Many people are frightened by the very notion of pain in the arm, perceiving this phenomenon as a premonition of a heart attack. However, there are numerous different reasons behind this pain and, even though heart attack may be one of them, the chances are small. The arm pain may be located in the arms, hands, shoulders, elbows or wrists, being triggered by numerous factors.
Facts about Heart Attack
Heart attacks take place once the blood flow to the heart gets blocked. This leads to a malfunctioning and eventual cessation of the heart movements, resulting in death, affecting both men and women, especially women who are older than 50. Nowadays, the main reason behind heart attacks is the high level of cholesterol, blocking the arteries. Yet, one may notice many different signs of an oncoming heart attack.
Signs of a Heart Attack
Usually, the most direct distinctive feature of a heart attack is chest pain. Nevertheless, shoulder and arm pain may be present as well, especially on the left side of the body. In most cases, everything starts in the chest and the pain spreads onto the arms, neck and sometimes even back. Since our left arm is the closest to the bronchial artery, the pain gets noticed in this area first, in cases of heart attacks.
Arm Pain
Arm pain appears without the chest pain in some cases. Therefore, whenever experiencing a sudden, unexplainable arm pain, you are highly advised to seek medical attention, ruling out the heart attack timely. Also, if the pain truly turns out to be a heart attack, it can be prevented before the onset. Yet, do not forget that the pain and numbness in your arm may stem from certain medications you might be taking or due to panic attacks.
Thus, it is best to pay your doctor a visit and allow him or her to do a regular checkup, finding the cause behind your unpleasant arm pain. Again, if the reason behind this phenomenon is indeed a heart attack, it will be treated on time and, probably, prevented. On the other hand, if heart attack is not the cause of your troubles, the cause will be found and dealt with.
Prevention of Heart Attack
Either way, do not ignore the symptoms. Rather, remember them and react timely, taking a good care of your precious health and the health of your heart. Additionally, leading a healthy life, eating the right food, doing exercise regularly and staying away from drugs, alcohol and stress can increase your heart attack defenses.
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