Does anyone else get sharp and crampy chest and back pain after panic or stress?

[GingerFish]

Yesterday was a god awful day for me in terms of how high my anxiety/health anxiety was and it seemed to last the full day with what felt like only a few mins of relief here and there.

I managed to sleep and I feel about 80% better but my chest and back are killing me. Its right in the middle of my chest. My sternum feels bruised and a little sore to touch and my upper back/shoulder blades is agony and also sore to touch. I've taken ibuprofen but it hasn't made much difference. Moving and exercising a little seems to help.

Does anyone else get these sort of pains after a panic attack or highly stressful day?

[Daniele_T]

Most definitely, my muscle cramps are bad and on queue when I have a stressful event ahead.
The pain can make everything more stressful and difficult.

I think it's the unused adrenaline in the system which does it, exercising can really really help.

So can progressive muscle relaxation meditation.

So just for you..........


http://glasgowspcmh.org.uk/_uploads/audio_english/3.mp3

Give that a whirl..set 20 mins aside.
You will increase the pain as you do some of it but the technique will help and you'll feel much better after..it will also confirm to you that the pain is purely muscular.

Best wishes
Daniele

[GingerFish]

Thanks for your reply. I'll give that a listen. I still have the pain today but its not as bad as yesterday I suppose. I felt good enough to go for a walk around the block earlier and as soon as I got back, I got a sharp and crampy feeling in my chest which brought on a panic. I power walk so I am assuming that triggered the pain. My back and chest are still tender to touch which I suppose is a little comforting as I have read that usually means its just muscular pain and nothing serious.

[SarahH]

Yes... all the time. Its where the muscles have tensed during the anxiety attack and your rib cage has been strained. Although at the time of the anxiety you don't notice it.

Sarah

[GingerFish]

Its so scary :( pain is always horrible but its so much scarier when its chest pain, no matter how minor it is, or at least that's what it is like with me

[Daniele_T]

If you haven't already practiced belly belly breathing then I suggest you do so now.
I also get pain walking when I'm in stressful places but not all the time.

As Sarah has said it's often due to tension that pulls the Muscles harder when moving.


Additionally though I know I get chest pain when walking about anxious because of my chest breathing and pulling on my intercostal muscles.
Physical fitness is nothing to do with it, even when I worked out 6 days a week and was practicing Kung fu everyday for a few hours at a time I would get the intercostal pains.

Belly breathing along with that relaxation audio will really work wonders tbh.

Kindest regards
Daniele