Is Arm Pain a Heart Attack Symptom

Among the many causes of arm pain, the prominent ones are muscle strain, muscle pull or an injury. Arm pain is the pain that is experienced in any part of the arm, i.e., the shoulders, elbow joint or the wrist. But you must have heard that left arm pain and heart attacks are closely related to each other. Let us know more about arm pain during heart attacks. Read more on arm pain causes.

Heart Attack
A heart attack is a fatal condition when the blood flow in the heart gets completely blocked. Due to this, the heart does not function properly or sometimes stops functioning completely, which results in the person's death. Heart attack can be seen in both men as well as women. But in case of women, it is observed only after 50 years of age. In the recent times, the most common causes of heart attacks are stress and blockage of arteries due to high level of cholesterol. There are many warning symptoms related to a heart attack.

Arm Pain in Heart Attack
Chest pain is the most common and major symptom of heart attacks. Among the other distinguishing symptoms of heart attacks, shoulder and arm pain, specially in the left side are the most prominent ones. It is also known as the heart attack arm pain. In case of a heart attack, the pain originates in the chest and spreads to the arms, neck and even to the back. One may wonder why only left arm pain is experienced during a heart attack. It is because arm pain in heart attacks originate from the left chest, then moves upwards to the shoulder and radiates down the bronchial artery in the left arm. Therefore, one experiences left arm pain during heart attack.

Arm Pain: Heart Attack Symptom
In case of women, arm pain during heart attack is a commoner symptom than chest pain. Some women may not experience chest pain at all, but will definitely experience arm and shoulder pain. As mentioned above, left arm pain is one of the underlying symptoms of heart attack in both men and women. Therefore, it is better to consult the doctor if one experiences sudden left arm pain even when other symptoms may or may not be seen. With the help of certain tests, the doctor can easily diagnose whether there is a possibility of a heart attack or not. The most important thing to remember is that a person can be treated and saved from a heart attack if the early warning symptoms of a heart attack are identified and treated soon.

Read more on:

• Heart Attack Symptoms in Women Over 50
• Left Arm Pain in Women

On the other hand, one should also remember that although classical heart attack symptoms are arm pain and numbness, it is not the only reason for the appearance of these symptoms. Left arm pain can be a side effect of certain prescriptions. Sometimes, excess stress and panic attacks can also lead to arm pain. It is better to have a check on the other symptoms that are accompanied with arm pain in order to get it treated quickly.

Read more on:

• Signs of Heart Attack
• Heart Attack Symptoms

As a concluding note, one should remember that arm pain in heart attacks are a common symptom and should not be ignored. It is better to get yourself checked by a specialist as early as possible.