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Total Views: 589
Doctor answered : 11 years ago
You have specified "varying degree of pain over left side". There is a need for more clarity in the symptom that you are experiencing. Do you get pain only over left chest or over left shoulder / arm / front of neck up to jaw / upper back. Have you noticed any patterns of the complaint - for instance, any worsening with more activity or more stress and lessening with rest; or more symptoms during night etc. More clarity is also required as to why you had undergone an open heart surgery.
Pain over left shoulder / arm / neck up to jaw / upper back could be referred from the heart itself. It may be a referred pain. I suppose you may be having regular check-ups with your cardiologist. Please notice the patterns of complaints and report during next follow-up. Kindly note that complaint need not be only from the heart, but since you have a history, it should be screened first. Broken ribs must not hurt you since such a long time. Normally bones will heal within a period of 2 - 3 months. Pain from the broken rib is unlikely after many years, except, if the joint between the rib and the spine is positioned inappropriately (we term it as positional faults). You may screen yourself to rule out any musculoskeletal disorders (symptoms originating from shoulder or other joints from upper limb). Please try the following simple tests & you could report back.
1. Try raising your upper limbs upward to the fullest extent with back of palms touching each other. - Check, in front of a mirror, if you could reach similarly with both the sides - Report if one side moves less than other.
2. In erect sitting, try breathe in & out slowly - Check if your symptoms are varying through the breath - Report any pattern
3. Combine 1 & 2 procedures - Raise both upper limbs upwards & breathe in - out slowly - Analyse the pattern
4. In erect sitting, perform breath hold - Take a deep breath & hold it for a few seconds (2 - 3 seconds) - Analyse the pattern
5. In erect sitting, slowly breathe out to the maximum and hold there for few seconds (2 - 3 seconds) - Analyse the pattern.
6. Observe the pattern of complaint, before food, after food, in various positions of lying (left side lying or right side lying, lying straight or lying on tummy)
If you find positive symptoms for the questions 1 & 3, you may have to get it screened with an orthopedician
If you find positive symptoms for the questions 2, 3, 4, 5 - problem could be with the joints / ribcage - you may have to screen with an orthopaedician or pulmonologist
If you find positive symptoms for question 6, problem could be with intestinal system - screen with physician recommended.
