Aches & Pains / Question
Published: November 23, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am a 16 year-old girl. Ocassionally I get sharp pains in my left chest area, sometimes to the far left so that the pain is very near to the armpit, usually somewhere around my breast. It's usually a sharp, quick, passing pain, lasting 1-3 seconds, but several times it has lasted up to half an hour, during which it hurt to breathe too deeply or to move for a while. My parents have taken me to see a few doctors. The doctors, while they ruled out cancer, could not find out what it was and so attributed it to stress. It's certainly not a panic attack, because I felt perfectly fine emotionally. I don't think it is a heart attack...do you think you could suggest a few causes behind this chest pain? Thanks...
Signed: Sharp Pains In Left Chest Area
Dear Sharp Pains In Left Chest Area,
TeenHealthFX thinks that it is important that you continue to follow-up with medical professionals as we cannot give any kind of accurate diagnosis over the web as to what is causing these pains. It is very unlikely that you have experienced a heart attack. At 16 years old, unless you are participating in some extreme behaviors such as regular cocaine use, heart attacks in your age group are extremely rare. It is possible that your pains are GI related (such as heartburn), or that the pains are emotionally related. Again, follow up with your doctor – if your doctor is unable to find anything medically wrong, consider a consultation with a mental health professional. Sometimes people who are dealing with emotional stress find that their symptoms are physical in nature – such as person with a lot of stress and anxiety who experiences frequent stomach aches. If your doctor is unable to find anything medically wrong with you, it is possible that there are feelings of sadness, anger, or stress that are translating into these sharp pains that a mental health professional could help you with.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-6475 for an appointment or contact your local teen health center. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.
If you live in northern New Jersey and need help finding a therapist you can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals in your area. You can also contact your insurance company to get a list of in-network mental health providers or check with your school social worker or psychologist to get a list of referrals in your area.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use, and male high school students are more likely than female students to rarely or never wear seat belts.
