Stabbing pain to the right of center of chest.

[Jinaiya]

Today (and for the first time), I have been getting these 1-second intense stabbing pains just to the right of the center of my chest. I have had about 7 of them since early afternoon. I'm sure I'm being silly thinking its a heart problem so I wanted to pop in and ask for some hopeful reassurance. These hurt enough that I do cry out "ouch". I am having no other unusual symptoms other than anxiety stuff (which is super intense today)...

[Str8crew]

I have pains and weird tingly sensations all over my body so it could def be an anxiety symptom. My thing is I will focus on one part of my body or since I know like the symptoms of a heart attack its like I constantly am fearing the little pains or symptoms I experience are something much larger than anxiety. Some days I am able to tell myself its anxiety... your brain is messing w/you... and other days it just traps me. Try deep breathing or just taking a walk can help clear my mind or call and talk to someone. Good luck to you :)

[dazza]

Stabbing chest pains in anxious folk are most certainly anxiety related and highly unlikely to be anything to do with ya ticker.

Anxiety can creep up on you, silently. While you may think you're generally calm and ok, fight or flight signals may still occur without you being consciously aware of it.

The result is that muscles can tighten / stress... and some time on you'll start to experience the odds pains / tingles / twitches / spasms and so on.

Chest is one if not THE most common area of pain during anxiety / panic / stress.
Neck, shoulders & arms are also up in the top 3.

Can you feel how such pains suddenly get your FULL attention? can you feel how they tease you & don't let you go?

Next time they occur - try super tensing your entire body (as many muscles as you can - including face / chest / arms / neck / stomach etc.)... keep it there for 5 seconds or so and then COMPLETELY relax and go as limp as you can. Sit back on the chair if you're sitting.
Feel how GREAT it is to be this limp and relaxed.
Repeat a few times.
Often helps.
Try combining this will some deep, stomach breathing.

If still no joy... go talk to someone / chill out with them. Distraction is the best.

[Jinaiya]

Thank you both for your replies!

Great reply Dazza, super informative. Will try that next time it happens! :)

[Linda@TalkTherapyBiz]

Wonderful suggestions dazza. I would add some inner dialogue to go with these strategies such as, "I know my chest is tightening. This is a symptom of anxiety, and not a heart condition. This is scary right now, but I will get through this. Stop, anxiety! You're not going to get the best of me..." or whatever your voice would say.

It's important to regain a sense of control so that you manage your anxiety, rather than allow anxiety to manage you.

Hope this is helpful.

[dazza]

Make sure you tense REALLLL GOOOOD - almost to the point of wetting yourself.

Then, when going limp, imagine you're a puppet on strings and someone's just cut the strings.
I.e. Go all floppy!

Warning: Don't do this in public... someone might dive on you and start executing resuscitation.