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Pain in the left side of chest
Hello,
I'm a 15 year old obese male, and i've been having this sharp pain in the left side of my chest,more specifically near the underarm area. The pain is sudden and doesnt last very long (10-20 seconds) and sometimes it spreads to my bicep. It happens 4-5 times during the day. I had an appointment at the cardiologist and i've done ecg as well as ultrasound and everything came up normal. Following that i had an x-ray of my chest aswell as blood tests,which again came up fine.
This is happening for like a month now, and my health anxiety is getting worse,does anyone have an idea what this is about?
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I haven't had a stress echodiagram,no shortness of breath and sometimes the pain radiates to my bicep muscle.Thanks for the tips on how to relieve my anxiety! I don't like school too much but if i had to choose I'd choose history for my favorite subject.I like playing video games in the pastime,takes my mind off the anxiety.
@kromp there are several possibilities... all of which we can talk about in the future. Right now, you have school in the morning.... and you need your rest! You are a smart kid, and I am amazed at your ability to advocate for yourself at such a young age. Keep doing that! Do you think you will be able to fall asleep? Googling potential causes of your symptoms will not alleviate your anxiety, it will just add to it at this time of night it will also make your symptoms more noticeable. Music is a good distraction for anxiety, I know you must have a favorite band? Maybe you can play something, that is relaxing. The thing that works best for me at night is free... its is your imagination... put yourself in your favorite places and daydream! If all fails, please go wake up your parents and let them know. @kromp does that sound reasonable to you? I do want you to get some sleep, and if the pain is there or the anxiety at this point you need to let someone know. Easier said than done I know!! I use these videos to help me sleep... there is a bunch of them on you tube.... find one you like... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zljg2ptExHc Keep me posted how you are doing!
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1 ReactionHi @kromp, I agree 100% with the tips that @kariulrich has been sharing with you. You are a very articulate and informed young man. Good for you for taking charge of your health. But as a mom, I know that anxiety can loom larger at night and that sleep is a very important part of your health too.
Let's concentrate on getting some sleep tonight first of all. I like Kari's suggestion of listening to music. My daughter is your age. She likes using autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos from YouTube to help her fall asleep, especially when she is feeling anxious. Make sure you turn off the screen or put your phone in a sock so you don't see the light, and put notifications on sleep mode.
If you're still having troubles relaxing, please tell your parents. Even if you have to wake them up. They would want to know. How about you try and get some sleep now. Okay?
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2 Reactions@kariulrich I fell asleep soon after my last post, and i just came back from school. I have experienced the pain yet again randomly in class.I didnt tell my parents about my anxiety yet because they already seem annoyed and call me a hypochondriac.Also i forgot to mention the pain has been happening almost every day for like a month now.
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1 ReactionHi @kromp, I'm glad you were able to finally fall asleep last night.
Please note that the Mayo Clinic Connect Terms of Use state: "You acknowledge that you are 13 years of age or older, and, if under the age of 18, are using this web site under the supervision of a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult." https://connect.mayoclinic.org/terms-of-use/
Therefore we suggest that it is very important that you speak to a trusted adult about the anxiety and the pains you are experiencing. Can you talk to a trusted teacher, or a guidance counsellor, nurse or social worker at school?
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1 Reaction@kromp I am so happy to hear you were able to sleep! I understand that you might be hesitant to tell your parents, but as a parent I would want to know. Another resource is a trusted teacher at school or the school nurse. I know it is difficult, but you are very articulate and can express your thoughts well. Symptoms are difficult to navigate, they are real and they need to be addressed by a team of people. Parents may seem annoyed, but most of the time they are hurting because you are hurting and we don't always express things the way we should. We can be of a support here, but we cannot diagnosis or get you the proper healthcare you deserve. Let me know when you have reached out to a trusted adult, ok? You got this!
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1 ReactionGlad you checked it out with the doctors, and they say you're ok. It could be emotional pain. I have found that yoga stretches help with emotions since they circulate all those stresses that may get stored in one area of the body. Stretches and other forms of exercise move the muscles, and muscles store emotions. And also deep breathing helps too.