What Causes Pain In Chest On Right Side?

Brief Answer:
Always starting with primary physician in the best option

Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon young lady.....and I do mean YOUNG lady.....you are but a few years my XXXXXXX and so I consider that young indeed! HA! I am a neurologist practicing in XXXXXXX OH and hope to be able to make some sense of a few of these symptoms to help you find the right treatment and people to help you.

My opinion is that it is always best to start with your primary care physician when trying to decide where to go or who to see when you have several symptoms or things that are happening which seem unrelated to one another.

I suppose one of the things that gets my attention is the TIA that you say you had in October. You didn't explain the symptoms but I assume you must've presented to some emergency room facility after having some sudden neurological deficits which cleared up rather quickly. Imaging studies were obtained which likely didn't show the presence of an acute stroke and so they dubbed you as having suffered a TIA. They sent you on your way. Did they suggest you follow up with a neurologist because I always think it's a good idea to do that when one has just suffered a TIA. I'd like to think that by seeing a neurologist you run a better chance of avoiding a real STROKE...at least improve your chances than if you were to simply go home from the ER and think to yourself, "Whew! That was close!"

As far as the nightmare is concerned does that sort of thing happen often to you? Is there something in your history or background such as near death experience, attack, assault, rape, physical abuse of other sorts, PTSD, for which nightmares occur...even if sporadic? There is SPECIFIC MEDICATION available to control such episodes and I'm not just talking about sleep aids or tranquilizers but there is an actual medication which has been shown and we use quite extensively in populations of patients such veterans of war when dealing with PTSD and recurrent nightmares which interfere with their ability to good night sleep. If this describes your situation at all then, I would ask my primary doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist or neurologist to look into such a sleep disorder. You may wish to have a sleep study performed to see if this can be nailed down any further before getting started on medication.

However, the name of the medication is PRAZOSIN....which goes by the trade name, MINIPRESS. It was (and still is) used for high blood pressure. It's an older medication from back in the 1970's! I remember when my father (who still practices as a surgeon in the office at age 84!) would prescribe that all the time for his patients! But this has now become revived in patients with nightmares and when it works....it works like a charm. Just make sure whoever is giving that medication to you is experienced in how to use it, how to dose it, and how to advise you on possible side effects, and how to properly titrate it up so you don't overuse it....it's not addictive or anything like that....just sayin'.

I would surmise that the chest pain was part of the nightmare episode and that your adrenalin levels were simply elevated at that time and you experienced the chest symptoms. I don't know if taking the aspirin was of any value though I can't fault you for having taken it but honestly, that simply doesn't sound like a heart attack. Besides, had you been having a heart attack it is less likely that you'd've been awoken by the event since most heart attacks do not arouse patients from sleep. As you state a full check of the heart failed to reveal anything so that's good.

I can't make anything much from the symptoms of BOTH arms feeling heavy at once and weak from a neurological perspective since strokes and TIA's almost never involve BOTH sides of the body at the same time. I don't know if pooling of the blood while seated and then, standing could've contributed to some lack of blood flow in general to the brain and perhaps you were feeling more "lightheaded" but you perceived this more as arm heaviness and weakness? If your neurologist has worked you up I'm sure he can tell you whether or not you have any blockages in the carotid arteries to worry about but again, neurologically speaking, the symptoms do not correlate with any specific location in the brain that I can tell you about being affected with those symptoms.

I hope this information is helpful and that you will do me the favor of providing some written feedback as well as a STAR RATING to your liking if I've answered the question to your satisfaction.

Should you have no further questions or comments to place- CLOSING THE QUERY would as well be greatly appreciated.

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This query has required 44 minutes of physician specific review, research, and final draft documentation for envoy.

Be well and please feel better soon.

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