Sharp shooting pain under left breast

[yanksforever]

For the past 3 days I keep getting this really sharp pain under my left breast...it last like 1-3 seconds...and when it happens it feels like I cant even breathe or move until it goes away..almost feels like some bones are broken in there or some horrible muscle issues...but of course...im thinking it's my heart.

it has only happend once a day each time, and only lasted 1-3 seconds. What do you guys thing this is? I feel it right under my left breast and sometimes a but of it right behind like on my back where that pointy shoulder blade thingy iss...

is this my heart???? it's very very sharp.:weep:

i must add that it only happens when im sitting and leaning back or something...

[shelldavis]

Hi Yanksforever,
i get this!!! its horrible, i've been getting it alot more frequently, like its happening now in like lil shocks!!
I always think that its my heart, but my GP says my heart is fine, its just really annoying then i start getting paranoid & checking my pulse!!
I feel like i go round in a circle with it!!!
I'd go to the Doctors for a check up just for peace of mind, thats what i'm going to do again :)
Good Luck
xxx

[stm93]

no, it's not your heart. I'm having those every day, 10-20 times! Ask yourself have you been doing something that made your muscles tense? Things like no exercise, sitting in one position for many hours (like me in the office), tensed your left arm in any way? Could also be junk food (I had a burger the other day, and had sharp pains in my diaphragm, scary as hell) Also, sharp pains are almost always tense muscles! Your heart is fine!

[yanksforever]

Yeah I think I do sit too long without exercise...it feels a bit like trapped wind too, and my muscles were tense 3 days ago when it began...it's SOOOO SHARP like knives going through there...and when it happens it goes away within 3 seconds but I feel it right under my left breast and a bit around the pack and under my armpit...

It's gotta be tense muscles because when it happens i cant breathe or move until the pain has gone away...

thanks guys..that did help a little, more reassurance is always great

[anx mum]

I get this alot and it scares me to death always under left breast

[yanksforever]

it happend again today. it only happens once a day....it lasted like 3 seconds...it was under my left breast but i could feel it's sharpness in my back as well...

im so scared...im justr 19 and im thinking this is my heart. today when it happend i was pretty relaxed, sitting down at a family birthday party after dinner, and i got up and changed seats and when i sat down...a miniute later, BAM...3 seconds of this sharpp pain right unnder left breast...

[Tortoiseman]

I went to A&E a few weeks ago because of this.

I was getting the pains in my heart alot as well as pains in the upper left tendon of the pec muscle.

It was worrying but while i was in Uni one day it went mad, i had that pain you described for virtually 12 hours straight, happening every 30seconds-2 minutes. Now i am not one to go A&E unless i have to but i went as soon as i could.

The pains started at 9am (got home from uni at 4) and were still going when i got seen at 6:40pm.

My ECG was fine, my heart was working fine, just a fast pulse, no doubt due to worry.

He said it wasn't a muscle problem as it didn't hurt to touch my pec so he told me it was in my head (in a very patronising way, he spoke to me like i was 6 years old). Either way i was happy my heart was fine and it went away the next day only to reappear in short bursts every now and again.


One thing he said to me was "if it was your heart, you wouldn't be here because the heart couldn't handle that for 9 hours". That is a good point and it also made me alot better. Keep that in mind too, if i can have it for 9 hours and be ok then you will be ok too, try not to panic.


The fact you say it only happens when you lean on something especially points to muscle problems. Mine happened under no particular circumstances. However i did think it was muscle problems due to other parts of my chest hurting and some ribs too. It felt like random inflammations.


One thing i did do was keep my left arm at my side at all times to stop my left pec or muscles around it moving. It can be awkward, i couldn't cuddle up with that arm or use it for sport but it really helped. I started off doing it constantly for 2 weeks and then whenever i felt a slight twinge. As i say it was awkward but it really helped.


My advice would be to stay calm, don't panic, go to the doctors if necessary and take note of how your movement affects the pain and do whatever is best for it.


Hope it stops soon.

[honeybee3939]

Hi Yanks

I have had this before and i put it down to trapped wind !:ohmy:

Try taking some kind of indegestion remedy to see is it helps, i take rennies and they do help.

Andrea
xxxxx

[kaynbrian]

Take something for gas. I know it can very well be gas or acid reflux.:yesyes:

[jacq]

I have had this for years and unbelievably for ages thought it was a blood clot trapped in my heart as if i breathed in really deeply (though it was agony) it went away and i thought i had managed to force the clot through, but i have since been told it is just a muscle spasm, in just the same way as you get leg cramp when you muscles go in to spasm (and we all know how painfull that is when it hits you unawares!), i have been told that drinking tonic water helps with cramp and spasms as it contains quinine.

p.s just found this on the net, sorry it's so long but am crap on computer and not sure how to add a link LOL!


That Sharp Pain in your Chest

Posted by Failed Success on 04/07/06 at 10:10 PM
http://www.failedsuccess.com/images/chest-pain.jpgDo you ever get a piercing pain in your chest, usually on your left side under your rib, which almost feels like a bubble ready to burst?
It causes you to catch your breath, and you try not to breathe in or breathe out too much because it’s extremely painful either way. You take short, staggered breaths and try not to move. Finally, you work up the courage to take a sharp inhale or exhale. You feel a sensation similar to a bubble bursting and the pain is gone.
What is this strange sensation that is so painful and uncomfortable? It is actually a very common condition and most people have experienced it. The medical term for this occurrence is Precordial Catch Syndrome.

Many people mistakenly believe that they are having a heart attack at the onset of this type of pain. While the pain is strong and located in an area that would seem like the heart, this condition is not a heart attack, nor is it heart related.
Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS) is the most common cause of recurring chest pain. It is also sometimes known as “a stitch in the side” or “Texidor’s twinge”. It occurs most often in children and teenagers, but does persist into adulthood as well. The pain occurs just under the left nipple, near where you feel the heart beat most strongly on the front of the chest, and comes on very suddenly.
http://www.failedsuccess.com/images/chest-pain1.jpgThis extremely sharp pain causes a person to not want to move or breathe. This is where the “catch” part of the name is derived. Any movement or breathing only seems to intensify the pain. The pain usually lasts for around 30 seconds to 1 minute before disappearing. Sometimes the pain will suddenly disappear upon taking a strong breath or moving suddenly as well. This can almost feel like a pop of an imaginary bubble. After the pain is gone, there is usually a dull ache that lingers.
These onsets of pain can occur frequently, sometimes several times a day, and can occur when exercising, resting, or when in virtually any other state. Doctors have not been able to correlate PCS with any particular triggers, such as heavy activity or the like. However, there are some doctors that believe things like heavy or irregular breathing or even posture could play some type of role in bringing about an episode of PCS.
At this time, doctors and researchers do not know what causes the pain associated with PCS. The most accepted theory is that the pain is the result of a pinched nerve somewhere. Due to the fact that the onsets of PCS are so quick and disappear just as quickly, it’s hard for doctors to actually see the condition in action.
While doctors aren’t sure of the actual causes, they are sure that it poses no danger. They believe it to be a completely benign condition and is most certainly not cause for alarm. For this reason, there is not a lot of information or studies regarding the physical cause of PCS available. Doctors feel no need to intensify study of something they know to be only a minor inconvenience.

The only real worry is that sometimes, what seemed like PCS, could possibly turn out to be something more serious. The following are signs of more concerning illness:
- Chest pain that extends into the left side of the jaw or arm


- Chest pain that a person describes as a “heavy” feeling


- Pain that does not improve at least a little after 24 hours of regular doses of ibuprofen


- Fever


- Cough, especially a cough that produces phlegm ("flem," or “flame")


- Extreme anxiety with the pain or a feeling of “impending doom”


- Blueness or paleness of the lips or fingernails


- An irregular, rapid, or pounding heart rate


- Marked difficulty breathing or catching one’s breath (different from mild pain with breathing)
If any of these occur, please be sure to call your doctor’s office right away. These could be indications of a more serious and potentially threatening condition.
http://www.failedsuccess.com/images/chest-pain2.jpgPeople experiencing PCS need no particular treatment at all. Usually, just the reassurance that they aren’t having something dangerous happening is all that they need to hear to set their minds at ease. PCS should not interfere with normal activity, and there’s no reason to use any form of medication.
If you are experiencing PCS, it may be worth a visit to the doctor just to go over the symptoms to be sure that it is not a different condition that could be more serious. Doctors can easily tell the difference between a serious heart condition and Precordial Catch Syndrome just by talking with the patient, and doing a physical examination.
In the meantime, you can rest assured that your extremely painful, stabbing feeling is completely normal and only a minor inconvenience. And remember, the key to getting rid of the pain quickly is to just work up the courage to take that deep breath, scream in pain, and be done with it.

Hope it helps Jacq x

[Karita]

Hiya. I've had pains like this and it could be trapped wind - I've even had that right up to my shoulders. Take deep breaths, because the shallower your breathing the worse the pain can get. I try lying myself out flat and stretching. Also Andrews Salts are brilliant.

[yanksforever]

Jacqx--- YOU'RE BRILLIENT! God Bless you...

That sounds like exactly what I get. It gets worst with movement and breathing but eventually I gather enough courage to breathe and then it seems within 3-4 seconds it's gone...but those few seconds seem like forever.

Today all day I've been tense and on guard. My back muscles, chest muscles, abdominal muscles have been tense and sore and I dont even care because I know Im causing it. It feels like if I become un-tense the pain will return.

It truely does feel like trapped wind....like 2 weeks back I was sitting after dinner in a horrible position, with pressure on the right side of my abdomin and I got the same pain around my belly button and under my right rib and I thought my gallbladder/liver/appendix was about to explode and I would soon spew blood out of my mouth and die...

I got up, took a deep breath, burped and passed gas a few times and then it was gone....

That's a lot like the pain i feel under my left breast...I think this pain lasts for an even shorter amount of time...

I've been looking out for other symptoms...the day it happend I was nervous and felt impending doom...but I think that's mostly because I was anxious that day and had a lot on my mind. I don't feel out of breath, never get pains in my chest when I exercise.

I once had a few skipped heart beats and told my docs and he sighed and said my heart is fine. He checked my BP and then sent me for some blood tests as well as a lipid profile test and when the results were back he wsaid he was impressed with my cholesterols and BP and that my heart was "110%" which is why having this pain has really freaked me out.

Anyhow, thanks for all your help guys. Yesterday when I felt it after dinner, I managed to stay very calm, no impending doom fear, just a sort of worry like "whoa what is this".

But thank you all so much, you're angels!!!!

[chyeah]

I'm 15 and I'm experiencing the exact same pain as you are, often for a few minutes. I have researched this a lot, and spoken to a doctor about it.

It could be something called a 'hiatal hernia' which is also often linked to people having GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease).

A hiatal hernia is basically when your stomach manages to bulge through an opening (tear or defect) in your diaphragm, up into your chest cavity. It then slides out later on, when in a better position (this is when the pain would usually end).

These are symptoms, usually associated with having either GERD or a hiatal hernia (which come hand in hand): -
- belching, burping, reflux, nausea, ulcers, indigestion
- difficulty with taking very deep abdominal breaths, shallow breathing
- chest pains, heartburn, heart palpitations

HOWEVER, in most cases, there are little or no symptoms.

It is quite common amongst people aged 50 and over, and is generally not life threatening, so don't worry! You should bring this up with your GP at your next appointment.

[Klalley321]

Hey. My names Katie and I'm new here. I was just wondering, I'm also experincing these pains. I don't believe its my heart, since its right below my left breast towards my rib cage. Its a very sharp pain, and its been frequent lately. When I move, or it comes out of no where.

Opinions please?

[kpawlowicz]

I have had these "pains" (or at least noticed them) since I began having panic attacks 4 years ago and feel so relieved to know that others have experienced the same thing. I have always thought it was my heart like everyone else, and when I was admitted into the ER or docs office because of an attack (and received CBC's and EKG's...), the doctor would tell me that I was fine.

I stumbled upon this when I googled "sharp pain behind left breast". I read through the entire thread before realizing that the name of this site is "No More Panic". I am so happy I have found this place. Thanks again!

[AmandaH93]

Hi Yanksforever,
i get this!!! its horrible, i've been getting it alot more frequently, like its happening now in like lil shocks!!
I always think that its my heart, but my GP says my heart is fine, its just really annoying then i start getting paranoid & checking my pulse!!
I feel like i go round in a circle with it!!!
I'd go to the Doctors for a check up just for peace of mind, thats what i'm going to do again :)
Good Luck
xxx

I have this exact problem but I have been to hospital
And doctors so many times over the last 5 years they have finally told me
That try can't diagnose anything and it might be a pain that I will have to
Deal with :( which sucks !

---------- Post added at 16:02 ---------- Previous post was at 15:58 ----------

Everyday I have this shooting almost stitch likePain under my left breast it makes me
Paranoid I have had this for about 5 years now I had a boob reduction to
See whether it was the weight of my boobs but it seems like that weren't the case I go to the hospital on average about 10 times a year with this pain
And they have finally told me that they cannot diagnose anything I have been put on numerous of ecg's (heart monitors) and they say my heart is fine , so I don't k ow what it is I have been told that I may have to just deal with the pain
For the rest of my life this sucks :( I hate this pain I used to think I was having a heart attack which made things worse and I used I have panic attacks but now I know my heart is fine I am
Not as bad anymore still don't know what it is but I know it sucks I feel your pain people xx

[NomoreNo]

I am in so much disbelief tonight as I came across this site and joined because what you are describing is what has been happening to me...I went to the doctor last week and they told me nothing is wrong...I have been having this pain under my left breast bone and soreness in my lung area it is as if somebody beat me during the night....Also, I have to lay down after it starts to hurt me from time to time. I can't understand what is going on as the doctors have stated that the symptoms do not match anything they know of....I know when I eat anything I panic because I think I am having a heart problem so after reading what you guys have written thanks I feel so much better wow this is an awesome post....

[amessick44]

I started feeling bad about 3 months ago. I've been 2 the ER about 6 times and they tell me something different everytime. I called an ambulanc 2 months ago thinking I was havin a heart attack but was told it was anxiety attack & the pains were from pleurisy. This last month I've been having more chest pains. Ive had 2 ekgs done & evrythng coms bak normal. About 30 minutes ago I got a sudden sharp pain in what felt like my heart. I was using the restroom when it hit. After i thoght it was over I tried to push again and it came back. I don't knw what's goin on. My other symptoms r fatigue dizzines headaches and stomache pains. The dr.s dnt knw what's goin on or just dnt care. Not even my pcp. I just wana knw what's goin on.:shrug:

[Cookieisweet1996]

I been having the same problem I don't think its just from sitting so long cause I exercise and do gymnastics but I still get pains under my left breast and it worsens everyday:weep::unsure:

[Beachball]

Thank you so much for posting about Precordial Catch Syndrome! I am confident that it is what is going in with me. Out of the blue a sharp stabbing pain under my left breast will stop me in my tracks. I feel like I can't move/breathe at all because of the shooting pain. It lasts from 3-5 seconds. I happens anywhere from once every few months, to several times a day without warning. It's awful and has brought tears to my eyes a few times. The most recent "attack" was an hour ago an the first time I had the "bubble pop" sensation at the end. Thanks again for posting.

[hiyappl]

it is called PCS


Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS) is the most common cause of recurring chest pain. It is also sometimes known as “a stitch in the side” or “Texidor’s twinge”. It occurs most often in children and teenagers, but does persist into adulthood as well. The pain occurs just under the left nipple, near where you feel the heart beat most strongly on the front of the chest, and comes on very suddenly.

Nerve DiagramThis extremely sharp pain causes a person to not want to move or breathe. This is where the “catch” part of the name is derived. Any movement or breathing only seems to intensify the pain. The pain usually lasts for around 30 seconds to 1 minute before disappearing. Sometimes the pain will suddenly disappear upon taking a strong breath or moving suddenly as well. This can almost feel like a pop of an imaginary bubble. After the pain is gone, there is usually a dull ache that lingers.

These onsets of pain can occur frequently, sometimes several times a day, and can occur when exercising, resting, or when in virtually any other state. Doctors have not been able to correlate PCS with any particular triggers, such as heavy activity or the like. However, there are some doctors that believe things like heavy or irregular breathing or even posture could play some type of role in bringing about an episode of PCS.

At this time, doctors and researchers do not know what causes the pain associated with PCS. The most accepted theory is that the pain is the result of a pinched nerve somewhere. Due to the fact that the onsets of PCS are so quick and disappear just as quickly, it’s hard for doctors to actually see the condition in action.

While doctors aren’t sure of the actual causes, they are sure that it poses no danger. They believe it to be a completely benign condition and is most certainly not cause for alarm. For this reason, there is not a lot of information or studies regarding the physical cause of PCS available. Doctors feel no need to intensify study of something they know to be only a minor inconvenience.

The only real worry is that sometimes, what seemed like PCS, could possibly turn out to be something more serious. The following are signs of more concerning illness:

- Chest pain that extends into the left side of the jaw or arm
- Chest pain that a person describes as a “heavy” feeling
- Pain that does not improve at least a little after 24 hours of regular doses of ibuprofen
- Fever
- Cough, especially a cough that produces phlegm ("flem," or “flame")
- Extreme anxiety with the pain or a feeling of “impending doom”
- Blueness or paleness of the lips or fingernails
- An irregular, rapid, or pounding heart rate
- Marked difficulty breathing or catching one’s breath (different from mild pain with breathing)

If any of these occur, please be sure to call your doctor’s office right away. These could be indications of a more serious and potentially threatening condition.

DoctorPeople experiencing PCS need no particular treatment at all. Usually, just the reassurance that they aren’t having something dangerous happening is all that they need to hear to set their minds at ease. PCS should not interfere with normal activity, and there’s no reason to use any form of medication.

If you are experiencing PCS, it may be worth a visit to the doctor just to go over the symptoms to be sure that it is not a different condition that could be more serious. Doctors can easily tell the difference between a serious heart condition and Precordial Catch Syndrome just by talking with the patient, and doing a physical examination.

In the meantime, you can rest assured that your extremely painful, stabbing feeling is completely normal and only a minor inconvenience. And remember, the key to getting rid of the pain quickly is to just work up the courage to take that deep breath, scream in pain, and be done with it.

[natalie.taylor]

for the past few days I have been getting this shooting pain under and around my left breast it isnt horrific pain but just very uncormtable when breathe In and breathe its not their all the time someone please give me some advice av got so many bad thjngs on my mind
I keep thinking is it my heart or my lungs or my rib just so worried havent been to docs yet but if gets no betterby :blush:*the intended day for docs thinking about going

---------- Post added at 20:08 ---------- Previous post was at 20:05 ----------

am not sure it is that what you said any other advice or help please

[extermin8or]

Hi I get this alot. Am 19 at uni :p what I was wondering is does anyone else ever also get like a fast pulsing feeling just under the ribs on left or right side aswell? at all not usually at the same time as the pain but it's a pulsing feeling that isn't in time with my pulse at the time or with my heartbeat (which ofc is intime with my normal pulse) I think it's likely muscle spasms or trapped gas or something and it seems like it might be related to this. I've always wondered about the pain though had it on and off since I think I must've been about 8 first time I remember it. Remember being terrified it was my heart :p but it used to pass so I figured it wasn't :p

[Pkstracy]

I am having this now, sharp shooting pain under left breast, I am 45 year old female, I notice when I tense up my muscles and have panic attacks it happens not often, I had this four years ago lasted a,week then went away now it's back I was told, stress, anxiety, panic, bad posture and tensing up muscles can also cause this