Cause for concern?

[mikediesel04]

I have a question maybe someone with medical experience can answer...Tonight I'm lying in bed watchign a movie and all of a sudden I get this slight tightening in my upper chest right in the middle for a brief moment...it then goes away after a freak out about it for god knows what reason...then I'm lying there and it comes back again just for a brief moment again and goes away. I just started working out today after taking a year off and I have been eating really unhealthy and not excercising at all or doing any sort of physical activity so I was nervous at the gym because I have a history of slightly high blood pressure and noticed it after the first and only cycle I ever did of test. Only reason I noticed was cause I was getting ridiculously light headed. So anyway I just was looking up symptoms for heart attacks and it talks about slight pressure in the chest and then I started getting a mild pain in my left arm near the back of my shoulder. It is gone now but I had it for a little while. I dont have health insurance cause I recently switched jobs so I'm hesitant on going to the hospital. Could someone let me know how if I'm just over reacting or if I should drive myself down to the ER. Any comments would be appreciated...Oh by the way I'm 26 years old weigh 165lbs 5' 8" and probably have 20% bf.

 

[taoiron]

Bro…

Just schedule an apt with you regular doc. Even without Ins. Mine would only charge $50.00.

Do not let money get in the way of good health. We only get one chance with this body so one should make the best of it!

 

[Saint V]

Is it worth having a heart attack to save a couple hundred bucks?

 

[KIAN]

Sometimes when you attempt to do an online diagnosis, you will try to match the online condition to your symptoms instead of the symptoms to the symptoms. Although a heart attack has symptoms of pressure or a tightening in the chest area or a sharp pain spreading from the neck, shoulders and down the arms ... you also have to take into acount your other recent activities.

• If this was the first time that you have exercised in over one year then you are definitely going to feel the after-effects expressed to some degree as soreness.
• The use of AAS will also come with associated risks.
• The presence of an existing condition (high blood pressure) prior to begining an exercise program will have an effect.
• The position at which you lie in bed watching your movie can stretch muscles beyond their range of motion resulting in inflammation and soreness.
• etc.

But to put your mind at rest, I would suggest the same thing as the other guys have said and have yourself checked out to be sure. The doctor will likely say that although a heart attack is possible at your age (26), it is highly unlikely.


______________________

KP--Fitness Basics

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[Twin Oaks]

You would know if you had a heart attack. It doesn't feel like a little tightening that goes away. It feels like an elephant is sitting on your chest and won't get off no matter what position you are in, and the pain can seem to be more around your whole chest, not just the posterior side and can, but may not neccessarily, radiate to any part of the body. If the pain is superficial and fairly well localized, it is most likely to be a muscle strain, especially after a workout. I've had that as well, a tightening over my sternum after a good workout after time off. If the pain doesnt' go away and you have high blood pressure and very poor diet it could be serious. With out actually seeing you myself I couldn't say what the problem is exactly. I wouldn't worry about it HOWEVER, get checked out anyway if you have any trace thought that it is serious. My guess is that when lying down, your shoulders are rolling back and stretching out your chest and rib cage muscles more than they would be if you were standing. Just a statisic for you: it average time to respond to and treat a heart attack after it actually happens is about 6 hours. The reason is that most people don't believe they have a heart attack and leave it unchecked until too late.

 

[guest username]

Twin oaks, that is not correct. I have seen many, many patients come in with only "slight" burning sensations, sharp pain, "indigestion," and even no pain at all, yet all of them turned out to have had heart attacks. This is why patients in my emergency department who complain of generalized weakness, lightheadedness, nausea/vomiting, or upper abdominal pain will get an EKG if they are >30 years of age (any age if I'm suspicious enough). I have picked up several MI's (heart attacks) that way.

Pain radiating to the back, coming and going, and associated with lightheadedness is worrisome. A condition of the heart isn't my first suspicion with this. If someone presented to me like that, and if he/she had been lifting heavy weights, I would be concerned about dissections of the thoracic aorta, especially if the person has a Marfanoid-like appearance (very tall and thin). Weightlifters are at higher risk of developing this, especially if they have underlying hypertension, because of extreme systolic blood pressures that are generated during heavy lifting exercises. Some squats can generate up to 400 mmHg systolic pressures!

This is why I take any weightlifter who presents with chest pain pretty seriously.

Other conditions that might cause your pain: heart, anxiety, costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage near your ribs), indigestion, gastritis, ulcers, gallstones, perforated esophagus, pleurisy/pneumonia, and the list goes on.

As has been mentioned numerous times, one cannot diagnose you over the internet. What I just posted is not meant to be medical advice. Chest pain, no matter how severe, should always be taken seriously and evaluated immediately. I've seen bad outcomes come from people who waited 2 or 3 days to see their primary care physician.

Most patients with chest pain have benign causes. You might have costochondritis, but you make no mention if your pain is pleuritic (worse with deep inspiration), worse with palpation/movement, etc.

I'm sorry I'm a little late replying. I've been busy with SWAT training and haven't had time to check the boards frequently. (Plus I'm annoyed at having to refresh every single page because my Mac doesn't display the page properly on initial loading... for some reason it works with the refresh.)

Let us know what your diagnosis is. I hope everything is ok. Perhaps I'm biased because I see more emergent patients, but I would rather you be ok and out some money than be dead. If the pain continues or returns, then I would seek medical advice in the ED.

 

[solidspine]

Sounds like muscle cramps after working out