Hi, would really like some help as I'm pretty worried. I am a 20 year male old student and there is history of heart disease and diabetes in my family. Over the past few months I've been experiencing pains in the left side of my chest, basically over the left breast/heart. They are very short pains that come and go at iregular times, however, it seems to have been getting worse.. now when I bend over it hurts sometimes, and I'm also hesitant to turn over in bed.. if I apply pressure at a certain point over my left breast, it also hurts. Sometimes I am afraid to take a deep breathe because I feel it may hurt but 9/10 it doesn't. I never experience shortness of breath, nausea or anything with these pains.. it's just like a sharp prickly/itchy feeling that goes within seconds..

Anyway, yesterday I want to A and E to get it checked out.. they took my blood pressure which was high at first and then did an EKG.. they took my blood pressure again and it was fine.. they then told me the results of the EKG were fine and my heart was in very good shape and nothing was wrong.

I was told to take ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain... I still keep getting it and it continues to worry me.. any ideas?

They are very short pains that come and go at iregular times, however, it seems to have been getting worse.. now when I bend over it hurts sometimes, and I'm also hesitant to turn over in bed.. if I apply pressure at a certain point over my left breast, it also hurts. Sometimes I am afraid to take a deep breathe because I feel it may hurt but 9/10 it doesn't. I never experience shortness of breath, nausea or anything with these pains.. it's just like a sharp prickly/itchy feeling that goes within seconds..


Based on what you described in the quoted section above, the probability that you are experiencing angina is very very low. Angina (for me) came on like a slow rolling wave, not sharp, not pinpointable and not alleviated or worsened by doing things like bending, stretching, etc. It decreased when I was in bed, and returned as I became more active in the morning. It didn't hurt over the breast, it was more neck to shoulder area, and moving downwards towards the elbows, especially on the left side. There was a feeling like I needed a bit more oxygen, so I would take deeper breaths every so often. When the heart attack came, that was the first time I felt nausea, but I had been experiencing angina for 1.5 months by then--I had no clue that that is what it was. Hope the description above puts your mind at ease.

Based on what you described in the quoted section above, the probability that you are experiencing angina is very very low. Angina (for me) came on like a slow rolling wave, not sharp, not pinpointable and not alleviated or worsened by doing things like bending, stretching, etc. It decreased when I was in bed, and returned as I became more active in the morning. It didn't hurt over the breast, it was more neck to shoulder area, and moving downwards towards the elbows, especially on the left side. There was a feeling like I needed a bit more oxygen, so I would take deeper breaths every so often. When the heart attack came, that was the first time I felt nausea, but I had been experiencing angina for 1.5 months by then--I had no clue that that is what it was. Hope the description above puts your mind at ease.

Thanks, it does a bit but there's something wrong. If you don't mind me asking this question.. what does getting a heart attack actually feel like, is it excruiciating pain or does it just worse and worse... what did they do to you after you had the heart attack? Hope you're keeping in good health!

Just a suggestion, but could it be Pericarditis? My friend was told this was the most likely cause of similar symptoms to those you have described. He was told it was nothing to worry about, even though the pains are supposed to be quite alarming. It was suggested that he should try bending over slightly and leaning forward. Although this initially hurts, it would eventually get rid of the pain. If you're worried I'd suggest you ask your doctor to look into it further, but they rarely mess about with these things, and would have dealt with you straight-away if they had honestly thought there was a problem (especially with your family history).

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. The pericardium has an inner and outer layer with a small amount of lubricating fluid between them. When the pericardium becomes inflamed, the amount of fluid between the two layers increases. This squeezes the heart and restricts its action.

This problem occurs most often in men ages 20 to 50. Chest pain is common, especially pain behind the breastbone. Sometimes this pain spreads to the neck and left shoulder. Pain from pericarditis is different from angina. (Angina is chest pain or discomfort due to reduced blood supply to the heart muscle.) Angina feels like pressure, but pericarditis usually is a sharp, piercing pain over the center or left side of the chest. Often this pain gets worse if the person takes a deep breath. Less often the pain is dull. A fever is also common. Often people with pericarditis report feeling sick. Some have pain when they swallow.

It could be that but when the pain happens it is alarming and although the doc said not to worry, you can't help but not worrying.

If you're really that worried, I really think you should make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor is the only one that's going to be able to see if there are any problems, and ultimately, put your mind at rest. They'll be pleased you came to them, as there's no point getting unnecessarily stressed! :)

hi. with your family history, I would just ask for an echiocardiogram and to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours to put your mind at ease.

Also, I get pains like that, and I have stomach problems, and a possible hernia. That can cause pain under your left breast.

Gas pains can also cause pain in the chest. Have you been tested for Mitral valve?
I am no doctor but I hope this helped some.

Hiya AP,

I am discussing this topic as somebody who has gone through it, not as a medical doctor.

Just some information on pericarditis. I have had this off an on for a number of years. It is caused by fluid in the pericardium (the sac around the heart) getting inflamed or infected. The pain with it is not generally to one side of the chest only. It is a centralised pain that goes over the each side of your neck too. Bending forward relieves the pain because the fluid in the sac (pericardium) actually moves upwards and takes the intense pressure away from the area. The pain is (or can be) felt in the back of your neck also and your shoulders. It is excruciating at times, and this is why it is thought to be a heart attack by the patient. I can honestly tell you this isn't so. An ECG will not show anything up because it is not the heart muscle that is affected, but the sac around the heart. Heart attack pains are very different (I know from experience).

Again sickness is another symptom of pericarditis. It is very bile like and bitter tasting. When you are examined for pericarditis, the doctor will hear a "scratch" in the heart area. This will then tell them if or not you have pericarditis. This is something that you need to definitely ask your doctor about. Medication is normally given to relieve the inflammation. As I have said, this is my own expereince, but having it for so long, I do know what pericarditis entails.

I do so hope that you don't have a tendency to pericarditis, and that your symptoms are diagnosed soon. If you need to talk further let me know.

goldenwings :angel:

Hiya thanks for the response.. I have researched into this and am not sure if this may be the case. The pain is generally always over the left breast area and not anywhere else.. it doesn't move to neck or anywhere else... I sometimes have back pain but it's prbably because I'm tall and slouch when I sit down.. I haven't experienced sickness for a long time either.