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What Causes Tightness In Chest And Weakness In Arms?

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Posted on Mon, 12 May 2014
Question: Sometimes, I feel tightness in my chest, and then my arms go completely weak--I am not even able to lift a spoon to my mouth. It can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. I am a 52 year-old woman, thin, no history of heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. What do you think is causing this?
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (23 minutes later)
Brief Answer: Can be due to anxiety and nerve problem. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for trusting us with your health concern. I can understand your concern for these symptoms. It looks like paraesthesia of the upper limbs and anxiety attacks. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause weakness of the muscles. Many causes of such sensations are there. These include injury to the back or spinal cord, Lack of blood supply to the arms as a result of plaque formation in the blood vessels, diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis and underactive thyroid. Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in your body and a lack of vitamin B12 can also cause such symptoms. Firstly, I’ll request you to get your blood sugar/HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) tested to rule out Diabetes mellitus. Also get your thyroid hormones levels evaluated. You can take some vit B12 for some days and see if the symptoms improve. Try to decrease stress with relaxation techniques. Please feel free to discuss further. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Rakhi Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Rakhi-Tayal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal

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Practicing since :2001

Answered : 14043 Questions

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What Causes Tightness In Chest And Weakness In Arms?

Brief Answer: Can be due to anxiety and nerve problem. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for trusting us with your health concern. I can understand your concern for these symptoms. It looks like paraesthesia of the upper limbs and anxiety attacks. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause weakness of the muscles. Many causes of such sensations are there. These include injury to the back or spinal cord, Lack of blood supply to the arms as a result of plaque formation in the blood vessels, diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis and underactive thyroid. Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in your body and a lack of vitamin B12 can also cause such symptoms. Firstly, I’ll request you to get your blood sugar/HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) tested to rule out Diabetes mellitus. Also get your thyroid hormones levels evaluated. You can take some vit B12 for some days and see if the symptoms improve. Try to decrease stress with relaxation techniques. Please feel free to discuss further. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Rakhi Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Rakhi-Tayal