Why does a heart attack radiate pain in the left shoulder and arm?
A) The left shoulder and arm are the first to lose their blood supply and begin to hurt.
B) Sometimes, stimulation of internal pain receptors is felt as pain from the skin.
C) The nerves that innervate the heart go through the left shoulder and arm before going to the spinal cord.
D) Damage to the heart muscle results in a flood of inflammatory products carried by the blood stream to the left shoulder and arm first.
E) The heart will close off the blood supply to the arteries that supply the left arm, leading to the pain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is called referred pain. Stimulation of internal pain receptors is felt as pain from the skin, as well as the internal organs.

Why Does a Heart Attack Radiate Pain in the Left