Why does a 23-year-old feel dizzy after playing futsal?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 23-year-old male and I work night shifts. I have been experiencing chest pain for about six to seven months, but my ECG, echo, blood test, and cholesterol tests all came back normal. I was also feeling dizzy, chest sensations, and heart palpitations.

These days, I no longer feel dizzy during regular activities, but I still experience dizziness and heart palpitations after playing futsal. I also feel dizzy after drinking milk tea.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Thank you for being thorough on your query. As you have said, you have already done several diagnostics, including ECG (electrocardiogram), echocardiography, and cholesterol, which decreases the likelihood of heart disease or major cardiac problems.

Possible causes of your symptoms may be autonomic system imbalance, like stress, lack of sleep, and or irregular sleep pattern, in which you say you work night shift, which can contribute to the symptoms you are experiencing.

Another possible cause is exertional symptoms, such as those experienced while playing futsal, which may result from a drop in blood pressure or blood sugar, especially if your body is affected by lack of sleep.

What you can try now is lifestyle changes, which include -

Stick to regular sleep, even though you are on the night shift.
Try using blackout curtains; I do that as well when I work the night shift.
Avoid caffeine or sugary drinks before you sleep.
During sports, drink enough water to stay hydrated.

As you are still young, you have ruled out major issues. However, if you continue to have chest pain with exertion despite doing the above lifestyle changes, then a treadmill stress test should be considered. If you have any further queries, do not hesitate to catch up.

I hope this helps.

Regards.