Ask a doctor on the topic of General medicine

Long-lasting pressure in the chest - after Corona?

December 14, 2020 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

In April 2020, about a week after visiting a restaurant, I was sick and pretty sure it was Corona, as the symptoms were very similar (heart palpitations, limb pain, fever, chills). Tests were hardly possible at that time. This lasted about a week, but then I still had pressure in my chest and a feeling of fever/dizziness (even though I didn't have a fever). The second one lasted about a month, sporadically occurring until the end of June (the day after exercise or alcohol consumption). The pressure in the chest lasted much longer. Some information:
- Until around the end of August/September, occasionally after drinking alcohol, this pressure occurred, accompanied by a faster, noticeable heartbeat, initially with general discomfort.
- Since October/November, it is almost gone, or only very slight, especially after several days of consecutive alcohol consumption (I was on vacation..)
- Since I felt "good" again in October, I was back to the gym regularly for over 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks, it felt like a slight setback, but I think I also caught a cold. Especially after pull-ups, I noticed that things were still not quite right, so I stopped doing them.
- Nowadays, I hardly feel anything after drinking alcohol, usually nothing at all.
- However, whenever I do exercise again, which is currently only possible at home (dumbbells, push-ups), I still notice (the next day) that things are not perfect. The pressure in the chest (usually on the heart side) is barely noticeable, more like a slight tightness. The heartbeat is sometimes a bit higher, it feels like. It could also just be muscle soreness because I'm not used to it anymore. But what always accompanies me after exercise is some phlegm in my throat the next morning. It's significantly less than before, but still somehow strange.
- If I have a slight discomfort in my chest, I feel like I have eaten/drank something sugary before more often. Could that be related? Or is it just a coincidence?
What do you recommend for me? Should I rather abstain from alcohol, sugar, and exercise for a few more weeks?

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

Unfortunately, you have not written anything about the diagnostic tests that have been done so far.

A test for Covid19 antibodies costs around €25, which I would recommend doing, as it could show whether you had Corona at that time. Since there can be long-lasting symptoms after Corona, this could be an explanation. Of course, you also need a lung function test to rule out any unrecognized asthmatic complications, an ECG to check for myocarditis (listening to the heart is also important), and I would also want to check for signs of inflammation in the blood and the complete blood count.

Without all these tests, it is impossible to make a suspected diagnosis! Corona can cause late-onset symptoms, but there are also other possible causes that need to be ruled out. Unfortunately, Hodgkin's lymphoma must also be ruled out, as chest pain can occur after consuming alcohol and can make you more susceptible overall.

I do not see a connection with diabetes.

I would not recommend exercising until all tests come back normal.

I wish you all the best!

Sincerely, Dr. Gehring