reply to doctor b. Re:tingling in hand and arm as well as chest ache

by shane
(London,U.K)


Dear Doctor B,

Thank you for your very helpful reply and all the useful information. In answer to some of your specific suggestions and questions: yes running my fingers down my chest does reveal a small specific spot of slight tenderness/soreness just about 1 inch to the left of the very centre of my chest. When i rub this specific small bony area firmly with fingers i experience a feeling of soreness. There is no lump. This is pretty much the same spot from where I have experienced the dull chest ache over the years. Sometimes when rubbing this area in the past, the soreness/tenderness feels fairly pronounced and strong, yet at other times the soreness/tenderness is not present at all, which i find confusing. I have also at times experienced a little discomfort and aching in other areas, such as the back near the shoulder blade as you describe, as well as in the shoulder and upper arm area, but this is not common. The main discomfort is normally that specific spot in the chest. It very much comes and goes, from time to time. From your experience doctor, do you think i can safely rule out any type of heart or cardiac issue at play here? If so, this would obviously be a relief to me. As I previously stated, ecg, xray, blood test and gp examinations in the past have not revealed anything of concern. Also, reading up on costochondritis, it seems to be suggested that most cases of this condition clear up on their own within a few months or a year, whereas I have had my chest discomfort coming and going for a number of years now. I wonder what your thoughts are on this.

Regarding your questions relating to my pinkie and ring finger numbness doctor, no i do not have any lower neck pain nor any weakness in my hand. And turning my head to the left and looking upwards has not provoked any noticeable effects so far.
Doctor, if i wished to further investigate these issues and try to confirm a diagnosis, where would you recommend i go. A local Chiropractor, or to a hospital/private clinic perhaps? Thank you very much for your time and advice doctor. Shane, London, U.K

Hello Shane,
Would you mind copying and pasting this, following the original thread of your first letter; starting a new thread confuses other readers, and me too!

I'm not in a position to make a diagnosis or pronouncement about your chest pain, but I'd say it's highly likely you have a chronic costochondritis.

I don't recall the exact figures but research of folk presenting at the emergency rooms with chest pain reveals that something like 40% of them have costochondritis. In the light of the negative medical tests you can be reasonably be assured this is not something life threatening.

Most chronic pains come and go; nothing unusual about that.

You need to start hunting for someone who specialises in the treatment of costochondritis and Tietze's syndrome. It's really a mini-specialty that I happen to be interested in but not every chiropractor or medical doctor would share that.

It's good that head movements do not provoke the numbness in your fingers; if it's provoked by working above your head then a problem in the inter scalene triangle is likely.

Dr B

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