How can musculoskeletal pain be managed?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have experienced fluctuating elevated blood pressure for the past three to four years, ranging from 135 to 180/85-112 mm Hg. I did not take any medication during this time. I have had episodes of sudden fainting, as well as pain and burning in my chest. When tested, my ECG results were normal. However, four days ago, the situation changed. I felt extremely fatigued for two days before experiencing pain in the center and left side of my chest. My hands felt numb, and I had periodic episodes of cold sweats on the back of my head and neck, along with a dull ache in my left upper shoulder. I also felt a heaviness in that area. This discomfort persisted intermittently throughout the evening, during which I took two baby Aspirin, which provided some relief.

The next day, I still felt very tired and my chest was sore. The pain was sporadic, manifesting as a quick, stinging sensation. Whenever I tried to do anything, the pain would attempt to return. During this time, my blood pressure reached a high of 167/112 mm Hg. On the third day, I felt better. I am currently taking Sertraline 100 mg once daily. Does this sound like a heart attack? I was terrified.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your symptoms are not typical of a heart attack; they seem to indicate musculoskeletal pain or inflammation. Is the pain triggered by deep breathing or body movements? This would further support the idea of musculoskeletal pain. The increase in blood pressure during these episodes is a normal physiological reaction to pain, so there is no need to worry. However, an exercise cardiac stress test would help reassure you that nothing serious is going on.

Regarding your blood pressure, I recommend measuring it frequently over the course of a week and recording those values. If your blood pressure consistently exceeds the normal range (140/90 mm Hg), antihypertensive therapy may be necessary. Additionally, some blood laboratory tests are needed to investigate other possible metabolic causes that could contribute to your symptoms. Consider doing a chest X-ray, pulmonary function tests, cardiac ultrasound, complete blood count, thyroid hormone levels, blood electrolytes, and kidney and liver function tests.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.