For the past two days I have had pain in my left arm -- a dull, sore pain. It feels colder than the rest of my body, kind of like it's asleep (but without the tingling, pins and needles feeling). There is also a small rash on the skin, though it does not burn, hurt or itch, and may not be related (it looks a little bit like poison ivy, but again it doesn't itch). The pain in my arm is inside, not on the surface. I can also feel my pulse in my upper arm when I wrap my hand around it. I cannot feel the same when I wrap my hand around my right arm. I also have a very slight winded feeling when taking deep breaths -- not enough to make me cough.
I am 26, male, about 145 pounds, 6 foot even. I do not have a history of heart problems but I have had a spontaneous pneumothorax in the past. I also have a history of anxiety.
Several months ago I had a similar episode, but with different symptoms. I experienced two days of terrible dizziness (without nausea), where I basically couldn't get out of bed. As soon as that dizziness subsided, I developed a dry cough that did not go away for three months. I wasn't coughing anything up; it was just a light tickle in my throat I couldn't get rid of. I thought little of it, until one night I woke up with chest pains and felt mildly nauseous. I considered calling an ambulance, fearful that I was about to have a heart attack, but the pain did not last long. The next day I went to see a doctor. I had x-rays taken, but nothing was found. I was told I am of normal health.
My current symptoms are worse and much more prolonged than before, although they are centralized to my upper left arm and shoulder.
I should also note that every time I have experienced any manner of these pains, they have occurred within 6-24 hours after drinking coffee. I rarely drink coffee (and probably never will again), but when I do, without fail I always get chest and arm pains between that 6-24 hour time period. I had coffee on both Thursday and Friday of this past week. It is now Monday, however, and the pains have continued to worsen, rather than disappear.
                                                        
                                                     
                                                    
                                                        
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            
                                                                posted on
                                                            
                                                                Thu, 13 Mar 2014