Lying Awake Panicking - Please Help?

[malibupete]

I think I've worked myself up into a bit of a frenzy...

I've had left arm pains for as long as I can remember - they're usually at specific points along my arm, points which always feel painful if I prod them (Which I do, annoyingly, most of the time). These come and go.

Recently I've been adding to that with jaw pain, both upper and lower, just below my left ear. These also come and go. I think I have an element of sinus pain, as my left cheekbone is tender to the touch.

Aside from infrequent pains in the top left corner of my chest near the shoulder (again, point-specific) I've not been having chest pains or breathlessness.

But today my upper arm (It's always my left one!) has been aching all over - but it's a muscular feeling, so mostly only hurts when I move it. And I've had horrid pains along the bottom of my jawline - but on the right hand side.

So now I'm here and I'm lying awake panicking - on the verge of calling an ambulance but that feels like it'd be silly. I don't know what I expect from this post, but any help and/or reassurance you can offer would be great!

[Liziik]

Please don't panic hun, have you seen a doctor before about these pains you are having? I am sure there is nothing wrong hun, could it be tension? Hope you are ok and not panicking to much :hugs:

[malibupete]

I haven't - I have massive anxiety around doctors as well... I don't feel like the two pains are connected in any sense that one is 'radiating' to the other, but the minute you type in 'left arm jaw pain' to any checker at all it brings up the reddest of flags...

[Liziik]

Please don't google, you have had these pains for ages it is not a heart attack if it were you would not be on here talking to me. Maybe the fact you are concerntrating on these pains is making them worse? What happens when your working or watching tv or shopping etc? Do you still feel them? Whenever I get pains if I think about them they are 100 times worse! If you need reassurance you can always ring nhs direct :) xx

[malibupete]

At the moment, when I'm watching TV or shopping I'm still thinking about it and prodding if and when necessary! The slightest new pain or sensation sends me into a sweaty panic.

And Googling was a classic mistake, I know; there's very few websites out there containing references to both left arm and jaw pain that don't immediately scream 'You are going to DIE'. And of course, there's always heart attacks that are the exception to the rule, and there's always people who have written about how the arm pain was their only symptom (or worse, their late husband's only symptom) and it just sends you into a spiral of panic.

So I took your advice, and called NHS Direct; immediately I feel more relaxed at least! The helpline is a lot better and more rational than the website, in that it's not just a narrow band of questions... He told me to see a doctor within three working days, which I guess is their way of saying "You're not going to die tonight". So it's bed for me; thanks very much!

[Anxious_gal]

Ah I always feel like I'm forever saying ME TOO.
But anyways I get TMJ, so my jaw often tenses up, I find it can also give me headaches, neck pain and it can travel down my arm.
In fact I had a very bad pain in my left arm and side of neck, it was a scary squeezing pain.

I never had sinus problems till this year. I get pain and lots of pressure in my cheek bones, sometimes headaches and my ears can block up too.

Long warm showes or baths help, the heat eases the muscles and can help clear your sinuses. In fact sometimes I take a bath to get rid of headaches when pain meds don't help.

[Arnie365]

Hi anxious gal, don't feel bad about always saying me too. It's a positive thing!

When i think about it, either this forum is full of people about to have a heart attack or some other serious thing OR its full of people with anxiety! Given some people have suffered from this horrible illness (anxiety) for years with all the same symptoms and are still here should be a huge reassurance. We all share the same symptoms and thoughts and should all take a lot of comfort and strength from this an each other.

I know this can be really difficult to accept when you are in the grip of panic but my advice to anyone is to get your problems checked out and believe the avice you are told.

[malibupete]

It's absolutely reassuring to know that other people are having these awful triple-red flag combinations of symptoms and, y'know, aren't dead, so thanks for all contributions!

It's reassuring that the NHS Supercomputer™ doesn't think I'm in any immediate danger, so hopefully the knowledge that I won't immediately be handed a death sentence and whisked off to A&E will help me overcome my massive anxiety about doctors and go for a checkup over the Christmas break...