Racing Heart, Sharp Pain In Chest And Have Sweaty Palms. What Could Be Causing This?

Posted on Tue, 5 Feb 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 Answered on

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My wife experiences occasional severe pain that can start in the side or back that moves to the center of her chest and develops sweaty palms and a racing heart. Soda or chamomile tea will make her burp and the pain will slowly diminish. This does not seam to be related to eating or stress. Some time these are present and sometimes not. Is this anxiety or something else?

Answered by Dr. Hari Charan Perigela (41 minutes later)

Hi,

Thanks for the query.

The pain that is starting in the side and radiating to the centre of the chest may be of Musculoskeletal in nature. But a cardiac component has to be ruled out through investigations. If it is a musculo-skeletal pain, it will be relieved by Muscle relaxants.

Anxiety may be initiated with the pain the chest. Because of that, she might have sweaty palms and raised heart rate.

The Soda and Tea do not have any particular action on these complaints. She may be feeling psychologically regarding the pain getting reduced by Tea or Soda.

I would suggest the following.
- Visit your family physician to do a thorough physical examination.
- Investigations like ECG, Echocardiogram, Tread mill test etc may be required.
- Meanwhile, she can apply analgesic gel at the site of pain.

Ask her to do minor works like Gardening which stretches her muscles.

Please assure her not to worry.
Wish her good health

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Mohammed Kappan