Is the chest pain I've been experiencing directly related to stress and anxiety? If so, how can I alleviate some of the discomfort and put my mind at ease?

The ER doc was a bozo. Numbness or pain in the left arm is a dead giveaway to any boyscout with a First Aid merit badge - that's a heart condition acting up. You need to see a cardiologist before one of these episodes turns into a full-blown heart attack. While stress can exacerbate a heart condition, treating the stress without diagnosing and controlling the condition, is not the way to go here. Also, heart disease is not necessarily caused by age or lifestyle - it could simply be something congenital. You need to see a specialist, and whine at your GP until he/she refers you to one.

Tai Chi and bike riding really alleviated my stress related anxiety years ago. I think it's the deep breathing that really helps. It's amazing how many days can go by without taking a truly deep breath. On the days you do not exercise try to make a point to take a really deep breath at least a couple of times a day, it makes a difference.

Two people I know experienced very similar symptoms and in both cases the final determination of the cause was that they were having panic attacks. I think you need to be following these symptoms up with a doctor and making sure you eliminate the possibilities of serious medical concerns. But I will be honest, the similarity of the course of symptoms and reactions you describe is uncanny and I think you should keep the possibility of acute anxiety as the primary problem in the mix because given your self-description the possibility that you are experiencing a genuine life-threatening heart disorder is very, very small. But even if it is anxiety-based you should not be ignoring this or relying purely on addressing it with DIY methods. Both individuals I knew required treatment to resolve their issues. Feel free to contact me offline if you want to talk about what was related to me in detail (one of the individuals in particular is very close to me and I heard about and was involved with their experiences in great detail).

Here's a http://www.livingwithanxiety.com/anxiety-physical-symptoms.htm that can be caused by anxiety. First step would be to follow up with your regular doctor and see if he or she thinks a referral to a cardiologist is necessary. I had a full cardiology workup, including an echocardiogram and stress test, and was sent away with a clean bill of health. Also, see if your doc thinks a psychiatric referral is warranted. Notice what you are doing, pay attention to your body. Are you clenching up? Holding your breath? Gritting your teeth? Are you getting enough sleep? I had a time when I was working full time at a stressful job, going to school at night, plus dealing with an unsupportive husband and raising a 6 year old. Then a relative came down with a terminal illness. I ended up quitting the night course and then quitting the job and going into less stressful work. During the most stressful period, my doc gave me a short term prescription for Valium. One old fashioned device is a http://www.spiritconnectionstore.com/worry-stone.htm, just keep it in your pocket and give it a rub when you're feeling anxious. Exercise is numero uno for anxiety. Park your car further away when you go to the store, take the stairs, walk around the block, do jumping jacks, etc. (after you get cleared by your doc, of course). Next, deep breathing, look up yoga breathing. Watch funny shows and stay away from the news when you're feeling stressed. Have lower expectations of yourself in areas of your life that don't matter (i.e., you can do the dishes the next morning, the bed doesn't have to have hospital corners, things like that). I've also had luck with self-hypnosis CD's, listening to music, and aromatherapy, but really, exercise is the best.

I had the exact thing happen to me exactly a year ago now, ER visit turned out the same too. I think it came on due to holiday driving -- a thousand miles in under a week, with nearly all of it with only my left arm and shoulder.

I see this hasn't been brought up yet, but some chest pains are sometimes due to ribs or calcification near the ribs rubbing a nerve ending... I had a family member that went to the ER for chest pain 10 years ago and wore an EKG recorder for days, and that was the diagnosis; the symptoms disappeared after a month. So if the pain feels kind of shallow, that could be what it is... sharp chest pains are also sometimes due to bronchial causes, particularly if they have synchronicity with breathing cycles. In any case, agree on getting thee to a doctor.

I had chest pain a few years ago (when I was 29) and it turned out to be a virus. I thought I was having a heart attack.

I would get the proper checkup, and then if you're cleared for heart problems, you might ask for a referral to...whoever would be best to see for shoulder/arm RSI issues. I don't even know if that's conventionally orthopedic or neurology anymore, but your doctor should be able to steer you in the right direction. If both doctors clear you for it, consider yoga (you can start with DVDs or even YouTube to dip your toe in the water) to help with stress and loosening up the muscles in your arms and upper body. You might also look into replacing your pillows and taking stock of your sleep positions. But doctor first.

I had a similar experience a few years ago, and was diagnosed with http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/costochondritis/DS00626. Once I knew it wasn't serious, the anxiety abated, and with it, the pain. It's definitely worth visiting a doctor to see if they can more definitively diagnose you. Good luck.