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What Causes Tightness On The Back, Armpit And Shoulder?
Every so often I get a tightness feeling that starts on the left side of my back, kind of in the shoulder area and armpit. It moves to the rest of my upper body. Breathing is fine but I feel weak maybe a little short of breath. It lasts about a minute. And I have to hold on to something because I feel like I m going to fall, although I never have. Afterward I m a bit warm and dizzy. My doctor said it was muscular, but I ve never had this feeling before a year ago. It doesn t feel like muscle tension. What could it be? What kind of doctor should I see to have it check?
Wed, 26 Oct 2016
Hi there,
To narrow down the possible causes of your symptoms, we need to consider several other factors. Right now, I would like to rule out angina, which is pain from a blockage of the vessels in the heart; or reflux, which is acidity in the stomach that rises to the chest.
Symptoms of angina can be felt over the side of the chest or even the back in some people. The dizziness and feeling of being short of breath makes this more likely. Other things to consider are:
1. Your age. The older you are, the more likely that you have blocked arteries.
2. Other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.
3. Your other risk factors, like smoking, fitness level, history of heart attacks in the family.
Reflux is also typically felt in the chest but can present over the areas you described too. Other things to ask yourself:
1. Is there other symptoms of acidity, like burping, bloating, acid taste at the back of the throat?
2. Is there a typical pattern of when it comes, for example after heavy meals, with stress, when lying down?
If in doubt, I would go to a cardiologist first to check out the heart, because a blocked coronary artery is a lot more life threatening than just some acidity.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Dr. Teh
To narrow down the possible causes of your symptoms, we need to consider several other factors. Right now, I would like to rule out angina, which is pain from a blockage of the vessels in the heart; or reflux, which is acidity in the stomach that rises to the chest.
Symptoms of angina can be felt over the side of the chest or even the back in some people. The dizziness and feeling of being short of breath makes this more likely. Other things to consider are:
1. Your age. The older you are, the more likely that you have blocked arteries.
2. Other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.
3. Your other risk factors, like smoking, fitness level, history of heart attacks in the family.
Reflux is also typically felt in the chest but can present over the areas you described too. Other things to ask yourself:
1. Is there other symptoms of acidity, like burping, bloating, acid taste at the back of the throat?
2. Is there a typical pattern of when it comes, for example after heavy meals, with stress, when lying down?
If in doubt, I would go to a cardiologist first to check out the heart, because a blocked coronary artery is a lot more life threatening than just some acidity.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Dr. Teh
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