Chest pains please help

[traciec39]

Hi everyone

Ive been having aches in my shoulders since early July, also my collar bone aches which makes me prod it (silly i know)
Anyway, this week ive been in a real state, went and had a xray of my chest and bloods taken, havent had results yet.
Got into a total panic yesterday and called the emergency doctor, I cant stop thinking im having a heart attack.
The pain in shoulders and chest eases when i lay down, but im having panic attack after panic attack which is making me breathless.
The doctor was lovely and said she really doesnt think its my heart, just very tense muscles that have gone into spasm.
Today my chest aches when i cough and move. The aches are really frightening me, I know its been going on for nearly 8 weeks now, but do you think it is my heart??????
Doctor thinks ive been holding and tensing my upper body in a way as to try and prevent a heart attack, even though i dont realise im doing it.
Please help
thanks xxxx

[nomorepanic]

I don't think it is your heart and I know a bit about heart attacks.

Definintely sounds like tension to me as the doctor said.

You could do with a massage to relieve some tension

[LiquidSky]

Hi tracie, I suffer from anxiety and I get pains in my chest all the time, from postural tension, I don't even realise I'm doing it sometimes, but sometimes I stop and look down and I'm hunching over and tensing my muscles in my chest shoulders and stomach. I would listen to your doctor and feel reassured and try not to worry too much, easier said than done I know. One way of looking at it is this, if you tensed your leg muscles or really worked them out, and tried walking on them the next day you'd get pain in them. Similar with tensing the muscles in your chest, shoulders etc... you cough, your chest expands using the muscles, they will hurt.
As I said, try not to worry and wait for the results :hugs:

[Fly away Katie]

Its probs just tension love.Ive had really bad pain from that before x x x

[traciec39]

Thank you so much Nicola, Liquid and Katie.

Todays been another terrible day, chest aches even after painkillers. Feel like i dont want to move from sofa in case it makes me have a heart attack!!!!! feel as if im holding my arms tight by my side to protect my chest.........sounds pathetic eh? Moving around of lifting my arms definatley triggers the pains.
How am I ever going to get this to stop?
So sorry for going on and on
Luv Tracie xx

[nomorepanic]

Aww you won't have a heart attack but try and be aware that by tensing your body up you are probably making the pain worse.

Try a nice warm bath with loads of bubbles and soft lighting and even candles and a glass of wine if you like

Try to relax and let that tension go ok?

[Spencer]

Hi Tracie :)

I know exactly how you feel with your chest pain. I have had the exact same feeling for the past 3 days and along with having to take extra deep breaths, panicking, thinking i'm losing my mind, and aching arms.

I can assure you if your Dr thought you were having a heart attack he would have dealt with this immediately under emergency procedures, like hospital admissions and A&E.

I attended my doctor with my symptoms and had a blood test and ECG which worried me so much, but having received normal results I am more settled that the symptoms I have are more related to anxiety or even gastrointestinal causes.

Try not to worry, I'm sure everything will be fine. :) x