4 ms·
Don't "draw the line" anywhere with chest pains. I say this as someone who has survived PE. In my case, I had pain that was a vague persistent discomfort combi
by crispyambulance 10y ago
Don't "draw the line" anywhere with chest pains.
I say this as someone who has survived PE. In my case, I had pain that was a vague persistent discomfort combined with an evolving sense of panic. I hesitated for a day but then drove myself to the hospital just in time because it had progressed in the emergency room to searing pain where I "saw stars" upon each breath. Literally the most painful experience I ever had.
When you walk into an emergency room and indicate you have chest pains, they will immediately try to assess whether or not you're having a heart attack. After that there are checks to rule out PE and you may have a CAT scan w/contrast fluid.
There are other much less dangerous things that cause chest pain... stress-induced muscle pain is one. The problem is you can't be sure until its too late. Carry health insurance and don't try to second-guess chest pain.
- emmab 10y agoI've had PCS my entire life https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordial_catch_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordial_catch_syndrome Definitely not worth going to the ER for.
- MetallicCloud 10y agoWow, thank you so much! I've had this my entire life, but never knew what it was, and never met anyone else who also got it. It's nice to be able to put a name to it.
- pr0vitamin 10y agoOh my goodness. I've had this my whole life too, and could never find out what it was! Wow, the relief I feel right now.
- crispyambulance 10y agoOK, but you can say that because you happen to KNOW what it is, and that's fine. People drop dead too frequently because they wait too long to get help when they have unexplained chest pains that [they think] couldn't possibly be a heart attack.