Muscle Spasms that feel like a heart attack
I'm asking everyone if they have experienced this type of muscle spasm, it happened the first time when I was away on vacation in Punta Cuna 7yrs. ago going out for supper and all of sudden I felt this pain start in the middle of my back and radiate around to the front, it felt like I was in a bear hug with difficulty breathing, I was in a 3rd. world country and thought I was having a heart attack so I went to my room and took some ibuprofen and layed down scared to death and it took about 10 minutes and then it was gone. When returning home I went to my family doctor who in turn sent me for test's which came back fine. I've had this happen only a few times since but it can be very scary at the time, after this happened I was talking to my brother and he said the same thing has happen to him. Thorns
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ellen S on -
Robin, I loved the way you phrased "The Softness of my Heart". Just beautifully said!
I have gotten sharp, stabbing pains off and on since being a kid. My hubby gets them as well. I might go a month with them once a day or so, then go 2 years before feeling them again. A doc early on said they were coming from my diaphragm. They usually don't last over a minute tho. Very short-lived. I can't even breathe when they happen tho. Ouch! I've had them take me to the ground, then they're gone.
Now that I have a hiatal hernia I get a lot of chest pain. Nobody ever bothered to check my heart other than a quick listen. Always thought that was a bit strange. Once I was Dx'd with dystonia I just figured it was a spasm like the first doc had said. One said I had a 'rib out'.
The other thing I've had that caused pain in my back that moved around to the front just below my ribs was Kidney Stones. I also did the gallstone thing, but kidney stones take the cake. If you pass the stone, they can disappear within seconds, minutes or take days. I'm sure your doc checked you for that tho if it was in the right place.
So sorry to hear you're dealing with this. Sounds like you have enough without getting caught with a bad pain like that.
-
Permalink Reply by beka on -
If you are not sure of where the pain is coming from or why , have it evaluated. Also forgot to mention, a big culprit of muscle spasms can be a LOW Phosphorus level, which can be checked thru a blood draw. Better to be safe than sorry. Lately there are more and more young people being admitted into the ER with Angina - CP and leaving with the diagnosis of "heart attack'. Only in their 30s and 40s.
beka
-
Permalink Reply by Ellen S on
-
Hmm. My minerals are all messed up. Osteoporosis in my 30's is a drag. That might be it. I haven't had it for a long time now. :) My calcium has been within normal range for almost a year now. Hooray! I will ask about it at the next appt, or the next time I get it, whichever is first.
Thanks Beka! :)
-
Permalink Reply by Bren on -
Beka,
I have had a massage therapist and an allergist recomend magnesium supplements for muscle spasms- ever heard of this? I only associate magnesium for treatment of PIH...sorry. And if blood chemistry is normal would excess magnesium be beneficial?
thanks,
Bren
-
Permalink Reply by BDrake on -
I experienced this again last night during dinner. The pain would come in waves lasting about 20 seconds each and the whole episode only lasting about five mintues but It hurt so bad I slumped in my chair and would grap my chest, and freeze until it went away.
~Becky
-
Permalink Reply by Bren on
-
Thorns,
I have and currently do experience muscle spasms in my chest, off to the right side a little. When they spasm bad I can feel a lump. My massage therapist gave me so good things to think about. I got out an anatomy book and looked at the musculature of the neck...seeing where the neck muscles attach (origin and insertion in the medical field) the sternocleidomastoid does attach right below the collar bone, under the rib. We seem to believe that is where my chest spasms originate. Also, (this is an embarassing symptom to share) but I have experienced nipple discharge now for three years...had the work up to include mammograms and ultrasounds even had my gynecologist culture it. My GYN (whom I work with and consider a very inteeligent and straightforward man) tends to think that the chest spasms are causing the nipple discharge. /He stated that people who have chest wall trauma can have this symptom. Even to this day he stands behind his theory that mine is related to chest wall spasms (even though I've never had chest wall trauma). Maybe others will find this embarassing symptom useful information. I have never had children so never lactated. The discharge is green to black in color and normal from all the reports. Just something to add.
Bren
-
Permalink Reply by Thorns on -
Bren My muscle spasms always started in the middle of my back and worked their way around to my front and my brother had the same experience. I would always get them when I was sitting up for along time say at a friends home or out for the day shopping or just didn't have time to relax in a reclining position. Since I've been going to massage therapy regularly have had no spasms or tightness. Thorns
-
Permalink Reply by MarciaM on -
I have had several episodes where I was worried that I was having a heart attack. My dr said you never let these symptoms go unchecked, so I went thru all the tests for my heart & they found my heart is just fine. So what else do I figure this is but my dystonia causing this?
-
Permalink Reply by CDavidEricson on -
Don't laugh. In a word... gas. Due to spasms, usually caused by stress of some kind, I develop gas bubbles that rub against my heart. One was actually viewed in an X-Ray. I now carry several generic GasX which I take with Valium. I stay extremely still, because every movement feels like a knife through my heart. I used to dislodge them by banging my back against a wall, but I can't do that anymore! This is not a diagnosis for you. Chest pain is very serious. I will probably die of a heart attack someday, taking GasX and Valium instead of calling 911. The only other pain I have had that hurt more was a Kidney Stone. I am a man, so I can not give birth.
Dave
Las Vegas, NV
-
Permalink Reply by Monica Coogan on -
i believe those are called bronchospasms. i forgot what i read about them the other day, but if you haven't looked it up you should perhaps.
-
Permalink Reply by Pete J. on -
Hi,my name is Patrick Jensen and something very similar happened to me when I was seventeen,about six years ago.It has persisted ever since,seeming to get better then becoming far worse at times as well as changing locations and intensity.I'd be very interested in talking to you more.I'm fairly new to computers so maybe you could suggest a way in your reply.
Thank You
P.J.
-
Permalink Reply by hannibalbeck on -
I too have the chest pain. The way my heart doctor put it, or the way I took it is its like an irritated artery. I too have to use Nitro when I have the pain. He said that at the moment it isnt goin to kill me. I am 43 and am a smoker, of course you know he told me to stop smoking. He also told me to take a baby asprin everyday. Ive had the pain in the back as well, oh my gosh sometimes it takes your breath away. I was told by a doctor that that pain is the muscle under your sholder blade, sometimes yes it feels like you are having a heart attack when it goes clear through yo your chest !!!! That muscle is so easy to pull, I can lean to pop my back and pull it that easy. There isnt much you can do for that just try to be still and let it run its course. The last time I puller that muscle, recently even, when I layed down it felt like I was laying on a softball. Well good luck out there and God Bless
© 2009 Created by Marie
