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What Causes Pain On Left Side Of Collar Bone?

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Posted on Sat, 14 Feb 2015
Question: I'm a 30 year old female. Maybe ten lbs overweight, smoker. ( 1/2 pack or so a day)
For the last few weeks I have had a pain on the left side that comes and goes. It feels like it's behind my left shoulder blade, but I can also feel it on the left side of my collarbone sometimes. I can go all day and feel fine and it may pop up out of nowhere. Sometimes I can't tell exactly where the pain is coming from. Tonight I can feel a really dull ache on my left side but when i take a deep breath or cough, it hurts. My chest doesn't really hurt when I cough, it's my shoulder blade and my collar bone. It feels like it really needs to crack is what it feels like. But my pain is not consistent with a shoulder injury and I have not injured anything. The other night my heart started beating fast out of nowhere. Fast enough to make me notice and go sit on the couch to relax. It subsided at rest. I'm not vomiting, no fever, I'm not sweating or anything like that. I have had anxiety issues in the past and experienced panic attacks and such but this doesn't feel like anxiety. I mistakenly looked my symptoms up on the internet and now I'm really scared about a heart attack. Please give me some suggestions!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Anxiety Plus Smoking

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for asking

i read your question and i understand your concern. These symptoms are not right now due to heart but if you continue smoking eventually your heart is going to fail and the very same symptoms will present them selves but right now your young age and healthy heart is resisting this smoking adverse effects.

As you mentioned you smoke half a pack a day, it si more than enough to irritate your airways and give yoru lungs an infection and irritation and result in such pains and symptoms you mentioned. Just quit smoking and you will start feeling the difference.

Aslo you mentioned the history of anxiety and panic attacks and you should know, of all the causes anxiety is the commonest when it comes to chest pain with referrals to either arms or shoulder blade. This pacing heart all of a sudden with chest pain points towards that.

Nutshell. quit smoking. get some anxiolytics and if need be get some psychotherapy sessions and you wont have a problem.

i hope it helps. take good care of yourself and don't forget to close the discussion please.

Regards
Khan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (4 minutes later)
Why would i have random shoulder pain and it hurt to cough and inhale deeply just for the last few weeks if its just anxiety and amoking? Ive been a smoker for 10 years and i habe dealt with anxiety enough to know that this is not it. XXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (6 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please consider my advice

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for sharing your experience with me!

As i said smoking is a long term damage and chronic smoking shows such episodes eventually. Nobody gets these symptoms from smoking in a day or two but the more chronic you get the more likely these symptoms get into unless it turns into chronic bronchitis, emphysema or any malignancy like adenocarcinoma.

Shoulder pain is always the case when lungs membranes pleural membranes are involved and chronic smoking irritated them the most. Until and unless you try to quit smoking, these symptoms will keep recurring. Please consider quitting this bad habit before its hazards get irreversible.

I did not mean that anxiety alone caused it. But with a past history of it it is probably acting as a triggering factor to worsen the symptoms secondary to smoking induced airway irritation and inflammation and who know may be infection of pleural membranes.

I hope it helps. please get back if you have any more follow up questions. I will be here to prove not being a typical MD but a caring one who considers his patient his family.

Regards
Khan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (24 minutes later)
No im so sorry. I had to wait for you to respond. All I saw was the short answer. I dis not see that you gave me a detailed response. I appreciate your time. I do plan to quit smoking very soon actually and i will work on lowering my anxiety as much as i can. I am so sorry for my rude response!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (43 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
:)

Detailed Answer:
It's ok. I will be here any time you need me.
Stay in touch.
Regards
Khan
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 3613 Questions

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What Causes Pain On Left Side Of Collar Bone?

Brief Answer: Anxiety Plus Smoking Detailed Answer: Thank you for asking i read your question and i understand your concern. These symptoms are not right now due to heart but if you continue smoking eventually your heart is going to fail and the very same symptoms will present them selves but right now your young age and healthy heart is resisting this smoking adverse effects. As you mentioned you smoke half a pack a day, it si more than enough to irritate your airways and give yoru lungs an infection and irritation and result in such pains and symptoms you mentioned. Just quit smoking and you will start feeling the difference. Aslo you mentioned the history of anxiety and panic attacks and you should know, of all the causes anxiety is the commonest when it comes to chest pain with referrals to either arms or shoulder blade. This pacing heart all of a sudden with chest pain points towards that. Nutshell. quit smoking. get some anxiolytics and if need be get some psychotherapy sessions and you wont have a problem. i hope it helps. take good care of yourself and don't forget to close the discussion please. Regards Khan