Is Severe Left-Sided Chest Pain Spreading to the Arm a Medical Emergency?

Hello,

We understand that money is a concern, but please do not delay medical care because of the consultation cost. Your symptoms need an urgent assessment in an emergency department.

Strong chest pain that spreads to the shoulder or arm can happen during a heart attack. Other warning symptoms can include sweating, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, or a feeling of pressure, heaviness or squeezing in the chest.

Pain that becomes worse with a deep breath can also happen with conditions involving the lungs or the lining around the heart. These conditions also need proper medical assessment rather than treatment at home.

What you should do right now

• Stop physical activity and sit or rest in a comfortable position.

• Do not drive yourself to the hospital.

• Ask a family member or another person to stay with you.

• Arrange an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

• Do not wait to see whether the pain goes away on its own.

• Do not take random painkillers, antibiotics or acidity medicines to try to cover up the symptoms.

• If you already have a doctor-prescribed emergency heart medicine such as GTN/nitroglycerin, use it only as previously instructed by your doctor.

If you develop severe breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, blue/pale lips or skin, heavy sweating, vomiting, or worsening chest pain, treat it as an emergency.

What tests be needed?

At the emergency department, the doctors may check your blood pressure, pulse and oxygen level and perform an ECG and blood tests such as cardiac troponin. Depending on your symptoms, they may also advise a chest X-ray, echocardiogram or other tests.

These tests are important because chest pain cannot be safely diagnosed from symptoms alone.

What is the Ayushman Bharat card?

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is a government health insurance/assurance scheme that provides eligible beneficiaries with cashless treatment for covered hospitalisation packages at empanelled hospitals.

However, having an Ayushman Card does not mean that every consultation, test or treatment is automatically free. The hospital needs to verify your eligibility and confirm that the required treatment/package is covered.

How to check an Ayushman hospital?

For planned treatment, you can check the hospital through the official PM-JAY hospital search :

1. Open the official PM-JAY Hospital Search portal.

2. Select your State.

3. Select your District.

4. First check the overall PM-JAY empanelled hospital list for your district.

5. Select Government or Private hospital, as required.

6. Look for the relevant specialty, such as Cardiology/Cardiac Sciences.

7. Search for the exact hospital name.

8. Enter the captcha, if shown.

9. Check whether the hospital has active PM-JAY empanelment and the relevant cardiac treatment package.

10. At the hospital, go to the Ayushman Mitra/PM-JAY desk and ask them to verify your eligibility, the applicable package and cashless treatment.

Documents to keep ready

If possible, take these with you :

• Ayushman Card

• Aadhaar card or another valid government ID

• Previous medical reports

• Previous ECG/echo/heart reports, if available

• Current medicines and prescriptions

• Any previous hospital discharge papers

• Information about existing conditions such as diabetes, BP or cholesterol

But please do not delay going to the emergency department while collecting documents. Medical treatment comes first.

One important point

Because your current symptoms could represent a serious heart or lung condition, please go to an emergency hospital now rather than waiting for a routine consultation or trying home remedies. The cost/insurance issue can be discussed with the hospital's Ayushman desk after you reach there.

Wishing you and your family good health always.
Warm regards,
Team HexaHealth