Could husbands Arm/Jaw pain be heart related

Hi,

I hope you can help me in advising my husband.  He is 37 years old and has a very stressful job.  He lost a grandfather to heart disease in his 50's, but his father is 57 and doing great.  No other family history.

He is a bit overweight, but does exercise regularly.  Recently, he has complained of some pains in his arms in the tricep area when doing cardiovascular exercise.  He also says his jaw hurts sometimes during exercise.  He also gets the arm and jaw pain when stressed, but it comes and goes very fast he tells me.  Both arms, mainly the right and along his left jawline.

He says he has absolutely NO chest pain with this, and I know he pushes it hard.  I've seen him in spin class and on the stairclimber.

His cholesterol is a tad high but has come down with medication.  I fear for him as I lost a brother to heart problems (I know it's NOT the same family history but I am very sensitive to this).

Now, a year ago he did have chest pains, told me, he got a stress test and passed with flying colors.

He said this has come on recently.  We have 2 young kids, and I just want to make sure we are OK. He doesn't smoke, eats OK (not great), and other than his grandfather has no family history.

I don't mean to be paranoid, sorry.

My question is this - Is there much of any chance that these arm and jaw pains are heart related given that his exercise capacity is good, and he gets no chest pain at all?

Thank you, and sorry.

[Cleveland Clinic]

Atypical angina does come from the heart.  Instead of having chest pressure patients experience exertional symptoms such as arm pain or jaw pain, etc.  These symptoms occur with exertion or and go away with rest.  We call them anginal equivalent symptoms.  They may be a sign of blockage in the arteries that supply blood to the heart.  The good news is that he has an excellent exercise capacity and this itself gives him an excellent survival prognosis.  He has to work on getting his risk factors under control.  If his symptoms are more frequent and occur earlier during his exercise routine, I would say that there really is no role for another stress test and that he should have a catheterization.  Stress tests are not 100% diagnostic.  Again, focusing on blood pressure, weight loss, good diet and lower cholesterol should be the primary goal because that's what's going to make him live longer.      

[PED]

I'm so sorry.

I see that my husband posted on this topic just a week ago down the page.  That explains why I didn't have to set up an account on our computer.  Though, in reading the response it appears the quesiton wasn't really answered for what he asked, or it at least confuses me.  The doctor said to not exercise until chest pain... he doens't get chest pain.  It's arm pain and jaw pain, without any chest pain.

Can these pains be heart related without any chest pain?

Thank you and sorry for a sort of duplicate post. - Jenny S.

[chevy man]

hey i'm a 36 yr. old 6'3  335lbs A lil over a year ago i had pain in the chest and left arm. I went to the e.r. and they did E.K.G. x-ray and things of that sort i have had small pains on and off since i have had 2 stress tests and they came out ok i had the ultra sound of the heart and thst was ok i was told i have an hiatal hernia but i keep having chest pains one week ago i got a very sharp pain in the chest and went to the e.r. they said after blood tests and an x-ray they saw nothing that says heart problem. I have gotten nauseous and loss of appetite what should i do HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!! sould i get the catheterization???????

[Eddie 14]

That's for sure.  Getting pains you believe to be cardiac in nature, but with no real idea sucks.  I've been there for a while myself, and I think it's stress, but you can never be sure.  I understand that with risk factors and all being low, not getting cath'd, and I don't want to push an invasive procedure I dont need.  But it can be tough.

[zil]

I am having very, very similar issues to your husband. Though, my internist suggested physical therapy for my arms thinking it is in my neck.  I'm having no luck with that.  I too passed a stress test 2 years ago.  I know my issues then were stress.  Have you learned anything else?