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What Causes Persistent Chest Pain When Diagnosed With General Anxiety?
Posted on
Sun, 3 Jul 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 3 Jul 2016
Answered on
Wed, 20 Jul 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : Dear doctor,
Ever since I was 14 years old, my left upper chest sometimes feels painful. It comes and goes. Most of the time it happens when I work hectically for my exams. When I use my hands to touch my upper left chest and then the right upper chest, I do feel the left is slightly higher than the right. I went to see a doctor when I was in my early twenties. The doctored said probably because I have soft bones on the left. A few weeks ago when I expressed my concern to a school doctor, he said next time when it happens I can go see a doctor. I am not satisfied with either of their answers.
May I ask for your insight on this symptom as to why this happened and what I should do about it?
Thanks!
Rose
Ever since I was 14 years old, my left upper chest sometimes feels painful. It comes and goes. Most of the time it happens when I work hectically for my exams. When I use my hands to touch my upper left chest and then the right upper chest, I do feel the left is slightly higher than the right. I went to see a doctor when I was in my early twenties. The doctored said probably because I have soft bones on the left. A few weeks ago when I expressed my concern to a school doctor, he said next time when it happens I can go see a doctor. I am not satisfied with either of their answers.
May I ask for your insight on this symptom as to why this happened and what I should do about it?
Thanks!
Rose
Brief Answer:
anatomy or anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
there is no other explanation besides either an anatomical variation or just anxiety. If it's an anatomical variation then the doctor who examines you should be able to detect a difference, even a slight one. If there's no anatomic variation and taking into account the fact that stressful events like your exams coincide with the symptoms, anxiety seems like the most likely cause.
So in conclusion, you'd better ask your doctor whether the anatomy of your chest is normal or not. If it's normal then you should act depending on how these symptoms affect your life. If they do affect you significantly then you should talk about it with a psychiatrist.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
anatomy or anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
there is no other explanation besides either an anatomical variation or just anxiety. If it's an anatomical variation then the doctor who examines you should be able to detect a difference, even a slight one. If there's no anatomic variation and taking into account the fact that stressful events like your exams coincide with the symptoms, anxiety seems like the most likely cause.
So in conclusion, you'd better ask your doctor whether the anatomy of your chest is normal or not. If it's normal then you should act depending on how these symptoms affect your life. If they do affect you significantly then you should talk about it with a psychiatrist.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. Do you think an X-ray is necessary and if it should be able to detect the problem if any?
Brief Answer:
probably not
Detailed Answer:
The x-ray will not help much, unless you have a significant variation which should be clinically evident. Clinical examination alone is my suggested route of action.
Kind regards!
probably not
Detailed Answer:
The x-ray will not help much, unless you have a significant variation which should be clinically evident. Clinical examination alone is my suggested route of action.
Kind regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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