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What Causes Persistent Tightness In Chest And Cold Sensation In Scalp?
Question: Hi,
I am a 35 year old male who has been experiencing frightening symptoms recently. As I was in a taxi on my way to the airport, I felt a sudden crushing tightness in my chest. It became difficult to breathe. The tightness increased and finally the whole world went dark for a few seconds, then my legs and scalp felt very cold and tingly. I thought I had a mild heart attack. I boarded the plane and took the two hour flight. For the majority of the trip, I was kind of in a brain fog, felt like I was in a dream, couldn't focus, felt fatigued but not sleepy, and still had tightness in my chest. When I arrived in the new city, I went straight to the hospital and described what had happened to me. They took my pulse and blood pressure (108/59, 77), EKG, MRI on lungs, ultrasound and blood work. All tests came back normal. But in the two days since, I've still had a recurring tightness/pressure in my chest, and tonight after eating a light dinner, I felt lightheaded and dizzy again. I'm really scared because I don't know what can be causing this. Do you have any ideas or advice? Do I have some kind of vitamin deficiency?
I am a 35 year old male who has been experiencing frightening symptoms recently. As I was in a taxi on my way to the airport, I felt a sudden crushing tightness in my chest. It became difficult to breathe. The tightness increased and finally the whole world went dark for a few seconds, then my legs and scalp felt very cold and tingly. I thought I had a mild heart attack. I boarded the plane and took the two hour flight. For the majority of the trip, I was kind of in a brain fog, felt like I was in a dream, couldn't focus, felt fatigued but not sleepy, and still had tightness in my chest. When I arrived in the new city, I went straight to the hospital and described what had happened to me. They took my pulse and blood pressure (108/59, 77), EKG, MRI on lungs, ultrasound and blood work. All tests came back normal. But in the two days since, I've still had a recurring tightness/pressure in my chest, and tonight after eating a light dinner, I felt lightheaded and dizzy again. I'm really scared because I don't know what can be causing this. Do you have any ideas or advice? Do I have some kind of vitamin deficiency?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I read carefully your question and would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to anxiety and a panic attack.
Your performed cardiac and pulmonary tests have excluded any possible cardiac or pulmonary disorder.
Another disorder to be taken into consideration would be partial epileptic seizures, with epigastric aura. An EEG would be needed to exclude this possibility.
I would also advise you to perform thyroid hormone levels, because a thyroid dysfunction could lead to a similar symptomatology.
I would exclude any possible vitamin deficiency, because of the acute symptomatology and really atypical for any vitamin deficiency.
If all the above mentioned tests result normal, you should discuss anxiety as the main cause of your symptoms. In such case, I recommend you to consult with a specialist of this field.
Hope to have been of help!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I read carefully your question and would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to anxiety and a panic attack.
Your performed cardiac and pulmonary tests have excluded any possible cardiac or pulmonary disorder.
Another disorder to be taken into consideration would be partial epileptic seizures, with epigastric aura. An EEG would be needed to exclude this possibility.
I would also advise you to perform thyroid hormone levels, because a thyroid dysfunction could lead to a similar symptomatology.
I would exclude any possible vitamin deficiency, because of the acute symptomatology and really atypical for any vitamin deficiency.
If all the above mentioned tests result normal, you should discuss anxiety as the main cause of your symptoms. In such case, I recommend you to consult with a specialist of this field.
Hope to have been of help!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I considered the possibility of a panic attack, but I have not been feeling stressed or worried about anything specifically recently. I also thought that if it were a panic attack, my pulse would be more elevated. Is this incorrect?
Also, I recently completed a 7 day water-only fast. I have water-fasted before in the past with no problems, but I was thinking maybe this time for whatever reason it led to the problems I'm experiencing now. Is this possible?
Also, I recently completed a 7 day water-only fast. I have water-fasted before in the past with no problems, but I was thinking maybe this time for whatever reason it led to the problems I'm experiencing now. Is this possible?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I agree with you in the fact that anxiety or a panic attack would lead to a higher heart rate and blood pressure. But it can not be excluded, as your blood pressure and heart value that you refer were measured after a couple of hours after the episode with chest pain.
From the other hand water fasting can be related to adverse effects like dizziness, low blood pressure, headaches, but not such an acute clinical scenario. Besides, you had finished water fasting, when this episode occurred.
Your lab blood tests have resulted normal, so an electrolyte imbalance has been excluded too.
I would recommend performing :
- an EEG
-thyroid hormone levels
- uric acid levels
I would also recommend monitoring blood pressure and heart rate values different times during the day.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I agree with you in the fact that anxiety or a panic attack would lead to a higher heart rate and blood pressure. But it can not be excluded, as your blood pressure and heart value that you refer were measured after a couple of hours after the episode with chest pain.
From the other hand water fasting can be related to adverse effects like dizziness, low blood pressure, headaches, but not such an acute clinical scenario. Besides, you had finished water fasting, when this episode occurred.
Your lab blood tests have resulted normal, so an electrolyte imbalance has been excluded too.
I would recommend performing :
- an EEG
-thyroid hormone levels
- uric acid levels
I would also recommend monitoring blood pressure and heart rate values different times during the day.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your advice, Iwill definitely go have those tests done.
Just to be sure, I am including two of the test results I already have, the EKG and blood tests. (I appologize that they are in Chinese, as I had them done at a hospital in China.) Do you see anything abnormal in either of these results?
Thanks again!
Just to be sure, I am including two of the test results I already have, the EKG and blood tests. (I appologize that they are in Chinese, as I had them done at a hospital in China.) Do you see anything abnormal in either of these results?
Thanks again!
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I carefully reviewed your resting ECG and would conclude that it is quite normal.
Your blood count shows a slight elevation of white blood cells, mainly neutrophyles, which may be a sign of an infection (bacterial infection). But they may also result elevated in a gout attack. The gout attack could also be related to the chest pain.
Have you had fever during these days?
I recommend you to perform inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate) and uric acid plasma levels, besides the tests I mentioned before.
Hope to have been helpful!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I carefully reviewed your resting ECG and would conclude that it is quite normal.
Your blood count shows a slight elevation of white blood cells, mainly neutrophyles, which may be a sign of an infection (bacterial infection). But they may also result elevated in a gout attack. The gout attack could also be related to the chest pain.
Have you had fever during these days?
I recommend you to perform inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate) and uric acid plasma levels, besides the tests I mentioned before.
Hope to have been helpful!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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