Chest pains after climbing?

Martin Brzozowskiwrote:

I noticed that after a long day of climbing (generally long climbs with long approaches) I have some chest pains the day or two after. Feels like there is pressure in my chest and sometimes it gets real bad where my chest, neck, and arm hurt really bad, and I have shortness of breath. The same thing happened to my brother after we did a long climb in Utah. This has happened to me on numerous occasions, and it sucks. Does anyone else experience this or know what is going on?

Have you gotten checked out for gerd? I have it and can sometimes make climbing and hiking almost unbearable, like I’m going to have a heart attack. Including all the symptoms you named.  Even worse if you eat anything that upsets it... which is a lot of things. I never thought it could be that serious and always thought I might have a heart condition instead, but following a strict diet really helps a ton. Exercise still makes it hurt at times though. 

Martin Brzozowskiwrote:

I noticed that after a long day of climbing (generally long climbs with long approaches) I have some chest pains the day or two after. Feels like there is pressure in my chest and sometimes it gets real bad where my chest, neck, and arm hurt really bad, and I have shortness of breath. The same thing happened to my brother after we did a long climb in Utah. This has happened to me on numerous occasions, and it sucks. Does anyone else experience this or know what is going on?

Have you gotten checked out for gerd? I have it and can sometimes make climbing and hiking almost unbearable, like I’m going to have a heart attack. Including all the symptoms you named.  Even worse if you eat anything that upsets it... which is a lot of things. I never thought it could be that serious and always thought I might have a heart condition instead, but following a strict diet really helps a ton. Exercise still makes it hurt at times though. 

Ever get this resolved. Bump

Yea idk what it is. Doc told me to go to cardiologist but I didn't have time. It went away

Martin Brzozowskiwrote:

Yea idk what it is. Doc told me to go to cardiologist but I didn't have time. It went away

One time I led a pack of youngsters up a long and steep approach trail. Not wanting to be seen as old, I booked. 

Huge chest pain at the top for about half an hour. Reported to my physician, she had me to a treadmill test. Nothing unusual came from that.

One year later, during a gym workout I get huge chest pains that build and build and then drop off. I am convinced its GERD or heartburn. Contact dr. for a Rx for Prilosec. They keep telling me to go the emergency room. I ignore this advice. 3 days of these chest pain episodes ensue. On a scale of 1 to 10 the pain peaks at 10. Then dissipates.

They finally grant me a Rx for Prilosec, but want me to stop by for a check as I pick it up (Kaiser). While I am in line, it strikes again. They throw an EKG on me, and then I noticed a sense of urgency with them. Pain has subsided again, I'm normal. Next thing I know paramedics have me in an ambulance. They speeding like fuck. I am still normal, but amazed at this.

Met at the hospital by 8 people, frantic activity ensues. I get introduced to my brand new cardiologist who tells me my EKG has literally flipped (?) and if I don't sign off on an emergency catheter I could drop dead any minute.

Now I have 2 stents. 

Do not dick around on getting some sort of imaging done.

Martin Brzozowskiwrote:

Yea idk what it is. Doc told me to go to cardiologist but I didn't have time. It went away

Not a good decision.

I had an EKG and sonogram done at the cardiologist, both of which where normal.  It took an hour or two - you have time.

Besides, watching your own heart beat on the sonogram is the coolest thing ever!

I had an EKG done, was normal. As I have nothing immediately threatening me, I will go once I have more time.

Not a good idea to let this go. If you don't have time to go to the cardiologist, you might find that you don't have much time to live either. I'd be surprised if your cardiologist let you go with just an EKG - doing an echocardiogram would be more telling. But, I am not that kind of Dr. I'd encourage you to read Lennard Zinn's writing about heart conditions in endurance athletes. This is really something to be aware of and to remain attuned to.

https://www.velonews.com/cycling-to-extremes-heart-health-and-endurance-sports/

Max Rwrote:

I'd encourage you to read Lennard Zinn's writing about heart conditions in endurance athletes. This is really something to be aware of and to remain attuned to.

https://www.velonews.com/cycling-to-extremes-heart-health-and-endurance-sports/

That's a great article - thanks for sharing it!

Here to echo that ignoring this is a very bad idea. It sounds like angina, which is 100% a condition you want to be aware of.

I've only experienced this after highly strenuous days climbing. I will not be climbing for at least a month. I will go before I climb again. The reason say I don't have much time is because the cardiologist is an hour and a half from my school

M Appelquist wrote:

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Dude has a sprinter, he probably has insurance. It’s foolish to get yourself checked out for health concerns before they become more serious? 

I hope so!

 I have a defective heart & I can pass an EKG test with no sign of a problem. I can pass a stress test easily. 

Well thank you everyone for the peer pressure. I've never really looked after myself all too well (as you can tell). I'm grateful for random strangers on the internet.

That being said, I've been to the hospital like 4-5 times in the last few years so.. 

One was an actual emergency the rest I was being cautious

I have a $7000 deductible, thats kinda not motivating either

I would highly encourage you to get a cardiac work up. What you’re describing sounds like the symptoms i have because of my bum heart lol, i have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. HCM is the number one cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes. Deff get checked out. 

From personal experience, have them check for aortic aneurysm and/or aortic dissection which are not as uncommon as people think and causes about 0.3% of all deaths. My aortic dissection nearly killed me and did kill my brother.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aortic_dissection

Dan Merrickwrote:

From personal experience, have them check for aortic aneurysm and/or aortic dissection which are not as uncommon as people think and causes about 0.3% of all deaths. My aortic dissection nearly killed me and did kill my brother.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aortic_dissection

I'm sorry about your brother. I will have to mention that to the doc. My mom's side does have a history of high blood pressure

No appointments till MLK Day..

if you have tightness in you neck, back and chest it could be nerve related as well. Or as others have pointed out it could be an endurance thing. When i am out of shape my body hurts more in weird places on a long climbing days....