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shortness of breath/chest tightness with no other symptoms
I am a perfectly healthy, athletic 30-yr. old female who for the past week has been experiencing difficulty breathing with a tightness in my left upper chest. I struggle to get a deep breath and sometimes have to yawn to do so. If I thought about it enough and panicked, I could hypervetalate trying to catch my breath. The only relief I get is when laying down to sleep or rest. This started out of nowhere. At first I suspected allergies--don't have a problem, but had spent the weekend outdoors and had kicked around some hay (literally) which I felt may have irritated my throat/chest. Two days ago had a chest x-ray and EKG. Doc sent me away like I was crazy telling me that it was probably stress or anxiety (even though I told him I didn't feel stressed or anxious) and to take a xanax and I would be better in a couple of days. Any thoughts? If it's nothing, great! But I have tried to 'think my way out of it' and have ahd plenty of rest humoring the idea that it is stress. Could a chest x-ray miss something like pleurisy or something else that might not show-up on an x-ray?
You guys, reading this has helped me a lot. John, I am glad you found so many things that work for you and congratulations. But once I googled hyperventilation syndrome everything made sense to me. I have been having chest tightness and "trouble breathing" for a year, my doctor thought it was mild asthma, I used the inhaler but it wasn't quite the right thing I could tell. Then after another episode she thought I just needed rest and sleep. The odd parts to me were the constant chest pain and tightness, but otherwise everything was pretty normal, no cough, etc, and I thought I was crazy but I also was kind of lightheaded with slightly tingly fingers and arms. I have been so worried that all sorts of things were wrong with me. Weird chemical exposure? MS? Allergies to my house??? Lung damage? But the hyperventilation syndrome explains all of it and for once it makes sense. I am anxious and stressed a lot and I have been breathing with my upper chest to the max. Belly breathing is helping me to feel better already just today and I am going to work hard to make it a habit and get rid of this syndrome. Thank all of you so much for your posts. This has helped me to figure it out before all of the tests and wasted time and money. I am a 31 year old marathon runner otherwise in great health so it was particularly perplexing. Thank you again.
I have similar symptoms to most of you: can't seem to get a full breath, yawning to fill my lungs, tightness in my chest. I also get a burning sensation in my chest at the very outside, near my underarms. This has happenend on and off over the years but I am two weeks into the last episode with no end in sight.
I think the cause is something real, but my anxiety about it definitely makes it worse. I am better at night when I am laying down. Some days I hardly notice it at all and other days I struggle all day long. Dr. put me on meds for acid reflux and i am currently trying an inhaler to see if it helps at all.
It's comforting to know I am not alone with this. I am a healthy, active 32-yr-old female. Before this last episode hit I was running two miles a day. I am healthy except for this. It is frustrating and a bit scary.
I think the cause is something real, but my anxiety about it definitely makes it worse. I am better at night when I am laying down. Some days I hardly notice it at all and other days I struggle all day long. Dr. put me on meds for acid reflux and i am currently trying an inhaler to see if it helps at all.
It's comforting to know I am not alone with this. I am a healthy, active 32-yr-old female. Before this last episode hit I was running two miles a day. I am healthy except for this. It is frustrating and a bit scary.
Wow, I
Adam,
The numbness and tingling in your arms is a sign of problems with your nervous system- which could include the brain. That is not to say that it is or is not "serious". It seems likely that stress is one part of the cause, in that if my memory serves me correctly stress consumes B vitamins faster than normal. B vitamins are involved in the construction and maintenance of your nervous system. B12, for example, is used to make a sheath that covers your nerves to protect them. You probably need more B-vitamins, so I recommend you take a B complex. Also the nerves that seem affected are the ones near your neck, so be careful not to massage them too much.
In my experience, what I've learned is that there are a great many things that can cause difficulty breathing, and that while some of them it's important to get diagnosed, most of them can and should be treated with good nutrition either way- and not just relying upon getting enough fruits and veggies either. That is what you can do to help. As for what the cause of your problem is- and whether it is entirely stress related- that I can't say.
I will say, however, that if you go to doctors the way they diagnose a stress problem is usually one of two ways. Either 1) They jump to a conclusion (not good), or 2) They try to rule everything else out first (not cheap, but sometimes necessary) and when they can't they say "yup, must be stress". It could be a heart condition, for example. Even with a heart condition though good nutrition is important.
One last thing. You mentioned your problem used to occur mostly at night. If you mean "while going to sleep", consider the possibility that stomach acid is playing a role- i.e. acid reflux. When the nerves are irritated around that area it can cause a form of asthma- varying in severity. The significance about lying down is that your more susceptible to acid coming up when you recline. You may want to look at what you're eating when you're doing worse- i.e. is it acidic or fatty foods? fried? those are the ones that tend to cause the most trouble for people with acid reflux.
The numbness and tingling in your arms is a sign of problems with your nervous system- which could include the brain. That is not to say that it is or is not "serious". It seems likely that stress is one part of the cause, in that if my memory serves me correctly stress consumes B vitamins faster than normal. B vitamins are involved in the construction and maintenance of your nervous system. B12, for example, is used to make a sheath that covers your nerves to protect them. You probably need more B-vitamins, so I recommend you take a B complex. Also the nerves that seem affected are the ones near your neck, so be careful not to massage them too much.
In my experience, what I've learned is that there are a great many things that can cause difficulty breathing, and that while some of them it's important to get diagnosed, most of them can and should be treated with good nutrition either way- and not just relying upon getting enough fruits and veggies either. That is what you can do to help. As for what the cause of your problem is- and whether it is entirely stress related- that I can't say.
I will say, however, that if you go to doctors the way they diagnose a stress problem is usually one of two ways. Either 1) They jump to a conclusion (not good), or 2) They try to rule everything else out first (not cheap, but sometimes necessary) and when they can't they say "yup, must be stress". It could be a heart condition, for example. Even with a heart condition though good nutrition is important.
One last thing. You mentioned your problem used to occur mostly at night. If you mean "while going to sleep", consider the possibility that stomach acid is playing a role- i.e. acid reflux. When the nerves are irritated around that area it can cause a form of asthma- varying in severity. The significance about lying down is that your more susceptible to acid coming up when you recline. You may want to look at what you're eating when you're doing worse- i.e. is it acidic or fatty foods? fried? those are the ones that tend to cause the most trouble for people with acid reflux.
Hello my name is Adam and I have been having difficulty breathing off and on the past year or so. I am 25 years old and have been smoking since I was 11. I have been clean and sober now for 18 months. I used Speed and drank off and on the last 7 years of my life. Everytime I ask somebody about my chest discomfort they say that it is due to stress. I recently started a new job where I make more money than I have ever made in my life, however I am in sales so I am constantly under pressure to perform day in and day out,not to mention that I also have 2 kids.
It used to be that my chest would only bug me at night when I layed down for bed, but now it seems that it affects me during the day as well any thoughts would be appreciated?
One more thing when I am finaly able to get into a comfortable position to fall asleep If I lay wrong I wake up with both my arms numb, tingling, and in alot of pain is there something wrong or am I just paranoid?
Regards,
Adam
It used to be that my chest would only bug me at night when I layed down for bed, but now it seems that it affects me during the day as well any thoughts would be appreciated?
One more thing when I am finaly able to get into a comfortable position to fall asleep If I lay wrong I wake up with both my arms numb, tingling, and in alot of pain is there something wrong or am I just paranoid?
Regards,
Adam
What kinds of tests? Did they test for a blood clot? I'm not a doctor, but the first things that come to my mind are:
1) Heart blockage
2) Blood pressure drops too much when walking because blood goes down to feet. This could be made worse by dehydration but could also be related to strength and health of veins. I'd recommend looking into vein strengthing products like pomagrante.
3) Blood sugar drops and isn't replenished fast enough. I don't know very much about this at all. You could probably get some kind of blood sugar test done that tests how things look after walking. I'd suggest chromium supplements to help control blood sugar levels, but you'd have to be careful with this because it could make your blood sugar levels go too low if it isn't related to the problem. I think this is usually used for people that have high blood sugar not low. Has he been tested for sugar problems?
1) Heart blockage
2) Blood pressure drops too much when walking because blood goes down to feet. This could be made worse by dehydration but could also be related to strength and health of veins. I'd recommend looking into vein strengthing products like pomagrante.
3) Blood sugar drops and isn't replenished fast enough. I don't know very much about this at all. You could probably get some kind of blood sugar test done that tests how things look after walking. I'd suggest chromium supplements to help control blood sugar levels, but you'd have to be careful with this because it could make your blood sugar levels go too low if it isn't related to the problem. I think this is usually used for people that have high blood sugar not low. Has he been tested for sugar problems?
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