Chest/back pain

[Shelly80]

Okay, I know I am not having a heart attack or stroke, but I keep getting so scared by these sharp chest and back pains. I have sharp pain that comes and goes, mostly in my upper back, left shoulder blade area.

Add that with my heart palpitations and I'm getting myself all worked up. Its muscular right? Nothing to do with any heart attack?

Its going to be a long night

[Glasgow_guy]

Hi Shelly, I have almost exactly the same symptoms you describe. It is a result of being tense and with tension often comes bad posture or pulled muscles which accounts for how you feel It's so easy to worry about these pains because of our preoccupation with having a heart attack. It doesn';t help that palpitations make us feel like there IS something wrong, when really they are just extra beats that are completely normal.

I'd suggest going to the doctor as he/she may be able to refer you to a physio for back pain or do some tests that will help set your mind at ease. As I've mentioned in other threads, try to distract yourself as much as possible. Listen to music as you try to fall asleep or put on a dvd, do anything that will take your mind of of it. If you can de-stress about it most likely the pain will go away as your muscles get some time to recover from being so tense.

[sammyj]

I went to the doctor for exactly this last week. The pain was so sharp in my shoulder blade (left one) and the center of my upper back. Well I freaked and thought what was causing this. The doctor had me stand up straight and she felt and pressed from my neck down and had me do a few bends and things with my arms and said it was muscoskeletal pain, i think is the term she used. Told me to ice it or use heat. And I sat for a few nights with an ice pack on my shoulder and back and i dont really seem to feel any pain now. We get like this from tension and I also carry the worls heaviest handbag on my left shoulder! Also I found myself sitting at my desk with my shoulders hunched up, just because I was tense to this was obviously causing me muscle pain.I don't think you need worry about a heart attack, but go have a word with your doctor. She didnt give me anything just said take an anti-inflmmatory, ibuprofen.take care

[JennyW]

Okay, I know I am not having a heart attack or stroke, but I keep getting so scared by these sharp chest and back pains. I have sharp pain that comes and goes, mostly in my upper back, left shoulder blade area.

Add that with my heart palpitations and I'm getting myself all worked up. Its muscular right? Nothing to do with any heart attack?

Its going to be a long night

Hi Shelly. This can also be trapped wind, especially upper back as you say. Doesn't sound like anything too serious

[Shelly80]

Thank you for your replies guys. I know I attribute any ache and pain in my chest, or shoulder, or back, or jaw or left arm as a signal that I must be having a heart attack or that one is going to hit.

I appreciate the responses so much. This forum really helps so much.

Shelly