Constant Tingling in Middle of Chest & Shoulder Blades

[Eighty5]

For about 4 weeks now I've been having odd chest sensations which seem to be getting worse and more frequent.

I've been to the emergency room twice, had EKG's done and seen a private doctor, they keep telling me "your heart sounds fine, its reflux, its anxiety, you know the typical things they say to young women experiencing chest discomfort.

Well this doesn't seem like any of those diagnoses so I came here to ask what's you think is going on.

( ( ( I am under 35 years old, don't smoke, don't drink,  have lived a sedentary lifestyle, have high cholesterol since teens and have a murmur / mitral valve prolapse with no family history of heart attack.) ) )

OK KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND HERE ARE MY SYMPTOMS....


I WAKE UP EVERY NIGHT WITH A TINGLING SENSATION IN THE MIDDLE, CENTER OF MY CHEST RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE BREAST BONE / STERNUM. AND LATELY IVE BEEN GETTIN THE SAME FEELING IN BETWEEN MY SHOULDER BLADES, FEELS LIKE I'M CARRYING A WEIGHT ON MY BACK / SHOULDERS OR WEARING HEAVY COAT, which makes me feel slight weakness.

THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR WEEKS NOW. WAKES ME UP EVERY NIGHT I CANNOT SLEEP MORE THAN 4 HOURS WITH OUT WAKING UP WITH MY CHEST BOTHERING ME :(

I DON'T EAT BEFORE BED AND I SLEEP SEMI PROPPED UP JUST IN-CASE and BECAUSE I WAS TOLD ITS ACID REFLUX SO IT CANT BE THAT. AND ANTACIDS DON'T TAKE AWAY THE TINGLING WHICH RADIATE TO MY ARMS SHOULDERS, ESPECIALLY IN BETWEEN MY SHOULDER BLADES TODAY.

I DON'T FEEL ANY SHORTNESS OF BREATH TECHNICALLY... THERE'S NO PROBLEM BREATHING IN DEEPLY, HOWEVER SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T FULLY EXHALE PROPERLY.

IVE ALSO NOTICED NOW THE TINGLING FEELS ITCHY, BUT NO THERE'S NO RASH ANYWHERE ON MY BODY, I CHECKED. ITS ALMOST LIKE THE MIDDLE OF MY CHEST IS BURNING ITCHY AND TINGLY ALL AT THE SAME TIME AND I HAVE THIS URGE TO STRETCH MY CHEST BONE AREA and/or YAWN FREQUENTLY almost as if to get more air or open my lungs. WHAT IS THIS????

I'm starting to wonder if this is a viral infection in my chest wall. I don't know, please help.

I DON'T WANT TO END UP DYING OF A HEART ATTACK BECAUSE DOCTORS REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A YOUNG WOMAN (with high cholesterol mind you) WHOSE NOT OVER WEIGHT (but sedentary) AND DOES NOT SMOKE OR TAKE BIRTHCONTROL PILLS, CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A HEART ATTACK.

Any advice from someone who knows what this is or has the same symptoms would be great!

[ValleyLily]

When I read these symptoms, it reminded how worried I was when I first felt numbness/tingling/burning in similar places. I pictured the worst. That was about 30 years ago, and I'm still here... so that's the good news.  The not- so- good news is... that it took MANY doctor visits, MANY ER trips, MANY tests, MANY expensive bills.... to FINALLY conclude that it was a neurological/immune problem....brain MRI showed demyelation (fancy word for MS).

I don't want to cause panic if anyone thinks, oh no I have the same symptoms of you and the previous poster and now I might go crippled???.... There are some very benign, non- progressive forms of MS/sjogrens syndrome which overlap.  Looking at me, no one would be able to tell outwardly I have this as it never really progressed.  If anything, it improved.  

If you have had recent cardiac tests that didn't explain these symptoms, AND a recent brain MRI with negative results, I then would suggest visiting a rheumatologist and getting your blood tested for sjogrens syndrome antibodies (Anti-La and Anti-Ro) in particular since this autoimmune disease can cause neurological issues similar to what you're describing, that can mimic multiple sclerosis.  Do you have any other symptoms you haven't mentioned?  Dry eyes? Dizziness?

Speaking for myself,  the only thing which helped relieve this was Omega 3's... I began taking flaxseed oil capsules and cut my sugar and carbohydrate intake.  After suffering with this numbness/tingling/ burning/itchy feeling almost 24/7 for years.... I rarely ever get it anymore.

Good luck!

[my_pookie]

Hi.  A few years ago I had very similar sensations. I thought I was dying of heartdisease. I had a CT scan done to check to see if I was having ministrokes. Thank God I wasn't, but I feared I was dying and no doctor knew what was wrong. Long story short.....One year when I went for a visit back home, in  NY, my mom took me to NYC (Columbia Presbratyrian (my spelling is bad, but I'm sure you know where) and after a few blood tests to rule out stuff and an MRI, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  I'm NOT saying that MS is what you have, but wanted to give you something else to look at.  Hope it helps!