A wake-up call that comes in the form of an ache on the left side of your chest can’t be a good thing – knowing that’s the side where the vitals are. I slowly entered full-blown hypochondriac mode as the sensation of a brick on my chest got heavier each day, and the numbness in my left arm occurred more frequently, until one morning the sensations got so severe I was convinced I would have to be hospitalized. I had good reason to, having a family history of coronary disease, high-blood pressure, stroke and so on and so forth. But the thing is I do my cardio regularly and everything within my power to control my diet… I’m not even 30 damnit! (Fine, I smoke, drink, and occasionally keep late nights.)
I took leave that day when the discomfort peaked, and my mom rushed me to the doctor fearing the worst after I described my symptoms. However, when the doctor examined me, the only thing amiss he could find was slightly elevated blood pressure – which he attributed to my panicked state that morning, and quite possibly the thought of my work piling up in the office as we spoke. Regardless, I insisted on a blood test and ECG.
As you’re probably guessing at this point, the results came back negative; I was perfectly fine according to the tests. I quote my doctor who said: “Buddy, you’ve got a long way to go before kicking the bucket.”
“If you were having a heart attack, it would most likely have hit you fast and hard, and they’d have had to call an ambulance in to haul your butt to hospital this morning. But still, good thing you came in, symptoms like this should never be taken lightly. You’re getting no more than a 1-day MC.” he continued. (Yea, my doctor is hip and cool like that, which keeps me loyal to his clinic.)
After a little questioning on my daily routines and habits, we finally got to the bottom of the ‘mystery’, and I was surprised to find out that many have gone to doctors in a similar state of panic due to symptoms that are uncannily similar to those described by heart attack victims.
The pain in the left side of my chest was the long term result of sleeping on my left, and the habit of clutching a pillow or bolster on the same side when faced up (so much for ‘sleep tight’). That, my doctor explained, puts unnecessary pressure on the heart, restricts circulation, and tenses up muscles in that area. To remedy the problem, I was instructed to force myself to sleep facing up or on the right, which are widely regarded as the best positions for circulation and getting oxygen to the brain. 3 months down the line after putting this into practice, the ache subsided (within a week), and I have yet to complain of another episode.
Adding to my discomfort was the fact that I’m left handed, and spend long hours each day with my left hand outstretched, on the computer mouse (totally ignoring the right 90 degree rule). That, the doctor told me, amplified the muscle tension in my shoulder and chest, causing widow-maker like symptoms – and if not addressed promptly, could lead to irreversible nerve damage in the long run. In the end, I was given nothing more than pain killers and deep heat cream to address my aches. Also, I was told to stretch more often and to get a stress ball to help me flex the muscles in my arm throughout the day.
The real damage was to my ego. Guys typically can’t wait to query you about the new ‘lube’ on your desk.
I hope this benefits those of you who experience similar symptoms, and would like to emphasise that you should still watch your diet, exercise regularly and cut back on your booze and smoking if you’d like to worry less about your ticker. Also, as per my doctor’s advice, never ignore pains in the chest and left arm (even if you’re a leftie like me), early diagnosis of anything more than muscle tension will save everyone in your life a whole lot of headache.
By angelomanuel
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