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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Palpitations, chest pain and numbness
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Palpitations, chest pain and numbness
by NEnglish, Aug 11, 2006 12:00AM
Hi there,
I'm just after a bit of advice as to whether i should be worrying about my symptoms.
I'm 24 year old female. Fairly fit, i swim and cycle regularly.
About 3 months ago, while watching tv, totally relaxed i experienced something weird. My heart just began pounding really hard for about 45secs to the point i could actually hear it! They were fairly slow beats but i felt as though my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
Since then - and i don't know if it is through worry, i have experienced strange rhythms. While sunbathing once i noticed my heart rate was extremely high, at a rate i'd normally experience during exercise - without thinking about it.
During swimming i sometimes experience a sharp pain in my chest. I've been swimming for years and never had a problem so wouldn't put this down to my fitness. i also get this during the day now.
The last two mornings i have woken up with my right hand completely numb, yesterday i thought it may have been due to my arm being above my head but when i woke this morning and during the night last night i had the same numbness - twice in the night worried me.
I have been under a fair bit of pressure lately, i'm making a career move (police force) and am currently going through the application process. Would stress cause these symptoms.
I wanted to come on here, not to get a diagnosis but to see if it is anything to worry about and if i should go to the doctor - i was trying to avoid this due to my application as any heart related issues on my doctors notes would be an instant fail.
Any help?
I'm just after a bit of advice as to whether i should be worrying about my symptoms.
I'm 24 year old female. Fairly fit, i swim and cycle regularly.
About 3 months ago, while watching tv, totally relaxed i experienced something weird. My heart just began pounding really hard for about 45secs to the point i could actually hear it! They were fairly slow beats but i felt as though my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
Since then - and i don't know if it is through worry, i have experienced strange rhythms. While sunbathing once i noticed my heart rate was extremely high, at a rate i'd normally experience during exercise - without thinking about it.
During swimming i sometimes experience a sharp pain in my chest. I've been swimming for years and never had a problem so wouldn't put this down to my fitness. i also get this during the day now.
The last two mornings i have woken up with my right hand completely numb, yesterday i thought it may have been due to my arm being above my head but when i woke this morning and during the night last night i had the same numbness - twice in the night worried me.
I have been under a fair bit of pressure lately, i'm making a career move (police force) and am currently going through the application process. Would stress cause these symptoms.
I wanted to come on here, not to get a diagnosis but to see if it is anything to worry about and if i should go to the doctor - i was trying to avoid this due to my application as any heart related issues on my doctors notes would be an instant fail.
Any help?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-MJM, Aug 11, 2006 12:00AM
Hello,
I cannot think of a unifying diagnosis that would cause that constellation of symptoms. From what you describe, I do not think there is anything wrong with your heart. If you came to my office I would check an EKG, holter monitor, and maybe an echo depending on your physical exam. You shouldn't fear going to the doctor because of your application. The truth is that if something were wrong with your heart, you need to know. Plus, if there is nothing wrong with your heart, the reassurance could help you move on.
Regarding the numbness, I'll bet you slept on it funny. If it keeps happening, you should see a doctor.
It is not uncommon for stressful times making someone wonder if they are sick or if something is wrong with them. A doctor may help with reassurance.
Good luck with your new job and thanks for posting.
I cannot think of a unifying diagnosis that would cause that constellation of symptoms. From what you describe, I do not think there is anything wrong with your heart. If you came to my office I would check an EKG, holter monitor, and maybe an echo depending on your physical exam. You shouldn't fear going to the doctor because of your application. The truth is that if something were wrong with your heart, you need to know. Plus, if there is nothing wrong with your heart, the reassurance could help you move on.
Regarding the numbness, I'll bet you slept on it funny. If it keeps happening, you should see a doctor.
It is not uncommon for stressful times making someone wonder if they are sick or if something is wrong with them. A doctor may help with reassurance.
Good luck with your new job and thanks for posting.
Thanks for your comments. I am putting it down to anxiety/stress as this seems to fit. I haven't experienced any more numbness, so am assuming that I had 2 strange nights sleep as these were the nights around my police assessment.
If I have anymore concerns I will see a doctor.
If anything was wrong it would be an automatic fail, if i go to the doctors and he diagnoses it as stress or anxiety it will also look bad and I would probably end up with a deferred medical whereby they would contact the doctor for more details.
Thanks again.
Natalie
i had all of the symptoms u had including arm numbness, racing heart ect ect ect. i remember one morning i woke up and my heart was racing and i had my mother drive me to the hospital, when they checked me out and said it was just anxiety, which really annoyed me cuz i was fully convinced something was wrong with my heart. so being the worry-wart person that i am, i contacted the carteologyst <---- spell check =) and had them run every test in the book, they couldnt find anything either which really gave me peace of mind honestly. i, at the time had a great deal of stress and pressure in my life which i believe then led to the panic attacks and racing heart. if you dewl and dewl on the symptoms, they sometimes make you think they are getting worse, at least thats what happened to me. dont quote me on this, but it sounds alot like anxiety which 99.9% of the time makes you feel like there is something seriously wrong with you when in reality you are completely healthy. i am the same age as you and i completely know how u feel, im certain that you are completely healthy =)...but just for peace of mind, it wouldnt hurt to see a doctor..chances are its prolly anxiety and if it is, they can pricribe you anti-anxiety medication which totally made my symptoms go away...good luck wtih you and your new career...you'll be just fine