Chest pain in young women lasting for over a week?

by Michael.Loadenthal

Question by beachbum: Chest pain in young women lasting for over a week?
I am a 22 year old female, in generally good health. I have had chest pain in the left side of my chest for over a week. The pain is somewhat localized to the left-center of my chest and occasionally moves to the center of my chest. It is not a stabbing pain, more like a sharp pain that is maybe a 5 on the pain scale. I have also had extreme fatigue and occasional dizziness and slight nausea. Also, I have also noticed that my extremities are weak, but especially my arms. I sometimes get short of breath after I have done something that normally is easy, ie. walking up the stairs. I went to the doctor and he said that it was probably a virus, I had an EKG and chest x-ray and they came out normal. He told me just to wait and see and if it hadn’t gone away in a few days, then to come back. It doesn’t seem like the pain is subsiding, so my main question is what can I expect as a possible diagnosis if/when I go back?

Best answer:

Answer by M U
Honey, it could be a dozen different things, and the only way to find out for sure is to get more tests. Whatever you do, don’t pay any attention to the crazies you are likely to find on Yahoo Answers.

Even if your EKG was normal, you could have something wrong in the heart area. Perhaps the pericardium (the lining around the heart) is infected. Or, it might be a lung infection, even if nothing showed on the chest x-ray. Or it could even be your gall bladder, although I kind of doubt that one; the location doesn’t sound right.

But whatever it is, you need professional advice, not guesses from me or people who know even less than I do. I wish you well.

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