Question Title: Pain radiating down left arm

What is the actual cause of pain radiating down
the left arm that is often seen in heart attacks?

Dear Paris

The way the body is wired together, the nerves sometimes get confused where the source of pain originates. Pain radiating down the left arm during a heart attack is coming form the heart, but the body perceives it as originating from the arm.

I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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