few days, I went to a doctor because I thought I might be having a heart attack. I was diagnosed with ideopathic pleurisy. My doctor told me that some people just have it, and in others it could be something more severe. See a doctor!
Sorry for the weirdness of this post. I’m REALLY tired for some reason.
I’ve had severe chest pains that turned out to be pleurisy as well but you don’t want to give yourself a heart attack either wondering about it or from ignoring true attack pain.
Yesterday I was having chest pains that seemed much milder than the description you give. I immediately called my doctor, who advised me to go to the emergency room, which I did. (Fortunately, there’s a big hospital within a few blocks of my workplace.) They did an EKG, they did some blood tests, and they did a stress test (on a treadmill). It basically took all day and all the tests came out negative (which is good). I’m to follow up with a visit to a cardiologist next week.
I advise you to do the same. Go seek medical attention immediately. Don’t pass Go. Don’t collect $200. Go now.
From the history you’ve presented, this could be anything from a pulled muscle (you could have pulled something at the gym, even though it first manifested when you were bending over the sink) to heartburn (you’ve had an upset stomach) to something out of left field, like an aneurism. I’ve had all three at various times all by the time I was your age, and truth be told, they didn’t feel that different at first.
There’s no reason to panic. 999 times out of 1000, it’s something minor, but get to the doctor today, not tomorrow, because that one chance in a thousand does exist. Call your doctor’s office now and tell them you’ve got a sudden onset of chest pains, and even though it’s probably nothing, you don’t want to screw around. They’ll either work you in, or tell you to get to ER.
Could be voodoo. You been seeing any New Orleans women lately?
Seriously though it could be an undiscovered heart condition. I know of several people who didn’t learn they had a life threatening heart condition until they were in their mid to late 20’s. I’d definately have it checked out by a doctor and possibly by a heart specialist.
I know a little bit about symptoms like this because 1) I’m in the life insurance business have been instructed on many health conditions as they relate to underwriting and 2) I have served on the local and state board of the National Heart Association for 10 years through which I have educated myself on the subject. BUT, I’m not a doctor so I’d recommend you see one sooner than later.
Elvis in spring of 2002 I woke from a nap with horrible chest pains and also pain in my back. I went to the ER the next day thinking it could be my heart: it was pleurisy. I wouldn’t wish pleurisy on my friggin worst enemy! The fun thing about it is it can hit you out of nowhere. AFAIK it can’t kill you but it will make you wish you were dead.
IANAD, of course, but one sign of pleurisy is the pain never goes away. Take yourself a big deep breath. If you want to die after you do so, it’s probably pleurisy. Another sign: if it hurts really bad when you try to lay down flat on your back.
Get thee to an ER and do NOT leave until they have given you painkillers. Don’t let them give you the “just take Motrin/Ibuprofen/etc” speech, you’ve gotta have narcotics to deal with pleurisy.
It probably isn’t, but it could be an aortic dissection. While it’s usually sudden and disabling, apparently not all cases are so severe that doctors recognize it as a possibility; there have been instances where a patient has visited the ER, been told to take a couple of aspirins and go home, and have dropped dead a week later. Please let us know if that happens to you, too.
This may be an irresponsible answer, but as someone with a health profile fairly similar to your own, I experience occasional unexplained pains all over the place, and they never mean anything. Sometimes your body just decides to screw with you.
Elvis, regardless of your age and general health, if you’re having chest pains that haven’t gone away after ten minutes when you change position, CALL THE DOCTOR AT ONCE.
That’s potential an emergency.
I realize it’s now way more than 24 hours, I hope you’re OK, but this aint something to fool around with.
Space Vampire’s comments are irrelevant and irresponsible. We’re not talking about “pains all over the place” but about pains in the chest. Sure, it could be nothing, but you’re gambling your LIFE on that, and that’s not a reasonable gamble to take. At one extreme is the happy outcome is that you call your doctor or go to the emergency room and it turns out to be nothing. That would be great.
At the other end of the scale is the outcome that you don’t call your doctor, don’t go to the emergency room, and then drop dead from a preventable heart attack.
You call, of course, but I’d say: get the hell to a doctor, and fast.
Thanks for all the support and concern. The chest pains went away rather quickly, but have been replaced by a horrible muscle pain in my back that seems to be the culprit. Don’t know how it happened (could be doing something wrong at the gym, could be all the arm flailing while trying to rollerskate), but it hurts like a bitch in the mornings, and although I can’t really reach it to massage it myself, I can feel the huge knot. Still, I’m planning on going to the doctor sometime this week, and get a massage as well. It may take a while for a proper diagnosis, but once the back really started hurting, it made me feel a little better (funny thing, that). Thanks again for the concern and comments, hopefully the doc will just say it’s a stupid reaction to my back as well and nothing serious.
Well, I didn’t go to the ER, but I did go to the doctor, and it turns out I’ve really pulled my rhomboid and strained a few neck muscles which is what’s causing all my problems. My blood preasure’s perfect (120 over 80), my heart’s not irregular and is beating at a nice slow pace which shows I’m excercising well and in good health, so apparently, I’m just a jack ass when it comes to my workout. It just really shocked me that, if it happened on Wednesday, it would hit me Friday and then become fully noticeable on Saturday…most times when I’ve pulled a muscle, it’s pretty noticeable right off the bat. Apparently, it can take some time for them to realize that they’ve hurt themselves.
Thanks for all the advice and support. I’m glad it’s nothing too serious, but it looks like I’ll be avoiding the gym for a while. Eh, I don’t mind being lazy. Thanks again.
