Is this anxiety related?

I've had a bad cold with lots of coughing and now I've got two dull to pinching pain points and wondering if it's anxiety related or something else that I should go to the doctor for. The first and most frequent one is on my left rib side under my arm but even with my left breast, it's pinchy and bothersome.  At times it is pretty hurtful and gets me to hold onto the side where the pain is.Then there is another one just below the rib cage on the left side too. I feel this one more when I'm hungry and this one comes and goes with lots of space in between.

I've been dealing with anxiety for several months and have gotten lots of chest pains but normally they are in the middle or over the left breast. I've had some on the side but it felt different. I've got ecg and ekg in the last year and was told that my heart is healthy and I don't have anything to worry about. Lots of bloodwork too.

What do you think?

[mammo]

I would want a second opinion.  These are real pains, and not is an area where stress would cause a problem.  Chest discomfort can be stress related, but I'd want to make sure that it was stress. Because of where your pain is, I think it warrants looking into a little more, not only with your cardiologist but you also need to see a gastroenterologist to rule out any stomach/intestinal problems, because this could be where your pain is coming from.  Kudos to you for being pro-active on this, and knowing that you have real pain that is not being properly addressed.  I'm really surprised that your cardiologist has not suggested you see a gastroenterologist.
Good luck and take care...

[cj29]

Anxiety can cause all sorts of pain anywhere on the body, in my opinion, especially if we are worried about our health.  In my experience with this we can become oversensitized or even misinterepret symptoms to 'confirm' our fears.  If you doctor says you are okay, then why not believe him/her?  This cycle can go on and on if one does not try to break it in my opinion.  Have you been getting counseling to understand and confront your anxiety?  Going to your doctor to get something checked out is not a bad thing to do whatsoever....if this is a new pain and it has been bothering you for awhile then go ahead and get it checked out, but believe the doctor's diagnosis when he/she tells you what it could be.  In my opinion, if we do not confront the source of our anxiety this can be a cycle that we can get stuck in....keep us posted!

[Paxiled]

How hard are you coughing?  It could also be rib pain from coughing too hard.  Something else to keep in mind when you see your doc.

[Julie359]

You said you have had an ecg and an ekg, so did you have these before all the coughing started or after?  

I think maybe a chest x-ray wouldn't go amiss, just to make sure that there isn't any infection in the lungs, maybe you need a course of anti-biotics to clear it up if this is what it is.  Paxil could be right also, maybe the strength of the cough is causing muscle strain or while in the midst of a coughing fit you pulled the muscle and so now it is sore.  Or it could be anxiety at it's evil best, making you think and worry so much about your chest that it's making the pain feel worse.  Either way i would pop off to the doc's and ask for a chest x-ray just to make sure, cause an ecg and ekg wont pick up anything to do with ur lungs like infection.......

Try not to worry though, much harder said than done i know.... let us know what you decide to do and hope it all gets sorted.  

[MartineMoreau]

I"m in the waiting line to see a counselor I think I still have another two month wait. I don't want anti-anxiety drugs tried it and really didn't like the spacey feeling plus it seemed to make the anxiety worse. I've been dealing with the anxiety using the ONE MOVE TECHNIQUE from Joe Barry and it has helped me immensily.

When I had the ECG and EKG done was months in between and I had lots of various symptomes but mostly left side chest pressure, stabbing and pinching feeling. Like I said I did get some on the side but I don't recall them feeling like this. I'm keeping a daily journal of the symptomes I feel and then will later compare how often and when they come to see if I can see a similarity or something.

The lower rib pain is hard to say when it started but I've been noticing it more in the last few days. I did get hit hard with a stomach flu and am recovering as of today it seems, that may be related we'll see in times I guess.

I was coughing pretty deep and hard, the cold I had included phlegm and when I layed down I would start coughing up a storm. I also wondered it it could be coughing but I am not coughing anymore and still feel it. I have a kiss on my liver and wondering if it could be related to that too.

Since being diagnosed with anxiety I feel awkward going to the doctor with pains cause I feel like they'll just immediately label it anxiety and not go further. It was the case for a pain I had have for over a year after the birth of our last child and I had to get mad and take matter into my own hands cause it was too much and when to the specialist myself Thankfull I had a previous requisition to see her. I don't know if you can related to this too. Which is why I'm keeping a journal and if it keeps up in two weeks I"ll make an appointment to see what it could be.

I just hate how anxiety is making me feel constantly like my body is failing on me and that it's the end. I just hate it  but am happy that it's not as strong as before.

[Julie359]

Hiya again can you tell me how the 'One Move Technique' works? I have heard about this but don't know how its done....thank you

[MartineMoreau]

HI Julie,

If you go to Joe Barry's website you can sign up to the newsletters that give a great insight on the ONE MOVE. They give you great tips and tricks to deal with Anxiety. This was my first step toward somewhat normal again. If you google it you should be able to find the site pretty easily.

[Brianlame]

It's more than likely one of four things.

The two obvious ones are anxiety or minor bruising/discomfort from the coughing.

The other two and possibly likely could be............do you sleep on your side or stomach at all?  I know I get pain under my ribs sometimes and if I switch sides while sleeping it subsides.

The fourth is gas.  Gas can cause weird discomfort.

[Julie359]

Hey thank-you, i'm going off now to have a look.....cheers!!  Hope ur feeling better by the way x

[MartineMoreau]

Mmm.  I do sleep on my left sid eth most but have for years. And I have been more gasy, still I took an appt with the doctor who did't have a night opening for another two weeks so we'll see if it resolves on it's own and if it gets worse then I can get an appt sooner during the day.