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Is Pain In Left Side Down The Arm A Symptom Of Heart Attack?

Posted on Tue, 7 Jun 2016

Question: I have not been able to get in to see my PcP but am still having left side pain (from near my shoulder blade that also goes down my arm into my pinky. I have had ECgs, blood work, chest xrays and finally a CT angiogram that was normal. I am tempted to go back to the ER everytime this happens because i think this might actually be a heart attack. I am so frustrated. Are there any other things I can do before my appointment with my PCP? I am just worried that a heart attack is suddenly happening.

Answered by Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Spondyloarthrosis to check out with your physician as following...

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concern.

Please take note that not all pain on left side are related to heart. It is great that your doctors ran various tests and excluded heart problems.

Now, other diagnosis are to be excluded such as:
- spondyloarthrosis
- or arthrosis of shoulder blade

These conditions are associated with inflammation which is affecting the nearby nerves resulting to pain. In certain weather conditions such as rainy or foggy days, such pain becomes unbearable. Analgesic taken orally or by injection can help ease the pain together with muscle relaxant, massage (physiotherapy) and multivitamins.

Check these two diagnosis out with your physician and try to relax. Anxiety will aggravate your pain unnecessarily.

All the best!
Dr.Albana

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar