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Feeling Dizzy, Having Sharp Pain In Chest And Head. MRI Normal. What Is The Problem?
Question: I have had a pain that I thought was a pulled muscle in the middle of my chest, it radiates into my head, my right ear hurts a bit but mostly my head feels like it will explode. When I turn certain ways I get a sharp pain that takes my breath away. This has been going on about a week. I was diagnosed with Mal de Debarquement 4 years ago so often have dizzy issues and feel off in my head but this is suddenly something new that involves more of my body. I had an MRI of my brain just two weeks ago and all was normal. The pain in my head that is the worst seems to be low, by the base of my skull, mostly right side. Not really sure if this is a newrological problem, a muscle issue, an ear ache gone wrong, etc. I have so many issues just now.
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
Important aspects of your query are:
• 54 year old female
• Known case of SVT, had an ablation 18 months ago, a-fib rhythm, Mal de Debarquement and overweight
• Already on cardiac medicine, hormonal, aspirin, omega fatty acid, red yeast rice and Vit D3
• Normal MRI brain
• Complaints of: Severe sharp chest pain like pulled muscle in the middle of chest with radiation in head, bursting type headache, rt earache and dizziness.
You case is interesting and but difficult too. Even your attending physician is facing problem to solve it. I will try to give my best effort to help you in this problem.
In your case it is possible to 2-3 problems to explain current symptoms.
I would like to consider multiple possibilities in following hierarchy, which need evaluation:
• Anxiety disorder: It explain chest pain and headache as anxiety lead to muscle spasm (like we get headache during tension). Anxiety also lead increase heart rate. Chronic cardiac problem, vitamin deficiency and serum B12 level. Start multi vitamins as they are easily available.
• Side effect of substance use
• Poorly controlled acidity: Usually present as epigastric and chest pain
• Dizziness in your case may be due to inner ear pathology.
• Combination of some of the above problems.
Other symptoms of anxiety which may or may not be present in your case: nervousness, restlessness, mild irritability, excessive worry regarding own health, tremor, muscle spasm (lead to pain in multiple parts of body), heaviness in body, easy fatigability, headache, sleep disturbance, palpitation and dry mouth. Let me know if you have some of these symptoms.
Let me know the reason for use of hormonal pills, aspirin, omega fatty acid, red yeast rice and Vit D3 to help you better.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
Important aspects of your query are:
• 54 year old female
• Known case of SVT, had an ablation 18 months ago, a-fib rhythm, Mal de Debarquement and overweight
• Already on cardiac medicine, hormonal, aspirin, omega fatty acid, red yeast rice and Vit D3
• Normal MRI brain
• Complaints of: Severe sharp chest pain like pulled muscle in the middle of chest with radiation in head, bursting type headache, rt earache and dizziness.
You case is interesting and but difficult too. Even your attending physician is facing problem to solve it. I will try to give my best effort to help you in this problem.
In your case it is possible to 2-3 problems to explain current symptoms.
I would like to consider multiple possibilities in following hierarchy, which need evaluation:
• Anxiety disorder: It explain chest pain and headache as anxiety lead to muscle spasm (like we get headache during tension). Anxiety also lead increase heart rate. Chronic cardiac problem, vitamin deficiency and serum B12 level. Start multi vitamins as they are easily available.
• Side effect of substance use
• Poorly controlled acidity: Usually present as epigastric and chest pain
• Dizziness in your case may be due to inner ear pathology.
• Combination of some of the above problems.
Other symptoms of anxiety which may or may not be present in your case: nervousness, restlessness, mild irritability, excessive worry regarding own health, tremor, muscle spasm (lead to pain in multiple parts of body), heaviness in body, easy fatigability, headache, sleep disturbance, palpitation and dry mouth. Let me know if you have some of these symptoms.
Let me know the reason for use of hormonal pills, aspirin, omega fatty acid, red yeast rice and Vit D3 to help you better.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. In case of any doubt, I will be available for follow ups.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr Ashish XXXXXXX Mittal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you but just wondering why a psychiatrist is answering these medical issues?
I take hormones because I am going through menopause. I take the aspirin because of my heart, as well as the Krill oil. I take the red yeast rice as a more natural alternative to the statin drugs to help lower my cholesterol. And I take the Viatmin D3 because my primary care dr. thought it would be good.
Regarding heaviness in body, do you mean am I overweight or do I feel a heaviness in my body? I am overweight but I do feel a pressure in my head that makes me feel very heavy, as if someone is pushing me down as I try and walk. Lately I do worry about my health because the weird feelings in my head are a distraction and worry.
I take hormones because I am going through menopause. I take the aspirin because of my heart, as well as the Krill oil. I take the red yeast rice as a more natural alternative to the statin drugs to help lower my cholesterol. And I take the Viatmin D3 because my primary care dr. thought it would be good.
Regarding heaviness in body, do you mean am I overweight or do I feel a heaviness in my body? I am overweight but I do feel a pressure in my head that makes me feel very heavy, as if someone is pushing me down as I try and walk. Lately I do worry about my health because the weird feelings in my head are a distraction and worry.
Hello again,
Thanks for follow up.
As I told, your problem is complex and all symptoms are difficult to explain by one cause. As first possibility is anxiety (because of reasons mentioned in primary query) due to that, I am replying your query.
Feeling heaviness is not due to weight only, but symptom as you described above. From further information symptoms like heaviness of body, distraction (poor concentration) and worry further raises possibility of anxiety and stress.
In your case it is necessary to rule out multiple possibilities in hierarchy given in primary reply. For that, it will better to get evaluated by concern specialist.
If you want to ask question from some specific specialist you can ask question in ask a specialist section of XXXXXXX
Please accept my answer in case there are no further queries and recommend our services to your friends too if you have found it helpful.
Wish you good health.
Regards.
Thanks for follow up.
As I told, your problem is complex and all symptoms are difficult to explain by one cause. As first possibility is anxiety (because of reasons mentioned in primary query) due to that, I am replying your query.
Feeling heaviness is not due to weight only, but symptom as you described above. From further information symptoms like heaviness of body, distraction (poor concentration) and worry further raises possibility of anxiety and stress.
In your case it is necessary to rule out multiple possibilities in hierarchy given in primary reply. For that, it will better to get evaluated by concern specialist.
If you want to ask question from some specific specialist you can ask question in ask a specialist section of XXXXXXX
Please accept my answer in case there are no further queries and recommend our services to your friends too if you have found it helpful.
Wish you good health.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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