Raised area on left side of chest where collarbone meets sternum

[anonandafraid]

Hello again,

This time I've got myself worked up about a raised area I've noticed on the left side of my chest, it's hard and runs flush to my collarbone on the left side of my chest. It doesn't seem to be there on the right side - it's not the raised pea-like balls near where the collarbone almost meet in the middle of my chest, it ends just before that.

It seems to flow down into my chest without a definitive edge - again this is one of those things that I don't know if it's always been like that or not - but I am questioning why I'm noticing it now which is making me think it's a new symptom of something scary.

Surely I'd have other symptoms if it was something awful? I know the human body isn't perfectly symmetrical but this raised area that runs from the end of the collarbone down into the sternum area on the left side just doesn't really seem to be there on the right.

---------- Post added at 15:32 ---------- Previous post was at 13:52 ----------

I should add that there is no pain, it's not obstructing me or causing any problems moving, breathing, swallowing etc - it's just quite different from the right hand side.

I get a moment of pain in my chest when I sneeze too - much lower and more central in my sternum which I put down to costochondritis - I've had this for 3 or 4 years now and it hasn't bothered me. Just not sure if it's related.

[aaronrh76]

I am no doctor, I have no clue what you are talking about but if I had to guess, since there is no pain or anything and you have had the same issue with the sternum for atleast 3 years without it getting worse you are probably fine. The best thing you can do is just make a note of it if it worries you and next time you go for an annual physical ask the doctor. Or if it does start to hurt, then make an appointment. Try not to worry about it, try not to pry and prod, cause that will make things swell and bruise and then you will be like OOOOHHH pain which is nothing malignant its because you prodded and poked. I know this cause I am going through a lymph node phase right now, where I am checking my collarbone constantly seeing if I can feel one.

[anonandafraid]

Thanks for your reply Aaron! It's so hard to stop poking and prodding it, I'll just try and forget about it :) my main concern I guess is why does it feel more raised/in line with the collarbone here than it does on the right hand side (which doesn't run flush with my collarbone, I can feel in underneath that one near the middle of my chest where I can't as much on the left).

[aaronrh76]

Yeah I am not an anatomy expert but I know that the body is absolutely not symmetrical. My left eye is slightly lower than my right lol I found that out when buying glasses. My left collarbone is bumpy for some reason while I feel nothing on the right side, other than the bruise I caused from prodding. Try to stay positive, you are good. Just make sure to keep current on annual physicals.

[Fishmanpa]

We are asymmetrical by nature. Nuff said ;)

Positive thoughts

[anonandafraid]

Thank you Fishmanpa, you're like my rock on this place! I wish I had you on the other end of a phone for all of my mini-meltdowns :) (from your point of view, the phone wouldn't stop ringing!) :D