Causes Of Chest Pain And Dizziness
While chest pain and dizziness can be unsettling, you usually dont need to rush to the hospital. But you do need to get to the bottom of these symptoms, because they could indicate a serious health condition.
Dr. James Lee at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care can give you the peace of mind you need when dealing with these concerning symptoms. Whether your condition is minor and easily treated, or major and in need of advanced medical treatment, Dr. Lee cares for you every step of the way.
Here are some of the conditions that might be causing your chest pain and dizziness.
Dizziness And Sweating: What You Should Know
Dizziness is feeling faint, light-headed, or unsteady. People say they “feel dizzy” to describe a variety of different sensations. If you feel like you or the room you are in are spinning, you are experiencing vertigo. Feeling imbalanced or as if you are leaning to one side is known as disequilibrium.
You may experience other symptoms when you feel dizzy, such as sweating. Dizziness and sweating are often caused by an illness or condition that resolves on its own or is easily treated. But sometimes dizziness with sweating can be a sign of a serious medical condition. This article explores the potential causes of dizziness and sweating, and when to seek medical attention.
Getty Images / VioletaStoimenova
When To Go To The Hospital
You need to seek emergency treatment if you have any of these symptoms:
Chest Pain
Chest pain should always be considered a serious symptom because it can indicate an emergency situation. If you’re experiencing chest pain and any of these factors apply to you, you should seek emergency care:
- You have a strong family history of early heart disease.
- You’re 45 years old or older and you have any of the risk factors for coronary artery disease, including obesity, smoking, family history, diabetes, high cholesterol, or a sedentary lifestyle.
- The pain is worse than any other chest pain you’ve had.
- The pain feels like it’s spreading to your neck, shoulders, upper abdomen, arms, back, or jaws.
- The pain is crushing, tight, heavy, or feels like squeezing.
- You also feel nauseous, fatigued, weak, short of breath, dizzy, sweaty, or you’ve fainted.
- You feel like something is very wrong.
- The pain keeps getting worse as the minutes pass.
- The pain is unlike anything you’ve experienced before.
Heart Attack Symptoms
If you have symptoms of a heart attack, be sure to seek emergency medical care. These symptoms include:
- Chest or arm pain, pressure, or discomfort that may spread to your neck, back, or jaw
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness and loss of coordination
- Difficulty breathing
If you’re with a loved one and suspect he or she is having a stroke, use these measures to help you determine if there’s a problem:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- Collapsing suddenly
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The Problems With Dizziness
A little dizziness now and then probably isn’t a big problem. It’s something most people experience from time to time, whether due to illness, head injury, hunger or dehydration, or just standing up too fast.
However, when dizziness is frequent and severe, it can have a major impact on your life. That’s the case for many people with this disease. In a study of syncope , researchers found that women hospitalized for syncope were especially likely to have ME/CFS.
Dizziness and balance problems can make it dangerous to be active. Even those who are well enough to walk around a store may not feel safe doing so because of the risk of falling or passing out. Those who do fall or pass out on occasion risk injury, which further lowers their quality of life.
So this symptom can be really limiting and create a lot of extra fear and anxiety when it comes to such simple things as walking downstairs. Because of this impact, it’s important for us to understand the causes of dizziness and look for ways to lessen or overcome this symptom.
What Is Aortic Stenosis
Aortic stenosis is a serious and possibly life-threatening disease that affects many older Australians.
Aortic stenosis is defined as the narrowing of the aortic valve opening. As the aortic valve becomes narrower, it restricts adequate blood flow from the heart. That can lead to symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue and chest pain. Other associated symptoms may be light-headedness, dizziness and fainting, decreased exercise tolerance, swollen ankles and feet, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Over time, this hardening and closing of the aortic valve increasingly affect a patients ability to perform everyday tasks and their overall quality of life. Specialist interventional cardiologists who work alongside the Hope For Hearts campaign note the significant impact this disease has on patients who gradually lose their independence and the increased burden on family and carers.
Many people are not familiar with this debilitating disease and its signs and symptoms. Its estimated that 1 in 8 Australians has aortic stenosis and that up to 50% of patients who develop severe aortic stenosis could potentially die within 2 years. Many patients disregard these symptoms as simply growing old whilst treatment options for this disease are readily available.
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Some Of The Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure Or Hypotension Are Dizziness Fatigue Light
blood pressuredizzinesslight-headednessshortness of breathfaintingSo, when should you worry about your low Blood Pressure?How dangerous is it?In an emergency…
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Sudden Discomfort In The Chest Back Or Neck
Any pain, discomfort, pressure or squeezing sensation in the chest, back, jaws, neck or along the arms that comes on abruptly or gradually and lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back, may signal a heart attack or another circulatory emergency.
Not everyone feels a heart attack in the chest. In particular, older adults, women and patients with chronic medical conditions often experience other signs. These may include pain in the jaw, neck or arms difficulty breathing light-headedness or dizziness nausea or indigestion fatigue or a cold sweat. Head to the ER if these symptoms are new, last more than a few minutes, or go away and come back.
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Dizziness Fatigue And Shortness Of Breath
- Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Reviewed on 12/21/2020
These symptoms can be seen with anemia or heart rhythm disorders, among other conditions. Fatigue can accompany many different types of illness. Because these symptoms can be caused by a variety of conditions, discuss all your symptoms with a healthcare provider to help determine the cause.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
Persistent Leg Pain On One Side May Be A Blood Clot
Swelling and pain in one leg that doesn’t go away may signal that you have a blood clot inside a vein, known as deep vein thrombosis . These signs should be tended to at once, particularly if youre at higher risk for DVT. Risk factors that make DVT blood clots more likely get riskier with age. These include smoking, having surgery, being on estrogen-containing pills or hormone therapy, being immobile for a long period of time , being pregnant, and recently giving birth. A life-threatening pulmonary embolism can occur when a blood clot moves from one part of your body to your lungs and blocks a vital artery there. According to Dr. Simmons, about 70 percent of blood clots that travel to the lungs begin in the legs.
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When To Seek Medical Attention
If you have unexplained dizziness and sweating or experience prolonged or recurring episodes, it is important to see your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Seek medical care right away if you experience dizziness and sweating with any of the following symptoms:
- Headacheparticularly if it is sudden and severe
- Irregular pulse
- Loss of hearing or vision
- Numbness in the body
- Recurrent vomiting
- Weakness in arms or legs
When To Seek Medical Help
Most abdominal bloating should resolve itself with time when the excess gases, liquids, or food can move through the stomach and intestines. However, if your abdominal bloating and shortness of breath last longer than a day, seek medical attention.
The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you need help finding a primary care doctor.
Also seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following symptoms along with shortness of breath and abdominal bloating:
Medical treatments for abdominal bloating and shortness of breath will address the underlying condition. For example, over-the-counter medications may help resolve abdominal bloating. Bronchodilators can help to open the airways and improve breathing.
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What Causes Shortness Of Breath And Fatigued Muscles
Shortness of breath and fatigued, or tired muscles may be symptoms of a health condition. If your symptoms persist, cause you concern or interfere with your activities of daily living, contact your doctor for a medical evaluation. Understanding various causes of these symptoms may help you distinguish and determine if one is affecting your well-being.
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What To Do About Chest Pain And Dizziness
Clearly, all of the medical conditions that include chest pain and dizziness as a symptom are difficult to self-diagnose. To a lay person, it may be hard to tell the difference between GERD, anxiety, and angina.
Dr. Lee runs specialized tests to quickly and accurately diagnose the cause of your symptoms and get you started on a treatment plan.
Often, you only need lifestyle changes like losing weight, cleaning up your diet, and quitting some unhealthy habits. But if you need more advanced care, Dr. Lee is the expert you can trust.
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He Can Feel Breathless If He Tries To Do Something Too Quickly
Well when you feel breathless its like… walking up hill, and when I feel you know walking up, or running up and downstairs we’ll say, and I feel breathless, I don’t run up and down stairs but if that’s what it feels like I’ve run up and down stairs you know, up and down a few times you now puffing hard you know. You know you’re gasping for air a bit more. But it’s a lot better now that I’m on the medication, I don’t get so much breathlessness, only if I approach a bank or I do something rather quicker than I should have done like go upstairs faster than I should, then I might feel a little bit breathless you know. But other than that it hasn’t affected me too badly now. It did initially before I had the medication I felt I was, I was puffing walking on level ground you know I was out of breath then so that’s how it felt.
When To See A Healthcare Provider
The symptoms most commonly caused by heart disease can also be produced by other medical conditions, from very serious to entirely benign. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you need an evaluation by your healthcare provider to identify the cause. These are symptoms that should never be ignored.
Additionally, if you’re having any difficulty getting an erection, especially if the problem has been gradual, this is nearly always one of the first signs of either heart disease or diabetes in men. Be sure to see your healthcare provider as soon as you notice any problem with erectile dysfunction.
If you have a family history of heart disease or you’re worried about your risk for developing it, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. Staying proactive where your heart health is concerned can help you detect any problems early, giving you a better potential outcome.
Heart Disease Doctor Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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Common Symptoms Women Should Never Ignore
Certain symptoms women commonly experience after age 40 may be nothing to worry about, particularly if theyre part of your norm. But when you have a sudden change like headache, nausea, fatigue, unexpected vaginal bleeding, heart palpitations that last more than 15 minutes, or a rash on your breast that doesnt go away within a couple of days, its wise to see your doctor.
The reality is that a lot of times these symptoms are normal, says Courtney Baechler, MD, a cardiologist and vice president of the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott Hospital in Minneapolis. To put things in perspective, she reminds her patients that these are all things they’ve probably experienced in one form or another in just the past week but they can also indicate a more serious health condition.
Take extreme fatigue in women, for example. Fibromyalgia syndrome, a disorder that causes chronic, deep muscle pain, may cause debilitating fatigue, even headache. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that occurs more often in women than men and has no known cure. Medication, getting sound sleep, being active, and eating a healthy diet may help the extreme fatigue of fibromyalgia.
Severe fatigue may also be caused by much more serious conditions that need a doctors attention, including, for example:
- Some types of inflammatory arthritis
Diagnosing The Underlying Cause
A doctor will use several tests to determine whats causing your symptoms. This will likely include:
- Physical exam. A doctor will examine your chest, neck, and head. Theyll also listen to your heartbeat and measure your blood pressure.
- Medical history. This helps the doctor understand your risk for certain conditions.
- Imaging tests. You might get a chest X-ray and CT scan. These tests take detailed photos of your heart, lungs, and arteries.
- Blood tests. Some heart-related conditions increase blood levels of proteins or enzymes. The doctor might order blood tests to measure these levels.
- Electrocardiogram . An ECG measures your hearts electrical activity. The results can help a cardiologist determine if part of the heart muscle is injured.
- Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to capture a video of your heart, which can help identify heart muscle problems.
- Stress test. A stress test examines how physical exertion affects your heart and blood vessels. A common example is walking on a treadmill while hooked up to a heart monitor.
- Angiogram. Also known as an arteriogram, this test helps a doctor find damaged arteries. A dye is injected into your hearts blood vessels, which makes them easier to see in an X-ray.
The goal of treatment is to manage the underlying condition. Therefore, the best treatment plan depends on whats causing your symptoms. It may include:
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Reasons For Fatigue Difficulty Breathing And Dizziness
Possible causes of Dyspnea, Fatigue and Dizziness ..Dyspnea dyspnoea, shortness of breath or breathlessness is the feeling or feelings associated with impaired breathing.Fatigue is a subjective feeling of tiredness which is distinct from weakness, and has a gradual onset.Dizziness is an impairment in spatial perception and stability..This video contains general medical information. If in doubt, always seek professional medical advice..The medical information is not advice and should not be treated as such. The medical information is provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied. We do not warrant or represent that the medical information on this websiteis true, accurate, complete, current or non-misleading..Music: Undaunted Kevin Macleod CC-BY-3.0.Source/Images: Dyspnea CC-BY-2.5 https://www.freebase.com/m/01cdt5.
Video taken from the channel: Medical Symptom Information
Video taken from the channel: Medical Symptom Information
Video taken from the channel: Mayo Clinic
Featuring Dr. Benjamin Segal and Dr. Aliza Ben-Zacharia. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Fatigue
Video taken from the channel: NationalMSSociety
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Endocrine disorders may cause shortness of breath and fatigue.
List of related literature:
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Dizziness Feeling Faint And Shortness Of Breath
- Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Reviewed on 7/18/2022
Dizziness, feeling faint, and shortness of breath can occur with many different medical conditions. Examples include cardiac arrhythmias and conditions that produce difficulty breathing including emphysema, pneumonia, or other infections. Shortness of breath can also follow strenuous exercise. Because these symptoms can be related to many different medical conditions, it is important to describe all your symptoms to your doctor to determine the cause.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
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Worsening Shortness Of Breath Could Be A Sign Of Heart Disease
Dont ignore shortness of breath by assuming its from a lack of conditioning or recent weight gain. If you experience shortness of breath after exertion that progressively gets worse, it could be a sign of a heart disease like aortic stenosis or coronary artery disease . Check with your doctor if you have shortness of breath that suddenly gets worse.