Sharp chest pain, down left arm and ring finger

[smucklady]

For several years now I have been having very sharp chest pain that moves down my left arm and pulsates in my ring finger. the pain will last only a few seconds, stay away for about 20-30 seconds then hit me again. It is not all over, only pinpointed just above my left breast. This will last different length in time but approx. 15 min hard then start to taper off to several min. between and not so sharp. I can't seem to figure out what brings it on. Sometimes while I am doing light work, sometimes after an afternoon nap, anytime really, but often when I exercise.I can't do a stair stepper because it will bring it on hard, but during stress test done at clinic I did not get the pain on the treadmill. I have had 2 EKGs done over an eight year period and nothing could be found. I found someone who goes around checking hearts with a portable machine and he felt my small artery was clogged. I started taking a natural med called Artery Care and after a couple month stopped getting the pain but now about 8 month later it is starting again. It really makes me feel week and often when it is going away leaves me with a headache on the left side of my forehead. Would you have ANY suggestions?    God Bless.  

[smucklady]

Dear Dr.
I posted some symptoms I was having a while back about some chest pains that I was having. You recommended me getting a CT/mRI, which I have not been able to do, but I have been noticing some of the symptoms when I eat certain foods also and I was wondering what your thoughts would be. I hope you can see the first post that I sent you with the other symptoms. But I have noticed that when I eat pancakes or something with syrup or use the coffee syrups, then within minutes I will get extremely weak, legs will hurt, dizzy, brain feels fussy, can't think straight and sometimes the chest pain follows, also sometimes headaches. I will be extremely out of it for about an hour or so and then start to feel better. It still does not explain why I would get chest pain when I exercise, but I was wondering if that would explain some of the earlier symptoms I asked you about. I wonder if it would be an adverse reaction to MSG or something in the syrups.  

[Dr J Singh]

Hello,

From the symptoms that you described,the first possibility that comes to my mind is brachial neuritis(maybe a part and parcel of thoracic outlet syndrome). Thoracic Outlet Syndrome symptoms are generally caused by compression of the soft tissues at the side of the neck.Nerve bundle called the brachial plexus passes through this area and their compression or entrapment in a certain posture of the body causes pain.

I sincerely advise you to get CT/mRI neck and upper spine done and consult a neurologist and discuss this problem with him.It does not sound like a cardiac pain as the ecg’s have come out clear but it is advisable to get an echocardiography to completely rule out cardiac causes.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted.Kind regards.