spine porblems and chest pains

[hurtsme]

Ihave herniated discs C5-6 , C6-7 , T12 and bulging discs L5-4,L3-4.L3-2 L1, spinal stenosis seen in cervical , thorastic and lubar. Suffering with pain for 7 months. Pain management , seen orthos, spin orthos, primary neurolgists, soon neuro surgeon
Four weeks ago started getting chest pains , similar to heart attack pain. I has a heart attack 8 years ago so I know what they feel like. the difference with these they lasted at the most 2 mintues.The pain radiateds from back to front of chest , total heaviness feeling , tingling and weak feeling in arm , pain up right side ogf my neck. Can have 1-3 episodes each day , wakes me from a sleep , can happen just sitting still. No reason. I would take my nitros just in case. This goes on for two weeks, I finally see my doctor. EKG done Y bundle shows a difference. Next thing I am in the ED and then admitted for 5 days. All tests done, chest xrays , echo, stress test , bloods drawn every few hurs , hooked to monitor for days. All results come back fine. Discharged  and home for 2 days chests pains still there , I had 6 in one day . So I am back at the Dr. again , another ride in the ambulance to hospital . I spend 2 more days in the hospital . They kept monitoring . Even though I had chest pains staff was not fast enoug to get me on EKG . Discharged again. They told me that they talked about giving me a cath but with all tests coming back good they said nothing justified having a cath and taking a risk. I leave I still have chest pains  along with all of my other pains shoulder , arm, wrist ,hand middle finger, middle of my back, neck, and entire lower back and leg pain to big toe. Can my disc problems cause the chests pains or chould I be looking for another cardiac Dr.
hurtsme

[ggreg]

Dear Hurts,
Oh, yeah, the thoracic spine problem can be directly correlated to chest pain.  That part of the back, the nerves go out from those vertebrae and wrap around the chest.  It can give you a sensation sometimes of not being able to breathe, on top of the pain you feel all the way around from the back to the front of the chest.  If you'll find a chart on nerves, you'll see how the T-spine nerves go around the chest.  If those nerves are impinged or damaged or wrenched out of place, you'll feel it in your chest.

Your other pains in your shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, and neck are all related to your C-spine nerves, which are being ennervated by the damage to the neck you have.  Likewise, that terrible wreckage in your lumbar spine is what's making your lower back, legs and feet hurt.

If physical therapy hasn't been ordered, it ought to be.  If a sturdy back brace hasn't been prescribed, it should be, and you should be wearing it all the time for a number of months.  And any medications (if any) you take aren't strong enough, they should be changed to something more powerful.  But if those measures do not work, then spinal surgery is another option, with one exception.  The thoracic spine is hard to get to, they have to come in from the front, which is major surgery, although with your herniated disk and stenosis being at T-12, it's possible that's low enough for them to go the less intrusive way through the back (I'm not a doctor).

Another reason why I feel pretty sure that all your pain is coming from your spine and not your heart, is because the cardiology tests have more or less ruled that out.  If they haven't already, a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon ought to order an MRI of your entire spine, then they should try all moderate means of treatment, and if those don't work, then they should also seriously discuss with you the option of surgery, weighing  whether adequate pain killers are enough, versus benefits and need for surgery.  One way of possibly telling if it's your thoracic spine that's causing the chest pain, is if they perhaps give you a cortisone or pain medicine shot right in that T-12 location when you're feeling pain in your chest, and if as a result the chest pain disappears, well, there you go (again, this is a layman's opinion).

I have had a similar injury to my spine, and you still being in pain that disrupts your normal life seven months out, to me that's unacceptable, especially in view of all the treatments they could provide you to keep your discomfort down to a dull roar.  But I suppose the confusion over it being your heart has inadvertently put your REAL problem on the back burner.
GG