I'm a 26 year old male and I've been suffering with physical pain in the right side of my chest just off from the centre since November 2021. The pain is constant, it feels as if its a dull-ache / mild stitch, it seems worse when I'm sat in an upright position (for example at work on my computer chair). But nothing really seems to aggravate it or ease it.
I've had my vitals checked numerous times, ECG's, X-rays and blood pressure which all come back normal.
This pain is constantly here but the doctors can't find any issues.
The only significant detail I can think of that may have caused this issue is...
I'm a very slim build and back in September 2020 I decided i wanted to fain weight so i upped my calorie intake from around 1200 to 4000 calories a day, eating very high protein/fat foods, i started doing a lot more exercise than usual, but not lifting heavy weights or anything too strenuous, I can't help but think this drastic sudden lifestyle change may have caused some kind of issue in my chest?
Doctors keep telling me that its anxiety induced and I may have a psychosomatic disorder. They've prescribed Sertraline but I've not taken them as I feel as if I'm feeling is genuine physical discomfort.
It's really taking over my life now, and before i consider taking the Anti-Depressants i just wanted to check if anyone here has experienced anything similar and if you have any advice on how to relieve it?
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David158
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Hey David, I have no idea what your trouble is but you should take the tablets as prescribed, also try eating a couple of peppermint sweets to rule out the obvious ....Good luck.
Hey David this sound like something I have got off and on now for about 5 years. I too think that mine came from working out I was lifting heavy and I have noticed that it will flare up worse when I workout and do upper chest in particular... The only thing I have found that helps me is if I am able to crack/pop my sternum like you would your knuckles or back etc.. the way I have been able to do this (I am not always able to though) is while standing to arc your back and chest as much as you can while also pulling your shoulders and elbows backwards as far as you can( you basically want to be leaning back looking straight upward pushing your chest out as to perform the stretch you need to get it to crack ... if I can crack my sternum the pain is 95 percent gone it is literally night and day and becomes an afterthought until it will slowly come back and then I have to do it again.. If you are unable to crack it yourself I would try going to see a chiropractor and ask if they can crack your sternum... I have come to the conclusion that is some kind of a slight misalignment that happens with the chest/sternum that causes the it to feel like this. I too had it looked at with basically no answer from my dr other than to take it easy and don’t lift as heavy but it will even come and go at times when I have not been working out.... I hope you can crack it because I’m telling you it is a total game changer... I can probably do it about 75 percent of the time when I am getting pain now when before i would just deal with it. I really hope this helps you as it’s sounds almost identical to what I dealt with and still do from time to time. Good luck bro
Brando, thanks so much for this advice! Funnily enough.... After I wrote this post, my doctor rang, but this one was a new doctor who I haven't dealt with before.
Straight away he said has any doctor ever discussed Costochondritis with you? I've never even came across this before, and trust me I've done some serious googling over the last few months🤣
But Costochondritis is a is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the Sternum, some people will get it for a few weeks, then it will heal, others get it for much longer.
They don't really know what causes it, but some suggest it can happen through heavy lifting (like you said), impact or poor posture.
There isn't really a magic pill you can take to get rid of it, anti-inflammatory pills help for some people, but have no impact on others.
But what you've said completely backs up what I've read online about Costochondritis relief! Everyone says that stretching or seeing a Chiropractor is the best way to get relief.
Oh and David don’t take anything other then pain relievers. This is not in your head or anxiety induced as I have never dealt with anxiety. Please feel free to ask me anything as I wish I had found someone with something similar to me as it is a strange/painful and worrisome thing to deal with.
Have they excluded costochondritis? It is an inflammation of the joints between the ribs and sternum so it doesn't show up x-rays or ECGs. The pain from it can be felt further away from that. There are muscles between and across each rib, so it is possible that your increase in exercise could have caused this problem.
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