Every second person experiences discomfort and deterioration in health from time to time. There is pain in the heart, which radiates to the left arm. Such symptoms can be short-lived or last for several days. Pain in the heart area worries the patient. It has different character, frequency and intensity. Most often, patients experience a sharp and nagging pain, which stops when changing position.
Why does my heart hurt and my hands go numb? Are these symptoms related to the cardiovascular system? Which doctors should you visit? To establish an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment, it is advisable to consult a specialist as soon as possible and undergo a comprehensive diagnosis of the body. To prevent the development of the disease, contact the medical staff of the KDS Clinic. Each patient will be referred for tests, undergo a full examination and be assigned effective treatment. The disease will be detected even at an early stage.
Pain in the heart radiates to the arm not only with problems with the cardiovascular system. Such symptoms may indicate dysfunction of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, we are talking about hormonal changes in the body.
Heart hurts, left hand goes numb, reasons
Pain in the left arm and heart appears when the functioning of one of the systems in the body is disrupted. Numbness of the limbs on the left is a clear sign of the development of the disease. Experts identify a lot of reasons that influence the deterioration of well-being. They are divided into cardiac and non-cardiac causes. Among them:
Cardiac causes of heart pain and numbness in limbs
- Cardiac ischemia. With coronary heart disease, the patient feels a sharp dagger pain in the heart area, which radiates to the left arm. In such situations, you cannot do without painkillers and without the help of doctors. We are talking about damage to the heart muscle. Stress, emotional stress, and chronic lack of sleep lead to the development of cardiovascular disease. Also, coronary heart disease occurs in people who work physically. The patient's heart and arm hurt. In advanced cases, deterioration in health is accompanied by dizziness and a pulling sensation in the left shoulder area. The person is in a state of panic and breaks into a cold sweat. The nervous system is overloaded and therefore cannot function normally. If ignored, these symptoms lead to myocardial infarction and angina. An attack of angina lasts about ten minutes. It is recommended to use nitroglycerin and vasodilators. Do not self-medicate. The KDS Clinic will prescribe the necessary treatment and stop the progression of the disease.
- Myocardial infarction. The heart hurts and radiates to the arm when myocardial infarction develops. The disease is extremely dangerous to human life and will lead to death. There is a strong sharp pain in the heart, the hand goes numb. In some cases, the face also becomes numb. The patient feels a panicky fear of death and is shaking. If symptoms worsen within an hour and do not stop after taking medication, then the patient is guaranteed to have a heart attack. It's worth calling an ambulance. Sometimes a myocardial infarction goes away without any symptoms.
- Myocarditis. Heart and arm pain due to myocarditis. This pathology indicates serious disorders of the cardiovascular system. The disease is not easy to diagnose. Symptoms include shortness of breath, tinnitus, constant fatigue, insomnia, a feeling of anxiety and fear for your life, dizziness, and cold sweats. The patient is concerned about tachycardia and blood pressure disorders. Severe pain appears in the chest and heart. Hands and feet become numb. The development of myocarditis is not associated with physical activity.
- Congenital heart defect.
- Cardiomyopathy.
- Vegetovascular dystonia.
- Pericarditis.
- Consequences of nervous breakdowns and stress.
Heart disease: symptoms
Heart disease includes conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and congenital heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world's population. To prevent the disease, it is recommended to quit smoking, lower cholesterol, control high blood pressure, maintain a normal weight, and do physical exercise.
Although many heart conditions have similar symptoms, each heart disease (coronary artery disease, heart attack) has its own specific symptoms. Symptoms depend on the type and severity of your heart condition. Learn to recognize your symptoms and the situations that lead to them. Tell your doctor if you develop new symptoms, become more frequent, or become more severe.
Coronary heart disease
The main symptom is angina. With angina, discomfort, a feeling of heaviness, pressure, aching pain, burning, compression, and a feeling of pain in the chest area are noted. It can be confused with indigestion or heartburn. Typically, angina symptoms are localized in the chest, but they can also spread to the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back.
Other symptoms that may occur with coronary heart disease include:
- Dyspnea
- Irregular heartbeat or shuffling sensation in the chest
- Rapid heartbeat
- Feeling weak or dizzy
- Nausea
- Sweating
Heart attack (myocardial infarction):
- Feeling of discomfort, pressure, heaviness, pain in the chest, arm, or under the breastbone
- Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat or arm
- Feeling of heaviness in the stomach, indigestion, feeling of suffocation (like heartburn)
- Sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness
- Complete weakness, anxiety, shortness of breath
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
In a heart attack, symptoms usually last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or oral medications (medicines taken by mouth). Initial symptoms may appear as mild discomfort, which over time progresses to severe pain.
In some people, a heart attack has no symptoms (“silent” myocardial infarction). Silent myocardial infarction can happen to anyone, but diabetics are more susceptible to it.
If you think you are having a heart attack, DON'T DELAY. Call the emergency number. The faster the treatment, the less damage is done to your heart.
Arrhythmia
With arrhythmia, symptoms may be as follows:
- Erratic heartbeat, feeling of “shuffling, shaking,” feeling like your heart is “running away”)
- Rolling in the chest
- Dizziness, fainting
- Loss of consciousness
- Dyspnea
- Discomfort in the chest area
- Weakness, fatigue
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia. Most people experience one or more of these symptoms:
- Palpitation of the heart (sudden sensation of rocking, trembling, “acceleration” of the heart)
- Lack of energy, fatigue
- Dizziness (fainting)
- Discomfort in the chest area (pain, pressure)
- Dyspnea (difficulty breathing during normal activities)
- Some patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms. Sometimes these episodes can be short-lived
Heart valve disease
Symptoms of heart valve disease may include:
- Shortness of breath and/or inability to catch your breath. You may feel it when you are active (doing normal activities) or when you are lying prone in bed.
- Weakness or dizziness
- Discomfort in the chest area. You may feel pressure or heaviness in your chest when active or when going out into the cold
- Palpitation (fast heart rate, irregular, racing heartbeat, or a feeling of “shuffling” in the chest)
If valve disease leads to heart failure, symptoms may include:
- Swelling of the ankles, feet, abdomen. Swelling can also occur inside the abdomen, leading to a feeling of bloating
- Rapid weight gain (weight gain of 2-3 pounds per day)
Symptoms do not always correspond to the severity of valve disease. Acute valve disease, which requires immediate treatment, may be asymptomatic. Or, conversely, in case of acute symptoms (for example, in the case of mitral valve prolapse), test results may show a mild form of valve disease.
Heart failure
The following symptoms occur in heart failure:
- Shortness of breath while active (usually) or at rest, especially when you are lying prone in bed
- Wet cough producing white sputum
- Rapid weight gain (weight gain of 2-3 pounds per day)
- Swelling of the ankles, legs and abdomen
- Dizziness
- Fatigue, weakness
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Nausea, palpitation, chest pain
As with valve disease, the symptoms of heart failure don't always relate to how weak your heart is. You may have many symptoms and only have slightly reduced heart function. Or, conversely, with a seriously affected heart, experience minor symptoms or feel nothing at all.
Congenital heart defect
Congenital heart defects can be diagnosed before birth, immediately after birth, during childhood, or during adulthood. It is possible to have a defect and not experience any symptoms. In their absence, the defect can sometimes be diagnosed due to a heart murmur on physical examination or if there is an abnormal ECG or chest x-ray.
In adults, if symptoms are still present, they may include:
- Dyspnea
- Limited ability to perform physical activities
- Symptoms of heart failure (see above) or valve disease (see above)
Congenital heart disease in infants and children:
- Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin, fingernails, lips)
- Rapid breathing and refusal to feed
- Minor weight gain
- Recurrent lung infections
- Inability to perform physical activities
Damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
Many people with heart muscle damage experience no (or minor) symptoms and live full lives. In other people, symptoms may develop, progress, and worsen as heart function declines.
Symptoms can appear at any age and include:
- Chest pain or pressure (usually occurs with exercise or activity, but may also occur at rest or after eating)
- Symptoms of heart failure (see above)
- Swelling of the lower extremities
- Fatigue
- Fainting
- Palpitations (rocking in the chest due to abnormal heart rhythms)
- Some people also have arrhythmias. They may cause sudden death in a small number of patients with cardiomyopathy.
Pericarditis
Symptoms of pericarditis include:
- Chest pain that is different from angina (pain due to coronary heart disease). It can be acute and localized in the central part of the chest. The pain may radiate to the neck and in some cases to the arms and back. Symptoms worsen when lying down, taking deep breaths, coughing, or swallowing. Relief occurs when sitting upright
- Slight increase in temperature
- Accelerated heart rate
Since many of the symptoms of a particular heart disease are similar to each other, a visit to the doctor is of primary importance in order to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe immediate treatment.
Diagnostics and research
When do risk factors turn into heart disease? The following tests are used to diagnose this type of disease.
The first step is to see a doctor. He may prescribe the following for you:
- ECG
- Chest X-ray
- Load test
- Tint table test (used to diagnose fainting)
- Echocardiogram
- Coronary angiogram (in other words, cardiac catheterization)
- Electrophysiological testing
- CT scan of the heart
- Myocardial biopsy
- MRI of the heart
- Pericardial puncture
Non-cardiac causes of heart pain and numbness in limbs
Most often, the patient’s left arm and heart hurt, in the case of a disease not of the heart, but of neighboring organs. We are talking about pathologies of the lungs, kidneys, and musculoskeletal system. Among them:
- Osteochondrosis. With the development of osteochondrosis, the load also goes on the cardiac system. In addition to unpleasant sensations in the spine, there is severe pain in the heart and numbness in the limbs. Requires special attention from medical professionals to prevent the development of the disease.
- Consequences of injuries. After injuries, disturbances occur throughout the body.
- Duodenal ulcer. With a duodenal ulcer, the limbs often become numb. You should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
- Pancreatitis. Associated symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pale face, and fever.
- Gastrointestinal tract disorders. With gastrointestinal disorders, the patient feels unbearable pain not only in the stomach, but also in the heart. A lot of stress is placed on the heart.
- Neuralgia.
- Hormonal disorders. Most often the heart hurts and radiates to the arm in women. In some cases, symptoms are associated with hormonal imbalances.
- Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the functionality of a woman’s body completely changes. The load occurs on all organs, especially the heart. As a result, the pregnant woman feels unwell and has numbness in her limbs.
- Pathologies of the mammary glands.
- Benign and malignant tumors.
- Tuberculosis.
- Bronchial asthma.
- Dry pleurisy.
