left side of body pain

[lleen]

I woke up on Sunday experiencing pain in my chest going through to my back.  The pain intensified when i raised my left hand, tried to bend over.  I also experienced increased intensity when I tried to get up from a sitting position.  On Monday, the pain was considerably less but there was a slight tingling feeling in my left hand for a while.  It is now Tuesday, the pain in my chest is almost non-existent, only when I take a deep breath I can feel a slight discomfort, there is however a lingering tingling in my left leg.  What can this be?

[lleen]

thanks for the answer

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

First of all, you should go to your local ED to have your heart evaluated as soon as possible. Chest pain can be of many qualities. The classic quality is squeezing sensation as if an “elephant is on the chest”. The pain also classically radiates to the left side. You should have your cardiac enzymes cycled (i.e., taken every 6-8 hours x 3) and also have an EKG and chest xray. When you need to be ruled out for any type of myocardial infarction or other cardiovascular event. It may be recommended that you have a left heart catheterization to evaluate your coronary (i.e., heart) arteries. If this workup is negative, you should follow up with your primary care physician to address other potential causes of chest pain, which can include anxiety, gastrointestinal disorders, and musculoskeletal pains, to name a few.

Again, you need to have your heart evaluated before exploring other possibilities.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.