A young father tragically passed away just weeks after experiencing persistent pain in his arm and shoulder, unaware that it was a sign of a serious heart condition. The 25-year-old suffered a heart attack after weeks of discomfort in his arm, which he brushed off as something minor. His family was devastated, struggling to understand why someone so young could experience a heart attack.
The pain in the arm, particularly on the left side, is often linked to a heart attack because the nerves in the heart and arm are connected. When the heart isn’t receiving enough blood, the pain can radiate to the arm instead of the chest. This is known as “referred pain.”
During a heart attack, arm pain may feel like pressure or heaviness, often spreading from the shoulder down the arm or even up to the jaw.
What to do if you think someone is having a heart attack:
Immediately call an ambulance.
Signs of a Heart Attack:
Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness, or constriction in the chest.
Pain in other parts of the body – it may feel as if the pain is spreading from the chest to the arms (usually the left arm but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back, or stomach.
Lightheadedness or dizziness.
Sweating.
Shortness of breath.
Feeling nauseous (feeling sick) or vomiting.
A strong sense of anxiety (similar to a panic attack).
Coughing or trouble breathing.