Pain in the left arm can be caused by a variety of conditions, from muscle pain to a heart attack. Any abnormality in the skin, soft tissues, nerves, bones, joints, and blood vessels in the left arm can cause pain. It's easy to jump to the conclusion "I'm having a heart attack!" just because of feeling pain in the left arm while there are so many other causes. To find out if pain in your left arm is related to a heart attack, consider some of the possibilities and factors that increase the risk of its seriousness
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Part 1 of 2: Recognizing a Heart Attack
Step 1. Record the duration
If the pain in your left arm lasts very short (within seconds), it's most likely not the heart. By the same token, if the pain lasts for a long time (days or weeks) it likely has nothing to do with the heart either. However, if the pain lasts for a few minutes to a few hours, it may indicate a heart attack. If your pain recurs at short intervals, keep a record of all the duration and intensity of the pain and take the notes to your doctor. This possibility has something to do with the heart and requires immediate medical attention.
- If the pain is caused and is further exacerbated by movement of the thorax (the middle part of the spine), it may be due to degenerative disease of the vertebrae, especially in elderly patients. This type of pain may not have anything to do with the heart.
- Similarly, if the pain occurs after strenuous exercise using the arm, it may be due to a muscle problem. Pay attention to your daily habits. What might be the cause?
Step 2. Consider other symptoms
In addition to pain in the left arm, pay attention to other areas that feel pain. This is the most accurate way to tell if the pain in your left arm is related to a heart attack or not (and if it's serious). A heart attack is usually accompanied by:
- Sudden and excruciating pain in the chest that radiates to the left arm. This pain can be experienced in both arms, but is usually felt in the left arm because it is closer to the heart.
- Pain and tightness in the jaw, which is usually felt under the jaw, can occur on one or both sides.
- Pain that spreads in the shoulder as if there is a load and pressure in the shoulder and chest area.
- Pain in the back due to pain in the chest, jaw, neck, and arms.
- Be aware that heart attacks are also sometimes "silent," meaning they can come on without serious symptoms of pain.
Step 3. Also watch for painless symptoms
In addition to pain in your arms, jaw, neck, and back, there are other symptoms you may feel when you have a heart problem, including:
- Nauseous
- Dizziness or headache
- A cold sweat
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing because the chest feels heavy.
- If you experience any of the above symptoms accompanying pain, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible to determine whether or not you are having a heart attack.
Step 4. Call an ambulance and the emergency number 118 or 119 if you experience any of the above symptoms
If you are not sure what condition you are experiencing, it is better you call the emergency room or ambulance to take you to the hospital as soon as possible and undergo further examination. Always remember that if you are having a heart attack, time is of the essence and no second should be wasted because your life is in danger.
- While waiting for medical personnel to arrive, take 2 low-dose aspirin (baby aspirin) because these drugs can reduce the severity of a heart attack. Aspirin works by blocking blood clots, because blood clots in one of the coronary arteries (the arteries that surround the heart) causing a heart attack (so aspirin helps prevent further clots).
- Also take nitroglycerin (if available) while waiting for the ambulance. This medication can reduce chest pain and help you manage your symptoms before you get to the hospital (where your doctor can give you additional painkillers such as morphine).
Step 5. Run a series of diagnostic checks
If you suspect you are having a heart attack or other heart-related pain, your doctor will run several tests to determine and confirm the diagnosis. You will have an electrocardiogram (ECG) test to evaluate your heart rate, and if you do have an attack, your heart rate will show an abnormality. You will also have a blood test to check for an increase in cardiac enzymes in the bloodstream which indicates a strain on the heart.
If your symptoms and diagnosis are still unclear to your doctor, you may have additional tests, such as an echocardiogram, chest X-ray, angiogram, and/or exercise tests
Step 6. Consider whether the pain in your left arm has something to do with angina
Angina is pain that occurs whenever there is not enough blood flow to the heart muscle. Angina is usually felt as a squeezing or pressure sensation, and you may feel pain in your shoulder, chest, arm, back, or neck. The pain felt almost similar to indigestion.
- There are rare cases of angina that occurs only in the left arm, but it is still possible.
- Angina usually gets worse and is triggered by stress, either physical stress (such as exerting effort up stairs), or emotional stress (such as heated conversation or disagreements at work).
- If you suspect you have angina, you should see a doctor, the sooner the better. This condition is not as life-threatening as a heart attack, but nevertheless requires appropriate evaluation and treatment.
Part 2 of 2: Tracing Non-Heart-related Causes
Step 1. Check if the pain is related to neck movement
If the pain gets worse when you move your neck or upper back, cervical spondylosis may be the cause. This condition is one of the most common causes of left arm pain. More than 90% of people over the age of 65 experience symptoms of cervical spondylosis. This is a general term for wear and tear that affects the vertebrae (especially the neck area). As the joints are dehydrated and, cervical spondylosis develops. This condition tends to get worse as the back weakens.
- Moving the neck and upper spine can determine the cause of the pain. If the pain increases with movement, it may be related to cervical spondylosis.
- A heart attack will not get better or get worse by moving or pressing the spine and neck.
Step 2. Notice if you feel pain when moving your shoulder
If the pain radiates to your arm when you move your shoulder, it may be due to arthritis of the shoulder. Many patients come to the ED with the fear of a heart attack when in fact they have arthritis of the shoulder. This disease damages the outer soft layer (cartilage) that covers the bones. When cartilage is lost, the space between the bones is reduced. When moving, the bones rub against each other, causing shoulder pain and/or pain in the left arm.
While there is no cure for shoulder arthritis yet, there are many treatment options to reduce the pain you feel. If you experience this condition, don't worry. It sounds serious, but its development can be stopped
Step 3. Recognize that if you lose arm function, it may be due to a nerve-related injury
Arm nerves arise from the spinal junction in the lower neck and form a collection of nerves, known as the brachial plexus. This group disperses, so that the arm nerves rise. Damage to the nerves in the arm from the shoulder to the hand causes a variety of pains, but is usually associated with a loss of arm function (such as numbness, tingling, or an inability to move a lot). Pain in your arm may occur at the nerve level and has nothing to do with the heart.
Step 4. Check your blood pressure and pulse
If both are affected, the cause may be peripheral artery disease. This condition is caused by atherosclerosis and generally occurs in smokers.
To determine that this is the cause, a quick visit to the doctor to measure your blood pressure and heart rate will reassure you
Step 5. Consider alternative diagnoses for arm pain
Think again about whether you have had any recent injuries that may still have an effect. Pain in the left arm may be related to an arm or shoulder injury from recent trauma. In rare cases, arm pain can be caused by a more severe condition such as cancer, but this is very unusual. Talk to your doctor if your arm pain persists and if you can't find a logical reason for it.
