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Suggest Treatment For Stress And Anxiety Along With Tingling In Shoulder
Question: I have some health issues. I been lately experiencing heavy body feeling. Some doctors say it's stress and anxiety. For the past couple of months I been experiencing the following symptoms: tingling in the left shoulder that some how connected to my upper left chest area. Sometimes I have pain in that area as well. I did the following test: EKG , EMG, echo for the heart and CT for the heart as well. Did an MRI for the neck and brain.
Did 24 hours urine test. I did a CT for the abdominal area as well. Off course blood test for cholesterol and thyroid. All test were negative. Again all the time I am feeling upper back pain, chest pain, lightheaded and fatigue. I lost 30 pounds as well. So what I am asking is to give me your advice and if i am missing any kind of test to find out whats wrong...i am afraid to exercise because of the chest pain....but my left side some how is heavier than my right side from my head to my feet....
the tingling in my upper left shoulder and my upper left chest area most of the time is happening and I even got some local shots in my shoulder but that didn't help as well.
please help.
thank you
Did 24 hours urine test. I did a CT for the abdominal area as well. Off course blood test for cholesterol and thyroid. All test were negative. Again all the time I am feeling upper back pain, chest pain, lightheaded and fatigue. I lost 30 pounds as well. So what I am asking is to give me your advice and if i am missing any kind of test to find out whats wrong...i am afraid to exercise because of the chest pain....but my left side some how is heavier than my right side from my head to my feet....
the tingling in my upper left shoulder and my upper left chest area most of the time is happening and I even got some local shots in my shoulder but that didn't help as well.
please help.
thank you
Brief Answer:
Seems you are doing all the necessary exams.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. It must be frustrating going through all those tests without an answer.
The good news is that at least for what concerns your brain there doesn't seem to be any serious issue, the MRI of the head and neck you have had is the most sensitive exam at our disposal and the fact it is normal excludes head and neck conditions. The EMG has excluded peripheral nerves involvement as well.
I think the stress test you are going to have is necessary to exclude heart vessels condition which at times can have atypical presentations with symptoms spreading to the upper left limb. You shouldn't be worried as EKG and CT as well as your young age make the chances of that very slim, but it should be done to be thorough.
Looking at the other tests you mention I don't see any x-ray of the shoulder. Since it's a simple test and you've had shots I believe they have done some imaging test, perhaps you forgot to mention I assume.
Also routine blood tests are necessary including blood count, electrolytes, blood glucose, liver and kidney function tests, vitamin B12, vitamin D. Again perhaps you have done most of those since you have already done many more expensive tests. I would also include some inflammation blood tests like fibrinogen, erythrosedimentation rate, CRP (C reactive protein), antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Seems you are doing all the necessary exams.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. It must be frustrating going through all those tests without an answer.
The good news is that at least for what concerns your brain there doesn't seem to be any serious issue, the MRI of the head and neck you have had is the most sensitive exam at our disposal and the fact it is normal excludes head and neck conditions. The EMG has excluded peripheral nerves involvement as well.
I think the stress test you are going to have is necessary to exclude heart vessels condition which at times can have atypical presentations with symptoms spreading to the upper left limb. You shouldn't be worried as EKG and CT as well as your young age make the chances of that very slim, but it should be done to be thorough.
Looking at the other tests you mention I don't see any x-ray of the shoulder. Since it's a simple test and you've had shots I believe they have done some imaging test, perhaps you forgot to mention I assume.
Also routine blood tests are necessary including blood count, electrolytes, blood glucose, liver and kidney function tests, vitamin B12, vitamin D. Again perhaps you have done most of those since you have already done many more expensive tests. I would also include some inflammation blood tests like fibrinogen, erythrosedimentation rate, CRP (C reactive protein), antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you so much for your answer.
Yes, I went to an orthopedic doctor and he did some x-rays and he didn't see any issues.
does the x-rays show if i have any issues with the ribs ?
I will ask my doctor about the list of blood test you mentioned.
what bother me is that while sitting , i am feeling my shoulder tingling and that trigger chest pain as well. It get me stressed.
anyway, thanks again and please let me know if you have anything else that I might check with my doctors.
regrads,
XXXX
also, is there anything do you recommend to do when i have the heavy feeling ?
Yes, I went to an orthopedic doctor and he did some x-rays and he didn't see any issues.
does the x-rays show if i have any issues with the ribs ?
I will ask my doctor about the list of blood test you mentioned.
what bother me is that while sitting , i am feeling my shoulder tingling and that trigger chest pain as well. It get me stressed.
anyway, thanks again and please let me know if you have anything else that I might check with my doctors.
regrads,
XXXX
also, is there anything do you recommend to do when i have the heavy feeling ?
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for bringing some more info.
As I said you have done so many specialized tests so I expected you to have had some X rays of the shoulder. As for the ribs, if included in the picture yes it visualizes their problems well. You also mentioned you had a CT for the heart and that includes the rest of the structures in the thorax as well, so visualizes your ribs even better than common X-rays.
What to do for your symptoms now... a suggestion would be to try something for anxiety, but I wouldn't want to suggest medication before other causes are ruled out (since you are yet to have the stress test). So for now if the symptoms are really bothersome, I might recommend only perhaps a trial of herbal remedies such as L-theanine, hops or chamomille extract supplements (there are many out there but I confess not to know all their english names).
I hope to have been of help.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for bringing some more info.
As I said you have done so many specialized tests so I expected you to have had some X rays of the shoulder. As for the ribs, if included in the picture yes it visualizes their problems well. You also mentioned you had a CT for the heart and that includes the rest of the structures in the thorax as well, so visualizes your ribs even better than common X-rays.
What to do for your symptoms now... a suggestion would be to try something for anxiety, but I wouldn't want to suggest medication before other causes are ruled out (since you are yet to have the stress test). So for now if the symptoms are really bothersome, I might recommend only perhaps a trial of herbal remedies such as L-theanine, hops or chamomille extract supplements (there are many out there but I confess not to know all their english names).
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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