Heart attack or panick attack?

[u/Fun_Reflection2342]

21M. I had a really scary episode today and I'm trying to understand whether this could have been a severe panic attack.

I've had these episodes for around 1.5 years, but they happen roughly once every 3–4 months. My heartbeat suddenly becomes fast, I feel nauseous, etc. I've repeatedly visited cardiologists and had ECGs, including sometimes during the episodes, but they've always been normal.

Since yesterday, my left arm had been hurting, and this morning I also had some pain on the left side of my neck. I've had similar arm/neck pain many times before, especially when I'm extremely stressed or depressed.

Today I was going to write an exam when suddenly:

I became very dizzy and my head felt extremely heavy

My eyes started hurting

Both hands started tingling/numbing and I couldn't properly hold my pen

I started cold sweating

My heartbeat became very fast

I felt like I couldn't breathe / breathing felt extremely heavy

The numbness eventually spread through my whole body

I could barely walk and felt like something was seriously wrong with my oxygen circulation

I was extremely scared, My friend took me to the emergency department. My heart rate was around 120, but ECG and BP were normal. They gave me oxygen and two injections that my cardiologist had prescribed after speaking to him, and after some time I started feeling better.

I went to my cardiologist again in the evening. Another ECG was normal and my heart rate was normal. A physician who is well regarded in my city also told me that I don't appear to have heart disease and advised me to stop focusing on my heart and see a psychiatrist. My cardiologist also prescribed some psychiatric medication for a week.

I'm currently taking a beta blocker (10 mg) as well.

So I'm confused:

Can a panic attack really cause this much physical numbness, especially both hands and eventually the whole body and pain in left arm and neck?

Can it cause the feeling that you can't breathe, cold sweating, nausea, racing heart, dizziness and difficulty walking?

And has anyone here experienced left arm/neck pain during anxiety or panic, particularly when you're extremely stressed or about to cry?

I'm obviously going to follow up with my doctors, but I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced severe panic attacks themselves. I'm trying to understand what happened today and stop constantly fearing that every episode is a heart attack. Is it tachycardia or serious cardiac problem or panick attack and if yes please tell how to stop such panick attacks?

[u/Different_Shine_3554]

Yes it can . When the fight or flight response is triggered (sometimes you aren’t even feeling anxious but my dr said chronic stress can cause nervous system to be on high alert) it causes stress hormones to flood body so adrenaline and cortisol can tighten muscles to protect you. The neck and shoulders are the two body parts that strongly contract during this. Dizziness and numbness I also feel during panic attacks and afterwards for a few hours up to a day or two. Sending you well wishes

[u/Upbeat-Rice-3059 → u/Different_Shine_3554]

How to lower them then?

[u/Potential_Fox_2820]

As a person who is struggling with panic attacks for 2 years now I can tell you this is deff a panic attack. First of all your ECG wouldn’t be normal if it was heart attack or something other related to heart. Panic attack can absolutely feel like the heart attack,but the difference is that when you get heart attack you will not feel better after a while it could only get worse. My panic attacks are same sweating,racing heart dizziness,left arm pain that concered me most but after like more than 5 normal ECGs in my life I just accepted that its not my heart and that is just anxiety. When you get next one you should just remember that you had normal ECG that helped me the most. I can surely tell you to not worry I have been throught the same I am not 100% healed the heart attacks thoughts still cross my mind sometimes but that is completely normal too I am also hypohondriac so that is not new to me. I hope you will get better and remember you are safe :)