Sharp chest pain

I just had a sharp pain in my chest under my left arm.  It lasted about 30 seconds.  I still feel light headed and weak.  My left arm hurts from my bicipe down.

[CCF HeartMD6]

Arm pain can be caused by a number of different reasons. These include musculoskeletal problems, vascular, cardiac, pulmonary, dermatological, and even GI issues. Arm pain that is associated with "cardiac chest pain" can often times include the left arm and radiate up to the jaw, neck, or back. This becomes more concerning if they occur with exertion, and associated with chest pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, and/or sweating. Risk factors for having underlying heart disease include age > 45 for a male, 55 for a female, a history of smoking, high blood pressure (diagnosed as > 120/80 on 2 separate occasions at least 2-weeks apart), hyperlipidemia, diabetes, or having a family history for heart disease (mother or father having a heart attack <55, or 65, respectively).

If you have 1 or more of these risk factors, and are having chest pressure with this type of arm pain, you should speak with your regular doctor about this for a complete history and physical. He/she will then be able to order basic tests such as an ECG to look for any electrical signs of cardiac abnormalities. If your symptoms should suggest a cardiac etiology, a stress test might be ordered to help further evaluation.