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Original poster

Chest pains - anxiety?

6 replies

Wonderbug81 · 12/01/2025 10:04

I've been having very mild pain/straining near my heart on and off for a few weeks. It feels like someone pushing down on my heart with their finger and it was tender when my doctor examined me. It got worse a couple of days ago. I ended up having an ECG and blood tests but they've ruled out heart issues.

The doctors say it's most likely muscular but I haven't done any exercise for three weeks due to Xmas stuff and it doesn't seem to be linked to anything particular I'm doing. Painkillers didn't particularly help.

I have perimenopause and even though I'm on HRT, I have bad anxiety due to some life things going on. Could the pain be related to that? It's pretty constant but very mild most of the time.

I'm 47, underactive thyroid (I take meds and am monitored) and my Dad had a silent heart attack at 60 so they were more cautious as a result.

OP posts:
Healthanxietyisshit · 12/01/2025 14:13

Could it be costochondritis?

Original poster
Wonderbug81 · 12/01/2025 15:47

The doctors mentioned this as a possibility and I've just found out a sibling had it a long time back - a result of high anxiety - so I think you might be spot on! I need to sort out my anxiety!

OP posts:
oustedbymymate · 12/01/2025 15:53

I get mild chest pain when my ancestry is high

oustedbymymate · 12/01/2025 15:53

Anxiety! Not ancestry.

REDB99 · 12/01/2025 15:58

I have had unexplained chest pain for almost 10 months! Same as you in that heart problems ruled out. Was told it was stress / anxiety but I didn’t feel particularly stressed or anxious. Fast forward to the end of December, felt awful, GP gave me a week long course of penicillin for a sinus infection and all chest pain gone!
In all honesty I’ve felt ‘off’ for a very long time but nothing specific, am wondering now if I’ve been fighting an infection for a long time but can’t really believe that the chest pain was an infection? But given that sinuses do affect the chest maybe it was all linked?

Original poster
Wonderbug81 · 12/01/2025 17:31

REDB99 · 12/01/2025 15:58

I have had unexplained chest pain for almost 10 months! Same as you in that heart problems ruled out. Was told it was stress / anxiety but I didn’t feel particularly stressed or anxious. Fast forward to the end of December, felt awful, GP gave me a week long course of penicillin for a sinus infection and all chest pain gone!
In all honesty I’ve felt ‘off’ for a very long time but nothing specific, am wondering now if I’ve been fighting an infection for a long time but can’t really believe that the chest pain was an infection? But given that sinuses do affect the chest maybe it was all linked?

This is the thing. I think we hope for an easy answer but it's not that easier to solve. Glad something helped you and you've had some respite.

I'm fairly sure it's physical/muscle related now, but just trying to work out what's causing it to stop it in future.

OP posts:
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