Of all the topics I’ve covered, this is one of the most important. You see, many people wait way too long to report to their doctor that they are having chest discomfort. They honestly believe that they couldn’t be having a heart problem, which reminds me of a story…..
Many years ago, one of our patients lost their son in his 40’s to a massive heart attack. He woke up on a weekend morning with chest discomfort and mentioned it to his wife, but said he was not ready to go to the hospital yet. He proceeded to his home office, paid all the bills, and wrote his wife explicit directions on paying the bills, life insurance etc. He went back to the kitchen and said to his wife ‘okay I am ready to go to hospital’. Boom, he hit the floor and died instantly.
The moral of the story is don’t wait until nothing can be done for you. If you are having symptoms from the waist up with exertion, seek medical attention.
If you have pressure, discomfort, and or pain in any of the following areas, getting to a medical facility is crucial:
Chest
Shoulders
One or both arms heaviness, tingling or numbness
Upper back
Throat
Jaw
Teeth
Many women may feel general fatigue
While having the pain/discomfort you may also experience
Nausea and or vomiting
Shortness of breath
Sweatiness
Feeling of doom
Better to be safe than sorry!
Stuart Thilmany is the owner of Keep the Beat Wellness, a health and wellness studio specializing in personal and small group training for baby boomers, seniors and individuals with various medical conditions where exercise programs are tailored to the individual’s needs.