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Chronic chest pain deep to ribs on left side
by claytonk, May 11, 2008 12:13PM
I am a med student who has been experiencing a chest pain for 2 years now. I will try to be as specific as I can.
2 years ago, I started getting a squeezing tightness in my chest deep to my ribs just lateral to the mid body of my sternum. Basically right beneath my left nipple. It is a non localized pain, and I can really only ever point to an area when it seems to be coming from. It lasts for upwards of 15+ minutes when it comes on, and is often associated with a very quick and rapid sharp pain that I do not feel or realize is coming on which lasts 1-2seconds. This occurs daily :(
Its onset is often associated with several things. The first being, rest (I never feel it when I exercise), I really only feel it when I am resting. Stress seems to make it worse, however, this semester I am not nearly as stressed as last, and it is still occurring daily, so that is not conclusive. I don't drink coffee at all, and only sometimes alcohol (1xper month on average im guessing). Other than that, I truly have no clue about the onset, it comes on when im eating, sleeping, lying down watching tv...basically whenever, except when im active.
The tests I have had done:
Cardiologist in lethbridge: 3 separate blood tests, 3 separate chest xrays, 1ultrasound of my heart, 2 seperate ECG's and 1Exercise ECG. Not sure what he tested for in blood. All tests came back normal, he suggested a muscle strain.
MD 1 vancouver: barium swallow: finding low-moderate hiatal hernia. He suggested that this was causing the pain. I have been adhering to a strict program for the hiatal hernia now for 1month but it is still occurring.
MD 2 , ND, and DC vancouver all on separate visits independently suggest that the pain I am having is not the type of pain or symptoms you get with a hiatal hernia (50% with a hiatal hernia don't have symptoms). They suggest this was a coincidental finding.
MD 2 and DC on palpation of abdomen note no tenderness near stomach, or diaphragm to back up the claim that the hernia was a coincidental finding. They both however find a very tender spleen on palpation.
MD 2 more blood work: Ka, K, CR, CL, HCO3, AST, ALT, Alk P, TBil, DBil, Alb, tp, CRP, TSR; urine analysis, and fecal samples to rule out parasite and an abdominal ultrasound was also performed. Results are waiting to come in. We both think they are going to show up normal, however, who knows at this point.
I am extremely healthy, I go to the gym 4 days a week, and am active and always have been (BSc. Kinesiology will do that to ya). I am 6.2 180.I never get fatigued with any sort of exercise. My father 55(smoker, extremely unhealthy), has had a heart attack. His mother died of a heart attack at the age of 60 (heavy smoker as well), and my mothers father, has had a quad bypass at the age of 66.
Do you think they may have missed something from the heart exam? Prinzmetal's angina? I hate self diagnosis, but I have almost every symptom word for word it seems and it is plausible to say that they may have missed it with the tests performed.
Any other suggestions would help.
-Clayton
2 years ago, I started getting a squeezing tightness in my chest deep to my ribs just lateral to the mid body of my sternum. Basically right beneath my left nipple. It is a non localized pain, and I can really only ever point to an area when it seems to be coming from. It lasts for upwards of 15+ minutes when it comes on, and is often associated with a very quick and rapid sharp pain that I do not feel or realize is coming on which lasts 1-2seconds. This occurs daily :(
Its onset is often associated with several things. The first being, rest (I never feel it when I exercise), I really only feel it when I am resting. Stress seems to make it worse, however, this semester I am not nearly as stressed as last, and it is still occurring daily, so that is not conclusive. I don't drink coffee at all, and only sometimes alcohol (1xper month on average im guessing). Other than that, I truly have no clue about the onset, it comes on when im eating, sleeping, lying down watching tv...basically whenever, except when im active.
The tests I have had done:
Cardiologist in lethbridge: 3 separate blood tests, 3 separate chest xrays, 1ultrasound of my heart, 2 seperate ECG's and 1Exercise ECG. Not sure what he tested for in blood. All tests came back normal, he suggested a muscle strain.
MD 1 vancouver: barium swallow: finding low-moderate hiatal hernia. He suggested that this was causing the pain. I have been adhering to a strict program for the hiatal hernia now for 1month but it is still occurring.
MD 2 , ND, and DC vancouver all on separate visits independently suggest that the pain I am having is not the type of pain or symptoms you get with a hiatal hernia (50% with a hiatal hernia don't have symptoms). They suggest this was a coincidental finding.
MD 2 and DC on palpation of abdomen note no tenderness near stomach, or diaphragm to back up the claim that the hernia was a coincidental finding. They both however find a very tender spleen on palpation.
MD 2 more blood work: Ka, K, CR, CL, HCO3, AST, ALT, Alk P, TBil, DBil, Alb, tp, CRP, TSR; urine analysis, and fecal samples to rule out parasite and an abdominal ultrasound was also performed. Results are waiting to come in. We both think they are going to show up normal, however, who knows at this point.
I am extremely healthy, I go to the gym 4 days a week, and am active and always have been (BSc. Kinesiology will do that to ya). I am 6.2 180.I never get fatigued with any sort of exercise. My father 55(smoker, extremely unhealthy), has had a heart attack. His mother died of a heart attack at the age of 60 (heavy smoker as well), and my mothers father, has had a quad bypass at the age of 66.
Do you think they may have missed something from the heart exam? Prinzmetal's angina? I hate self diagnosis, but I have almost every symptom word for word it seems and it is plausible to say that they may have missed it with the tests performed.
Any other suggestions would help.
-Clayton
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Also as my cardiologist has suggested you might carry sublingual nitro to try during an episode. If that doesn't help at all, it's probably not Prinzmetal's.