Chest Pains With Anxiety?

[Deleted member 541]

Ever since I can remember, I *sometimes* get chest pains, when I am having an anxiety attack. The pain isn't present all the time, sometimes I have it, and other times I don't.

It isn't a crushing pain, but just enough to be a bit uncomfortable......I had to have a stress test several years ago, because I went into my Dr's with complaints of this, he IMMEDIATELY did an EKG.....It showed an irregular heartbeat, so he sent me right away for a stress test.....I did the treadmill one, because I told them I do the treadmill everyday... The results were fine.....

So, my ? is......Does anyone else experience this, or is it just me??????

 

[catjudo]

It's not just you. I've only experienced this once or twice but my understanding is that it isn't all that uncommon. I've often heard of people who went to the ER thinking they were having a heart attack only to find out it was an anxiety attack.

As happened with you, when I did experience the chest pain I was immediately subjected to a series of tests. (I have extremely bad family genetics/risk factors on both sides of my family so it's not something that my physician takes lightly.)

I also think it is important to remember that heart attack symptoms for women can be VERY different from the classic heart attack symptoms we hear about for men. At this point I can generally tell when it is an anxiety reaction. However, especially given my family history, when it doubt I think it is better to get it checked out to make sure it's not a heart attack or other related issue.

 

[becvan]

Yep I get them.. every time actually. I did have heart trouble for a while there, but there was no chest pain involved strangely enough. My heart was given the "healthy" label about a year ago and I still get very severe chest pains every time I have an anxiety attack. I discovered what was causing it, for me (key words there.) When I get to that level of anxious, my entire chest and back muscles scrunch up. I actually can barely breath. I have to hunch over to breath and ease the pain. My muscles just tighten up so severely that it kinda crushes me, and causes severe pain and shortness of breath. Not fun at all, but not life threatening. If you are getting these, I would suggest that you get it checked just because. It's always good to be on the safe side.

bec

 

[Deleted member 541]

Thanks to both of you for your replies.......As with you Catjudo, my family too, has a long history of heart conditions....Come to think of it, there are very few in my family, that haven't died from heart related issues.....I don't get really worried, but the thought persist somewhere in the back of my mind, that there is pain, and it *could* be my heart, so I keep it in mind....

Bec, yes I think that with any anxiety, that we tend to get our muscles all in knots and tightened. Anxiety isn't fun, and it can cause us more anxiety, so I always try to *breath* through it, but find I need to remind myself to relax......

 

[Tinyflame]

I find the same; I think that (for me) it also tenses up all my back muscles and that contributes. Also I smoke more, which likely contributes.

But to be on the safe side, it's good to check out with your Dr.

 

[Grama-Herc]

Absolutely, I get them too. I also get pounding palpatations at other times of anxiety. This side affect is just another gift given to us by PTSD. I think it is a result of the adrenalin that surges when we have an attack.

 

[onebravegirl]

Have you noticed if your body posture is different when you are stressed? Sometimes when feeling really down or even stressed,we slump over more and this can make breathing laboured. This can also lead to chest pains. I used to also just sometimes find myself holding my breath. I would gasp out loud and people around me would jump. I also would feel physical chest aches from the emotional strain. Pain all over my body, especially when I would have a crying fit after a flash back or had been triggered. I wonder also if certain meds can have this for a side-effect? They used to constipate me and the "gas" build up whould travel into my chest. Oooo! Sure hope you feel better soon SheCat.
O

 

[Marlene]

I get them, too. It usually starts with me noticing that the area around my breastbone hurts and then I notice that pectoral muscles on either side of my chest hurt, too. It's because the anixety causes them to tighten and pull on the attachments at the breastbone. It also causes my neck and shoulder muscles to hurt as well. I had physical/massage therapist tell me one time to think of it like when you lay out a t-shirt flat and then grab it tightly in one spot. It pulls on everything around it, too since all of the muscles are connected.

I've found the easiest way to stretch out my chest muscles when they're hurting is to stand in a doorway and put my forearms up on the jam and then lean my body in through the door. It's quick, easy and it works. Once the muscles stretch out the blood can flow back into them and it helps to take the pain away.

Lisa

 

[Still Trying]

This happens to me all the time. Sometimes my left arm even goes numb, as if it were a heart attack; the "pressure" is there, too. If I can keep taking successive deep breaths, it helps. Sometimes it's the first way I realize how much the anxiety has built. It sneaks up on me. The shooting pains across the stomach and ribs scared me pretty badly the first time, but now I know I just have to remember to breathe. Who would have thought that was something I needed to be reminded to do.....

 

[anthony]

Yep... hate the anxiety pains when they hit every now and then... chest, the anxiety headache is my favourite, which takes more than Forte to get rid of it, being Digesic is what I use when I get one of those once in a blue moon. They are a tell tail sign for me that something is wrong when I get them, as I only get them maybe monthly or more nowadays.

 

[midi]

I get them too, and a late friend of mine used to get them too - she died because she thought that she was having an anxiety attack, but it was really a heart aneurysm.

 

[anni]

I get them. Once it was sooo strong I couldn't stand up( squeezed so hard- and I'm REALLy tolerant of pain) I was sent to the ER for the whole heart attack work-up.I was kept over night, then discharged with 'PTSD' written under 'diagnosis' in the discharge papers. The thing is, I hadn't actually mentioned my PTSD to anyone there. So much for trying to hide the stupid thing.

Anni