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What Causes Pain In Left Arm With Dizziness And Heaviness?
Question: Hi, Yesterday I had pain and discomfort on my left arm and been having giddiness and heaviness in head for the past few days. When I go outside and walk for while or if I do treadmill for a while say beyond 10 minutes at 8kmph, I feel dizzy, sweat on the face, and I feel uncomfortable (Currently, I'm on 1 month medication for IBS - using sompraz L, Sibofix, Econorm, naturolax) Got heart related tests done. Attaching my reports. Please advise if the reports are fine.
Brief Answer:
please see details.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Your ECHO study do not show any abnormality. The TMT is also normal with fair exercise capacity, though they could have made you run a bit more. Your blood sugar fasting and post-prandial levels are within normal limits. The lipid profile is also normal for your age, if you don't have any existing cardio-vascular disease. Marginally high triglycerides need only life style modification in form of weight control, avoidance of alcohol/ smoking and regular exercise. Urea , creatinine, LFT, CBC, urine examination are all within normal limits.
Part of your ECG does not appear in the picture.
Since you had a pain left arm, yesterday only, you must visit your GP for its evaluation. Giddiness and heaviness of head may be related to any general illness, sinus or ear problem or can have a neurological cause. This requires clinical examination.
A normal TMT never gives assurance about future events. However a typical pain of angina comes with exertion, subsides on rest, can not be elicited by pressure or touch or change in posture or cough, does not lasts for less than a minute or hours together. Your exercise capacity seems fair, so symptoms are probably due to over exertion on treadmill.
Hope this helps.
sincerely
Sukhvinder
please see details.
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Your ECHO study do not show any abnormality. The TMT is also normal with fair exercise capacity, though they could have made you run a bit more. Your blood sugar fasting and post-prandial levels are within normal limits. The lipid profile is also normal for your age, if you don't have any existing cardio-vascular disease. Marginally high triglycerides need only life style modification in form of weight control, avoidance of alcohol/ smoking and regular exercise. Urea , creatinine, LFT, CBC, urine examination are all within normal limits.
Part of your ECG does not appear in the picture.
Since you had a pain left arm, yesterday only, you must visit your GP for its evaluation. Giddiness and heaviness of head may be related to any general illness, sinus or ear problem or can have a neurological cause. This requires clinical examination.
A normal TMT never gives assurance about future events. However a typical pain of angina comes with exertion, subsides on rest, can not be elicited by pressure or touch or change in posture or cough, does not lasts for less than a minute or hours together. Your exercise capacity seems fair, so symptoms are probably due to over exertion on treadmill.
Hope this helps.
sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Thank you doctor for the explanation. I have few more questions 1. What is the good frequency to get these cardiac related tests (once in six months or will once in a year will suffice?) for the general upkeep of cardiac health 2. Is 2D echo test superlative of TMT and ECG or are all these tests independent of each other and are required to get comprehensive heart check? 3. If the pain in left arm is not cardiac related, what could be the possible causes/reasons I had this persistent discomfort and pain of the left arm 4.Yes, I do have little of sinus issue reference to my report that I've uploaded. However, in your response, you mentioned possibility of ear problem or neurological problem. Can you please explain what could be these issues
Brief Answer:
Please see below
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
1. General upkeep of your health does not depend upon getting regular check-ups and there is no such frequency mentioned for such tests like TMT or ECHO. Lipid profile may be checked every 5 years or more frequently, depending upon results and risks. Blood sugar should be checked every 3 years after the age of 45 years. Best way to keep a good cardiac health is too do daily exercise, no smoking, no psychosocial stress, good control of blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar. If you develop any symptoms on exercise , then consult your doctor.
2. All these test provide specific information and are indicated in specific situations. They should not be done in each and every case.
3. The pain in left arm may be a cardiac event. I only narrated the features of typical cardiac pain. Every medical condition has a typical history , its specific examination and investigational findings. We can discuss only historic aspect here. So, to rule out a condition, we need examination; that's why I asked you to consult your GP. Other possible causes can be a local shoulder/elbow joint or muscle/ soft tissue related pathologies. At times, especially in older individuals, cervical spine pathologies can cause similar symptoms.
4. Vertigo and headache may be secondary to problems of ear and ear canal. this may be a simple viral infection or bacterial infection. A neurological cause may also have focal deficit like inability to speak properly, altered defecation, altered swallowing, altered urination etc. However, more commonly there are simple causes like a viral infection of upper respiratory tract. Do consult your GP.
sincerely
Sukhvinder
Please see below
Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
1. General upkeep of your health does not depend upon getting regular check-ups and there is no such frequency mentioned for such tests like TMT or ECHO. Lipid profile may be checked every 5 years or more frequently, depending upon results and risks. Blood sugar should be checked every 3 years after the age of 45 years. Best way to keep a good cardiac health is too do daily exercise, no smoking, no psychosocial stress, good control of blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar. If you develop any symptoms on exercise , then consult your doctor.
2. All these test provide specific information and are indicated in specific situations. They should not be done in each and every case.
3. The pain in left arm may be a cardiac event. I only narrated the features of typical cardiac pain. Every medical condition has a typical history , its specific examination and investigational findings. We can discuss only historic aspect here. So, to rule out a condition, we need examination; that's why I asked you to consult your GP. Other possible causes can be a local shoulder/elbow joint or muscle/ soft tissue related pathologies. At times, especially in older individuals, cervical spine pathologies can cause similar symptoms.
4. Vertigo and headache may be secondary to problems of ear and ear canal. this may be a simple viral infection or bacterial infection. A neurological cause may also have focal deficit like inability to speak properly, altered defecation, altered swallowing, altered urination etc. However, more commonly there are simple causes like a viral infection of upper respiratory tract. Do consult your GP.
sincerely
Sukhvinder
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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