Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Sometimes, nerves or blood vessels that affect your arms become compressed. This can lead to numbness, tingling, and pain in your arms, hands, and neck. Your hands might turn pale blue or be slow to heal wounds.
Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome can be treated with medications and physical therapy. Surgery may be needed.
Shoulder Pain And Heart Attack: How Are They Related
When the flow of blood to the heart is obstructed, mostly by fat build up, cholesterol, or other substances that form plague in the arteries leading to the heart, you suffer a heart attack. The blockage in the blood flow can destruct or damage part of the heart muscle. Also, referred to as a myocardial infraction, it can cause death. However, treatment has improved drastically over the years. If you experience a heart attack, dial 911 immediately. But many heart attack symptoms are confusing. For example, lots people just brush off shoulder pain causally and thinks they are nothing to worry about. But the truth is that it may indicate heart attack.
Angina And Heart Attacks
Angina is a syndrome caused by the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart becoming restricted.
People with angina can experience similar symptoms to a heart attack, but they usually happen during exercise and pass within a few minutes.
However, occasionally, people with angina can have a heart attack. It’s important to recognise the difference between the symptoms of angina and those of a heart attack. The best way to do this is to remember that the symptoms of angina can be controlled with medicine, but symptoms of a heart attack cannot.
If you have angina, you may have been prescribed medicine that improves your symptoms within 5 minutes. If the first dose does not work, a second dose can be taken after 5 minutes, and a third dose after a further 5 minutes.
If the pain persists, despite taking 3 doses of glyceryl trinitrate over 15 minutes, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Page last reviewed: 28 November 2019 Next review due: 28 November 2022
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He Had Severe Chest Pain And A Tingling Sensation In His Right Arm
One woman said the pain was so severe that she couldnt speak. Others likened it to having their chest in a vice that was slowly being tightened, or an elephant balancing on their chest. For some people the pain was not severe at first but it kept coming back. It was only when it got more severe that they realised that they had to get help.
How To Cure Numbness From Anxiety
Like most anxiety symptoms, the numbness itself isn’t cured, it’s prevented. Ideally, you need to take steps to prevent your anxiety from coming back in order to prevent this type of numbness from recurring. But if you’re currently feeling numbness and you’ve already been to a doctor that has confirmed you have anxiety, you can consider the following:
- Move Movement is good for the body, and good for blood flow. Ideally you should take a short jog, if possible, since that can have a fairly powerful effect on both anxiety and blood movement. But if you’re too stressed to jog, get up and walk around. Walking is calming for the body.
- Breathe Slower Since many people with numbness are hyperventilating, learn to breathe slower. Make sure your breaths take at least 15 seconds, and that you’re holding your breath for a couple of seconds at its peak to help your body regain its carbon dioxide levels.
- Create Healthy Distractions Both anxiety and hyperventilation become more likely if you’re focusing too much on your symptoms. It can be extremely difficult to distract yourself from these sensations, but it’s not impossible. One of the most effective is going for a walk outside and talking to someone you like on a cell phone. It’s hard to hold a conversation and focus on your symptoms, and that can help you decrease both your anxiety and your numbness.
Otherwise, the cure for anxiety numbness comes from learning to control your anxiety.
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What Can Cause Left Arm Pain And Numbness
This is a great review for our readers who treat pain patients
In some cases, left arm pain and numbness may indicate a heart attack or stroke. These medical emergencies require immediate attention. However, there are other causes of left arm pain and numbness that do not need emergency help.
This article discusses when to call 911 about left arm pain and numbness, and some other possible causes of the problem.
When to call 911
Many cases of left arm pain and numbness are not a cause for concern. But these symptoms can also be the signs of a medical emergency, such as a heart attack.
People must call 911 if other symptoms of a heart attack occur that include:
- pressure or pain in the chest
- pain in other areas of the upper body, such as the neck and back
- shortness of breath
- nausea
- lightheadedness
It is also essential to call 911 for a stroke, which may include other symptoms, such as sudden:
- numbness in the face, arm, or leg on one or both sides of the body
- confusion
Other reasons for left arm pain and numbness can include the following:
1. Poor circulation
Poor circulation can occur from disruptions to blood flow.
Pressure on a blood vessel can restrict blood flow to the limbs and cause numbness in the arms.
Other symptoms of poor circulation include:
- cold hands and feet
- digestive problems
- changes to skin color, such as a blueish tint
One cause of poor circulation can be sleeping in an awkward position. Other causes are more serious.
What Does A Heart Attack Feel Like
Knowing the early warning signs of heart attack is critical for prompt recognition and treatment. Many heart attacks start slowly, unlike the dramatic portrayal often seen in the movies. A person experiencing a heart attack may not even be sure of what is happening. Heart attack symptoms vary among individuals, and even a person who has had a previous heart attack may have different symptoms in a subsequent heart attack. Although chest pain or pressure is the most common symptom of a heart attack, heart attack victims may experience a diversity of symptoms. The following list describes the symptoms of a heart attack in more detail.
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Less Likely To Be A Heart Attack
Sensation of pain, or of pressure, tightness, squeezing, or burning
Sharp or knifelike pain brought on by breathing or coughing
Gradual onset of pain over the course of a few minutes
Sudden stabbing pain that lasts only a few seconds
Pain in diffuse area, including a constant pain in middle of chest
Pain clearly on one side of the body or the other
Pain that extends to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back
Pain that is localized to one small spot
Pain or pressure accompanied by other signs, such as difficulty breathing, a cold sweat, or sudden nausea
Pain that lasts for many hours or days without any other symptoms
Pain or pressure that appears during or after physical exertion or emotional stress or while you are at rest
Pain reproduced by pressing on the chest or with body motion
Chest Pain And Heart Attack Symptoms
Chest pain is only one of the possible signs of an impending heart attack. If you notice one or more of the signs below in yourself or someone else, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.
-
Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, burning, tightness, or pain in the center of the chest
-
Pain, numbness, pinching, prickling, or other uncomfortable sensations in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
-
Shortness of breath
-
Heat/flushing or a cold sweat
-
Sudden heaviness, weakness, or aching in one or both arms
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Have You Been Trying To Convince Yourself That Your Symptom Pair Of A Racing Heart And Arm Pain Is Anxiety Rather Than A Heart Problem
Pain in the arm has many potential causes, and one is a heart problem. This can be either a heart attack or angina.
Angina is a syndrome caused by diseased coronary arteries. The two most common symptoms are chest pain/pressure and shortness of breath.
However, an attack of angina can also cause arm and jaw pain, even nausea. Angina pectoris is not a heart attack its a symptom group of coronary artery disease.
Sudden chest pain with pain shooting down the left arm is highly suspicious for a heart attack.
But what if theres no chest pain and all you have is a racing heart a fast pulse in the absence of exertion or fear and with it is a strange ache in your arm?
It would be nice to know that anxiety can easily explain this away. But it just isnt like that.
If the heart races for any reason, usually as a result exercise, this is normally unassociated with pains in any location, says Morton Tavel, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, and author of Health Tips, Myths and Tricks: A Physicians Advice.
The presence of arm pain under such circumstances suggests that there may be obstruction in one or more arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, with the pains resulting from the increased circulatory requirements that cannot be met by the rapidly beating heart, explains Dr. Tavel.
This type of discomfort always requires professional evaluation.
Anxiety And Physical Numbness
Numbness may occur anywhere in the body. But it’s most common at the extremities. Most numbness complaints with anxiety are related to the:
- Hands
- Legs
- Arms
with some people complaining of a numb face or a numb scalp. There are reports of numbness in other areas of the body as well, although numbness rarely occurs on the stomach. Remember, for some people it can be a complete numbness. For others, it may be that tingling feeling that some people get when their extremities “fall asleep.”
There are two potential causes of this type of numbness. The first is simply over-activation of the body. When you’re having an anxiety attack, blood flows to the areas that “would” need it most if you were encountering a dangerous situation, like your heart and muscles. This is what’s known as the “fight or flight” system.
In order to cover the amount of blood necessary for the fight or flight system, it has to be taken away from areas believed to be less important. That can cause those areas to feel numb.
The other cause is hyperventilation.
Hyperventilation is also common in those with anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. It occurs because anxiety changes breathing habits – not only during an anxiety attack, but also just in everyday life – and those changes involve:
- Breathing too quickly.
- Breathing in too much oxygen while breathing out too quickly.
- Breathing too shallow.
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Why Is My Left Arm Numb
Many things can cause a numb left arm. Some simple explanations might be sleeping on your arm the wrong way or having a migraine headache. Numbness due to those causes will go away in a short time.
However, more serious causes of left arm numbness or tingling that require medical attention include the following:
Heart attack
During a heart attack, a coronary artery becomes blocked. This blockage leads to a lack of blood flow, which can cause left arm numbness. A heart attack often also causes pain or pressure in your chest, neck, arm, face or back. Other symptoms of a heart attack include shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea.
A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you think youre having a heart attack, take an aspirin and call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.
Stroke
When a blood vessel in your brain becomes blocked or bursts, your brain might not get enough blood and oxygen. Stroke can cause numbness in several areas of your body, including your left arm. Other signs include trouble with balance, coordination and speech, as well as headache and confusion.
Stroke symptoms tend to happen on one side of your body. A mini-stroke has similar symptoms, but the decreased blood supply to your brain is temporary.
A stroke is a medical emergency. If you think youre having a stroke, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.
Spinal problems
Nerve problems
Trauma
Poor blood circulation
Allergic reaction
Multiple sclerosis
Lyme disease
Lead poisoning
Shortness Of Breath Nausea And Lightheadedness
Shortness of breath can occur with or without a chest pain during a heart attack. Most people dont realize this can happen before or after a heart attack as wellespecially for women..
Research has found that shortness of breath is the third most reported symptom before a heart attack among women and the top symptom during a heart attack.
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Treating Left Arm Pain
If your left arm pain is benign, you can initially treat it by resting, applying a cold compress to the painful area and elevating your arm. If the pain is caused by a fracture, your arm will have to be immobilised in a plaster cast for several weeks. If it is caused by a musculoskeletal issue , treatment may include painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, and physiotherapy. Using one of the OMRON HeatTens range of pain relievers can also help to relieve muscle and joint pain using a combination of soothing heat and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation . If the pain is caused by an underlying heart condition, the treatment may involve taking medication for pain relief, in addition to making some radical changes to your lifestyle. Finally, if someone is having a heart attack, they must receive immediate medical treatment because heart attacks can be fatal and sometimes require surgery if medication alone does not dissolve the clot that is causing the problem.
References:
Wexler, A. . Why do I have a pain in my left arm? Retrieved from www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317652.php
Pietrangelo, A. . Why is there pain in my left arm? Retrieved from www.healthline.com/health/pain-in-left-arm#takeaway
New Health Guide. What causes pain on the left arm? Retrieved from www.newhealthguide.org/Pain-In-Left-Arm.html
Heart Attack Warning Signs And Symptoms: Digestive Problems
Nausea
Nausea or feeling sick on your stomach is a less common but possible symptom of a heart attack. Sometimes belching or burping can accompany nausea, and some patients have described a feeling like indigestion associated with a heart attack. Women are more likely than men to report these less typical symptoms of heart attack, and some patients have described feeling as though they are developing the flu.
Vomiting
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Heart Attack Symptoms: Women Vs Men
Women may experience classic symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath as many men do, but they also tend to experience stomach pain, back pain, and other non-classic symptoms.
Because of the subtlety in those symptoms, many women brush off these warning signs and already have heart damage by the time they get to the Emergency Department.
And many women put their families before their own health. But you cant take care of your loved ones if your own health is not where it needs to be.
Left Arm Pain: Symptoms Causes And Treatment
Pain in the arms is a common complaint. We use our arms a great deal in everyday life, and the muscles, joints and tendons inside them can all be the cause of this pain. However, arm pain is not always caused by a problem with the arm itself, and may come from elsewhere in the body. In this case, it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. If you feel pain in your left arm in particular, it is important to be vigilant because this can be one of the symptoms of a heart attack. It is therefore important to learn to recognise the symptoms in order to tell if a pain in your arm is a cause for concern, and to know when you should seek urgent medical assistance.
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Brachial Plexus Nerve Injury
The brachial nerves run down the arms from the spinal cord in the neck. Injury to these nerves can interrupt messages from the brain to the arms, causing loss of feeling. This can also affect the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.
Minor injuries can improve on their own. Severe brachial plexus injuries may require weeks or months of physical therapy. Surgery is sometimes needed.
Left Arm Pain Doesnt Always Mean Youre Having A Heart Attack Heres What To Watch For
Left arm pain and how the pain moves can be one of the key differences between mens and womens heart attacks.
In men, the left arm pain will move from the shoulder down the left arm or up to the chin. If the pain comes on suddenly and is unusually severe, or is accompanied by pressure or squeezing in the chest, seek emergency treatment immediately.
In women, the pain can be subtler. It can radiate to the right or left arm. It can involve the chin, shoulder blades and upper back. The pain can reach into the abdomen and feel like nausea, indigestion and anxiety. Women are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain.
Like in men, chest pain or discomfort is a common heart attack symptom in women. The pressure or squeezing can last for more than a few minutes or be intermittent in women. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately if you have heart attack symptoms.
Not all left arm pain, achiness or difficulty moving is a sign of a heart attack. Sometimes the cause is an injury, compressed nerves or other issues that dont involve your heart.
Be mindful of the other symptoms, and if they last for more than a couple minutes, get emergency help.
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