Weird Chest Sensations/Anxiety

[Rae93]

So i have a quick question to ask. When I exercise quite a lot, mainly when I go ride my horse I keep getting the same sensation in my chest. It sits more so to the right hand side but feels like a band around my upper chest and under my armpits. It's not a sore pain but it's more so a pressure? or not even that. It's hard to explain, but it feels like a warm sensation that spreads around my chest to back but mainly centres on the right hand side of my chest. Of course, given that I have had high levels of anxiety regarding my heart I find this disconcerting. I don't necessarily get breathless with it however it does make me feel odd, like I can't breathe deeply into my lungs. When I do inhale deeply it seems to loosen it off a bit. When I stop exercising it will vanish within seconds.

I had wondered if it could be my anxiety or some kind of symptom? Has anyone had something similar?

[Sunny Days]

Rae- Hi there! I have a horse too... I wanted to let you know that I get the weird chest sensations. I don't notice it really when I'm riding my mare in the indoor but I do notice I get a little dizzy now and then (ofcourse it could be all the circles and bending exercises were working on lol). I do have those feelings randomly during the day though, like at work. Work is where I feel the majority of my anxiety. It feels to me like a heat/jittery feeling in my chest but no pain or burning etc. I'm wondering if maybe it's hormonal -or- if allergies could be a factor? Are you riding in an indoor this time of year too? If so, it could be all the dust and everything maybe irritating our lungs?? It also could be the muscles from exercising as we both know that riding is very strenuous!

[Rae93]

Thanks for your reply. I mostly ride outdoors at the moment so I have enough air at least.
Like you, it isn't a burning or a pain or anything but it comes and goes in little waves and I find it very hard to describe. Of course I worry it's the arteries or something as a month back I had a few episodes of tachycardia. My mind really doesn't help me in these instances as I always think what if? I did think about the muscles. Do you think this is potentially what it is? It's mostly only when I am riding, or when I am doing a fair bit of exercise.

[Sunny Days]

Rae I'd be willing to bet it's the muscles! Plus given your history with the fast heart rate episodes (which I had too in my worst anxiety days) it makes sense. It's your anxiety tricking you most likely. Your doing the whole "what if" thing and feeding right into it. If it were heart related I would think we would get angina/pains when riding or working out. It could be making you tense in the saddle too (the fears of "what is this") and the tensing your muscles would cause pains/sensations I would think...especially when riding.