chest pain and tightness around breastbone???

[bambamers]

hi all,
ive been really good and havnt been on here for around 4 months but bang im really anxious again and worrying like mad.

basically a week ago i got a shooting type pain just to the left of my chest/breast bone, its not mega painful im just aware of it, and then the next day i had tightness right at the top of my breastbone , i went to the doctors and they said its probably some kind of indigestion or ive pulled something but gave me tablets incase its indigertion. anyway it went for 2 days but now its back again.
im so worried and just wish i knew what it was and that it would go away.
i cant relax because i have all sorts going through my head about it.
i dont think its because of my anxiety as ive suffered for over 10 year and not had anything like this.
ive thought if it was a heart attack it wouldnt go on for over a week and would also be very painfull.
any ideas anyone?

wish i could just be normal.

xxx

[nomorepanic]

This is from the symptoms page...

Heart palpitations, chest pain, irregular beats, flutters, skipped beats


What you feel:

One of the most worrying symptoms is chest pains or a tight feeling in your chest. The immediate thought is "heart attack" or "stroke" and this only worries you more. You may also notice that your heartbeat is incredibly fast or irregular at times having palpitations and again this leads to the worry that you will have a heart attack.

Often the chest muscles may feel very tight, and sometimes they can become painful if they are tight enough to spasm. Because the individual may become concerned that they may be having a heart attack, their fear will add to the stress biology which can not only worsen the pain, but can produce other symptoms similar to a heart attack such as profuse sweating, light-headedness and numbness in the arms, feet or face.
These increased symptoms can also cause more fear which then can turn into a panic attack
Your heart feels like it skips a beat or flops in your chest. It sometimes may feel like a tickle in your chest that makes you cough. If you take your pulse, you'll notice that sometimes the beats are unevenly spaced.
You may experience a tightness or pressure in the chest. Sometimes you may feel shooting pains, or muscle twitches, or just an uneasiness or fullness in the chest area which causes you concern

There is no evidence that panic and anxiety has any adverse effect on the heart and the pains are easily explained.

What causes this:

Stress biology causes the heart rate to increase. It does this so that the body is ready to take action. It’s like in drag racing, drivers get their RPM’s up prior to the green light so that they can hit the light with maximum torque. Since the stimulant hormone adrenaline, the body’s super fuel, is produced when danger is perceived, the heart rate is naturally increased.


Once the stimulant is used and eliminated from the body, the heart rate will return to its normal range.
Moderate regular exercise helps to regulate this symptom.
When you start panicking the whole of your body becomes tense and this includes your muscles.
The chest pains you experience are due to the constricting of the chest wall muscles and the muscles between your ribs and not due to any actual muscles in your heart and the best cure is to start stretching these muscles gently to relieve the pain. Although you may not feel like doing any exercise whilst getting these pains, try stretching your arms above and behind your head, out to the sides and bending over gently to relieve the pain.

Naturally most people are dreadfully worried about their hearts but if your G.P. has given you the all clear cardiac wise - then do not be alarmed if the chest pains and palpitations come back and last for more than a day. If it is related to panic, although it is painful and worrying, the pains will subside if you try gentle exercise and ignore them.
Regular exercise and deep relaxation help to minimize this symptom. Also, staying away from artificial stimulants such as caffeine, chocolate, high doses of raw sugar (such as pastries, sweets, cookies, etc.) and smoking help to keep this symptom in check.
Dull ache (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3044)


chest pains (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3487)
Heart Palpatations - advice pleaseeeeeee!!!! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3322)

Missed heartbeats! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3186)

Feel my heart beating (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3710)

[bambamers]

my heart beat doesnt race, it just stays totally normal. its just this weird pain at sort of the top of my left breast but nearer the centre.

[nomorepanic]

Well I meant this part of the above ...

When you start panicking the whole of your body becomes tense and this includes your muscles.

The chest pains you experience are due to the constricting of the chest wall muscles and the muscles between your ribs and not due to any actual muscles in your heart and the best cure is to start stretching these muscles gently to relieve the pain. Although you may not feel like doing any exercise whilst getting these pains, try stretching your arms above and behind your head, out to the sides and bending over gently to relieve the pain.

It could also be acid indigestion.

[Toffeeapple]

Hi, does it feel more muscular than anything else?
I don't suppose you've pulled something. I'm saying that because I had the same kind of pain a few months ago and I went to the doctors (of course! :blush: ) and he wasn't at all worried and told me that it probably wasn't a stroke as my pulse was normal, but that I probably pulled a muscle.
Then I thought back and I remembered that the day before I picked up my 3 year old daughter and ran to my house to avoid the rain for quite a long way.
Have you done anything like that at all?
And when you breathe out does it hurt more?

[bambamers]

thanks both for replying.
i suppose it could feel like it something pulled.
cant think of anything ive done that i dont normally do though, i do have a 15month old daughter so im picking her up all the time.
it doesnt hurt more when i breathe out.

xxx

[Toffeeapple]

Oh by the way it went away after a couple of days but came back the day before yesterday (I'd been carrying my daughter again) and gone again today.

[Toffeeapple]

Yeah but that's the thing, you don't think when you pick up your daughter because it feels so natural. But believe me it puts a hell of a lot of strain on your upper body. It's probably just that, just give it a few days, if it's not that bad a pain then try to forget about it, it will go away, like everything else. (by the way I'm not trying to be patronizing but I remember how badly I worried last time as I'd never got chest pain before, so that's why I will say to myself next time, I'm fed up with wasting my time worrying. Plus like you I was almost cured when that happened and it really annoy me to worry about it. ).

[bambamers]

i know exactly what you mean, sometimes you just cant stop your mind running away with you.
i hope it is just that then.

thank you
xxx

[L1SA]

Hi

I get this, its sounds like its inflammation of the rib cartilige (always seek docs advice tho just on case).
Its caused by stress/anxiety. When you stress you tense causing the muscles to tighten (chest pain/breathin difficaulties) and sometimes causing inflammation (if its tender/sore round rib cage)

Taking an anti-inflammitry (ie...nuerfen or diclofenic) can help PLUS relaxation teqniques like breathing and a massage :)

Avoid heat as it better responses to ice pack/freeze gel (in my case)

I have an inhalor cause it helps the breathing when chest gets so tight.

It can cause muscular pain to, arm/neck/shoulder

Hope that helps :hugs:

[jiggy]

hello
well i had the breastpain n tightness and it felt better after i done the stretches am so glad i found this forum and looked up for some advice only diff is i feel like my back is sore too .....i have managed to not to panioc i feel well proud as i wa sstartn to think o no its my heart again as i do have a phoibia of having a serious illness
hope every1 isok

[Meewah]

Hi

I get strange shooting pains usually in my pecks or man boobs. I also get a tighness of the skin in the centre of my chest just below my pecks. I tfeels as if someone has stuck duct tape there and scares the hell out of me.

Mee