Chest pain and throat pain

[MTV]

I have been having this feeling in my throat for about 2 weeks now.  It started with a small, lumpy feeling in my throat.  Now that feeling has progressed to pain in my chest.  The pain starts at the base of my throat where I feel that lumpy feeling down to about the middle of my sternum.  I have constant pain and it radiates more to the right side of my body.  I also had some pain in my shoulder.  It also have the feeling in my throat and chest of having run really hard, but this is at rest.  It is like a cool feeling with the pain.  Also, when I sleep, I wake up with the pain still there, and also with weird feelings in my arms like they have fallen asleep or the circulation is not great.  I have been to the doctor, no wheezing or odd sounds that they can tell.  He prescribed Bextra and an inhaler, but these are not helping.  The pain is constant and very uncomfortable.  I don't know whether this is cardiac or pulmonary.  I do get pains on the sides of my chest in my lung area and these pains in my chest radiate to my spine.  Like my spinal bones are hurting too.  I can't stand feeling this way anymore.  The doc ordered blood tests to check my thyroid function too...just waiting on those.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  I have a histroy of MVP, hiatal hernia, and GERD.  Had my gallbladder removed in April 2002.  Also have pain in upper right quadrant area.  Thanks...

[CCF-M.D.-KE]

Dear MTV,

Sorry to hear about your chest and throat pain. You describe your pain as being constant and radiating to the right side of your body. Based on what you have told me your pain does not sound like typical cardiac pain. These sensations could be related to your hiatal hernia or GERD.
However, I think it is important to rule out a cardiac cause for your pain. I don't know your medical history, you could have significant risk cardiac factors making a cardiac cause of your symptoms more likely. Therefore, you should consider having an electrocardiagram (ECG), an echocardiogram and a stress test. The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart, which will evaluate your MVP and check for leaking across the mitral valve. The stress test would be to evaluate the heart for areas that are not receiving adequate blood flow, due to blockages in the heart arteries. A stress echocardiogram is a single test which can evaluate the mitral valve and check for blockages. I would recommend seeing your doctor soon and discussing your concerns with him or her.


Thanks for your question,


CCF-MD-KE

[shimiu]

A related discussion, thraot pain reflux was started.