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Thread: Struggling with rib/chest pain

  1. #1
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    Aug 2018
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    Struggling with rib/chest pain

    I’ve been struggling on and off for a year now with chest pain/rib pain, I really don’t know where it’s coming from but it’s driving me mad! It’s smack bang in the middle of my chest and spreads down under my breasts on both sides. Like a band around my lower ribs. Sometimes I get a pain in my right shoulder blade area aswell. I’ve had a chest X-ray, a echo cardio gram, endoscopy and ecgs, all normal apart from a small hiatus hernia. I was originally told this pain was reflux but no amount of medication stops it or makes it go away. Sometimes I really don’t know what to do with myself, it’s so uncomfortable and I get to the point where I can’t take it anymore. My recent visit to gastroenterologist and he tells me he doesn’t think it is reflux anymore and thinks it’s musculoskeletal. I’m terrified it’s lung cancer or heart problems even though I’ve had a chest X-ray and echo which were normal. Could it still be one of these with the results I got? I thought maybe Costochondritis but there is no tenderness to touch. Does anyone else suffer like this or have any insight as to what it could be? Should I ask for a ct of chest. My gastro showed me images of my abdominal ct which included part of my chest (6 ribs up he counted) would that have shown lung cancer or bone cancer in my ribs? I’m desperate for an answer to what is wrong with me. I can cope with it for so long but I get spells (like now) when it gets the better of me and I kind of give up and worry about it constantly. I should also add it seems to come in what I call flare ups. It can go away for a bit then comes back with avengance and I have no idea what triggers it or what makes it go away but recently it’s just been relentless. Thank you if you made it to the end of this post !

  2. #2
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    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    It sounds like Costochondritis to me as well.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
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    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    Thanks for your reply. I don’t have any tenderness to touch any where though, is it possible to have Costochondritis without the tenderness?

  4. #4

    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    For choosing. It is certainly possible to feel no tenderness to touch. The trick is to find the spaces between the ribs, the intracoastal spaces. Pressure there will feel tender.
    Close-up pain is usually very localised to the hefty of the sternum but can spread. The localised nature, that is it is tightly located can also be a clue.

    If you can take them NSAID's can be effective but usually takes around an hour to effectively control the pain.

  5. #5

    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    I have very similar symptoms. I have a hernia as well. No tenderness to touch in ribs either.....I thought it was related to abdominal/pancreatic issues but now I am not so sure. Tests so far were clear but not finished with investigations yet. I will keep you posted if I get an answer. The pain is constant and exhausting.....
    Hope you get some relief soon.

  6. #6
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    Aug 2018
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    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Beckett View Post
    I have very similar symptoms. I have a hernia as well. No tenderness to touch in ribs either.....I thought it was related to abdominal/pancreatic issues but now I am not so sure. Tests so far were clear but not finished with investigations yet. I will keep you posted if I get an answer. The pain is constant and exhausting.....
    Hope you get some relief soon.
    Sorry you’re suffering the same but I am relieved to know I’m not alone, this is constant and draining! Some days are bearable some days I’m in tears. I fear no end to this as I don’t know what other investigations I can have but please let me know how you get on and I hope you get relief from it soon

  7. #7

    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    Are you breathless.
    Do you get any back pain, particularly between the shoulder blades.

    By asking yourself questions you can better answer the question, why is your diagnosis willing.

    Believe me I know how hard this is to endure. I have been living with these symptoms for almost two years, but I think, hope, that with a lot of physical and psychological help I might at least be on the homeward leg to a "cure".

    You have my heartfelt sympathy and I hope you feel better soon.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    953

    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    I’ve had some pain the past couple of days which may be similar. So it started where I felt quite anxious and found myself tensing up a lot under my chest. The next day on waking I had awful pain in the centre of my chest where my ribs part and it came from my back forwards into my chest. There was this pain but also a pain which cane from deep within my chest which I wondered whether I’d somehow got a hernia from the tensing. Every time I tried to twist or stand up streaught I got the pain. It’s eased off a little now at 5 days later but it was hurting to breath, walk, talk, stand up straight. I couldn’t get comfy at alll.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
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    82

    Re: Struggling with rib/chest pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Anaximenes View Post
    Are you breathless.
    Do you get any back pain, particularly between the shoulder blades.

    By asking yourself questions you can better answer the question, why is your diagnosis willing.

    Believe me I know how hard this is to endure. I have been living with these symptoms for almost two years, but I think, hope, that with a lot of physical and psychological help I might at least be on the homeward leg to a "cure".

    You have my heartfelt sympathy and I hope you feel better soon.
    hi. Sometimes back ‘ache’ that Carrys on around from the front to form a circle if that makes sense , but not pain and nothing in between shoulder blades. I’m not breathless but I sometimes feel a restriction but it feels like it comes from diaphragm area not from my chest or lungs.
    Im sorry you’re dealing with this too, what do you understand it to be? Or is it a case of learning to accept and live with it?
    My doctor has referred me to a pain clinic, I’m hoping this will help although I hold little hope
    I hope you get some peace from your pain too and thank you for your reply

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