Chest pain/cracking/stretching, etc.

victry77

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259
Hello, just hoped for some opinions by anyone who can either relate or has any knowledge about what I'm describing.

(Female, age 39 and Type 1 for 9yrs with no other related conditions)

So, about 6 months ago, when I was doing some light yoga, I noticed that when rotating my left shoulder, I experienced a very noticeable deep crunching in my sternum area. Then about a month later, I was sitting down and suddenly experienced a very intense pain in my chest to the point that I could not take a deep breath. It was immobilising and I could only manage shallow breaths. It felt as if I was directly in my sternum but encompassed the entire chest region and lasted under a minute. I got the same thing a couple of weeks later.

The odd thing is that this triggered a memory for me that I'd had this before. Then I remembered about 3 yrs previous, getting a pain like this on a couple of occasions. I never got the pain again until this past September.

Subsequently after the pain in Sept. I kept getting this constant urge to crack my sternum. When I rotate my tors, it usually cracks/clicks. I also had this constant feeling of needing to stretch my ribs. All I'd be doing constantly was stretching my upper body and cracking my sternum. I looked this up and online an it seems something that body builders seemed to get fairly often. I'm as far flung from a body builder as you could imagine.

This cracking/stretching lasted 2-3 weeks and then went. But then about a month ago, niggly chest pains started again and the urge to crack. One evening I had constant chest twinges that suddenly caused discomfort in my throat. It wasn't painful but my throat just felt a bit weird and it sort of hurt to swallow. B the following morning it had gone.

Over the past month I've had a few of the intense chest pains that have only last maybe a few seconds each time, but this ongoing need to twist/stretch upper body is back. A couple of days ago it cause the same weird feeling in my throat and I still sort of have it. Thought I was getting a cold, but nothing. Mt chest still crunches when I do yoga stretches.

When I look this up online it keeps pointing to Costochondritis but I don't think it is this at all. As the pain with this condition seems sever and constant until it eventually eases, whereas mine is on/off. Plus there is no pain when I apply pressure to the area. Sometimes my chest muscle (towards the left feels a bit sore) when I twist a certain way, but that's it.

I'll have to go to my GP, but in the meantime, any thoughts at all?
 
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Dairygrade

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Hi victry77 not sure what's going on but if you've had pains coming and going for a few months in your chest I would go and see a doctor for your peace of mind hope all goes well keep us informed.
 

ellagy

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Very interesting. I'm afraid that I am going to go with Dairygrade and tell you to go see your Doc. Do please let us know.
 
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Enclave

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Sound like it could be many different things .. Dr needs to look and listen to your chest to get a better idea of whats going on
 

Ermintrude75

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Hi.

See your doctor to rule out the obvious heart problems. I've had/got similar problems and I was diagnosed with costochondriatis. It's an inflammation or the cartridge between the ribs and sternum.

Good luck
 

victry77

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259
Thank you. Yes went to doctor as I actually thought I might have had acid-reflux, but she was edging to musculoskeletal. She listened to my heart and lungs which sounded fine, but she said because I'm tall and thin I'm having a naturally tendency to stoop my shoulders and cave my chest. She examined my chest, there was no pain, I said when I contort my shoulders a certain way my chest muscles feels very sore. She that's because I'm pulling the muscle and it is obviously tight.

Going to try and do some exercises for posture.
 

Brunneria

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Glad you saw your doc and got checked out.

If you are into yoga, you may find Pilates a useful addition. The emphasis is very much on building excellent posture into your body via the exercises, so it may help.
 

victry77

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Messages
259
Thank you, yes she did mention pilates. I do some light yoga as i really like the feeling of being stretched, it feels such a relief on the muscles, etc. Not tried pilates, but just found out that there is class that runs about 10 mins from me :)
 

Dairygrade

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Victry77 so glad you took advice and saw doctor at least you now there's nothing sinister going on hope all goes well with exercising etc good luck to you.
 

Mep

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I get a lot of chest pain, but mine are from severe spasms. Your experience sounds completely different the way you describe it. I'm glad you saw your doc and sounds like working on posture will help you rectify it. I wish you the best. :)
 
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relu5685

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello, just hoped for some opinions by anyone who can either relate or has any knowledge about what I'm describing.

(Female, age 39 and Type 1 for 9yrs with no other related conditions)

So, about 6 months ago, when I was doing some light yoga, I noticed that when rotating my left shoulder, I experienced a very noticeable deep crunching in my sternum area. Then about a month later, I was sitting down and suddenly experienced a very intense pain in my chest to the point that I could not take a deep breath. It was immobilising and I could only manage shallow breaths. It felt as if I was directly in my sternum but encompassed the entire chest region and lasted under a minute. I got the same thing a couple of weeks later.

The odd thing is that this triggered a memory for me that I'd had this before. Then I remembered about 3 yrs previous, getting a pain like this on a couple of occasions. I never got the pain again until this past September.

Subsequently after the pain in Sept. I kept getting this constant urge to crack my sternum. When I rotate my tors, it usually cracks/clicks. I also had this constant feeling of needing to stretch my ribs. All I'd be doing constantly was stretching my upper body and cracking my sternum. I looked this up and online an it seems something that body builders seemed to get fairly often. I'm as far flung from a body builder as you could imagine.

This cracking/stretching lasted 2-3 weeks and then went. But then about a month ago, niggly chest pains started again and the urge to crack. One evening I had constant chest twinges that suddenly caused discomfort in my throat. It wasn't painful but my throat just felt a bit weird and it sort of hurt to swallow. B the following morning it had gone.

Over the past month I've had a few of the intense chest pains that have only last maybe a few seconds each time, but this ongoing need to twist/stretch upper body is back. A couple of days ago it cause the same weird feeling in my throat and I still sort of have it. Thought I was getting a cold, but nothing. Mt chest still crunches when I do yoga stretches.

When I look this up online it keeps pointing to Costochondritis but I don't think it is this at all. As the pain with this condition seems sever and constant until it eventually eases, whereas mine is on/off. Plus there is no pain when I apply pressure to the area. Sometimes my chest muscle (towards the left feels a bit sore) when I twist a certain way, but that's it.

I'll have to go to my GP, but in the meantime, any thoughts at all?

People like to crack or pop their own back for relaxing and filling better. But, it's difficult to crack or pop own back. There are different methods for a crock and pop your back. Methods like Fall back down, Use a short back chair, Using a wall corner, Arch your back, using the medicine ball, etc. For more details visit here.
 

fletchweb

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Prefer not to say
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Hello, just hoped for some opinions by anyone who can either relate or has any knowledge about what I'm describing.

(Female, age 39 and Type 1 for 9yrs with no other related conditions)

So, about 6 months ago, when I was doing some light yoga, I noticed that when rotating my left shoulder, I experienced a very noticeable deep crunching in my sternum area. Then about a month later, I was sitting down and suddenly experienced a very intense pain in my chest to the point that I could not take a deep breath. It was immobilising and I could only manage shallow breaths. It felt as if I was directly in my sternum but encompassed the entire chest region and lasted under a minute. I got the same thing a couple of weeks later.

The odd thing is that this triggered a memory for me that I'd had this before. Then I remembered about 3 yrs previous, getting a pain like this on a couple of occasions. I never got the pain again until this past September.

Subsequently after the pain in Sept. I kept getting this constant urge to crack my sternum. When I rotate my tors, it usually cracks/clicks. I also had this constant feeling of needing to stretch my ribs. All I'd be doing constantly was stretching my upper body and cracking my sternum. I looked this up and online an it seems something that body builders seemed to get fairly often. I'm as far flung from a body builder as you could imagine.

This cracking/stretching lasted 2-3 weeks and then went. But then about a month ago, niggly chest pains started again and the urge to crack. One evening I had constant chest twinges that suddenly caused discomfort in my throat. It wasn't painful but my throat just felt a bit weird and it sort of hurt to swallow. B the following morning it had gone.

Over the past month I've had a few of the intense chest pains that have only last maybe a few seconds each time, but this ongoing need to twist/stretch upper body is back. A couple of days ago it cause the same weird feeling in my throat and I still sort of have it. Thought I was getting a cold, but nothing. Mt chest still crunches when I do yoga stretches.

When I look this up online it keeps pointing to Costochondritis but I don't think it is this at all. As the pain with this condition seems sever and constant until it eventually eases, whereas mine is on/off. Plus there is no pain when I apply pressure to the area. Sometimes my chest muscle (towards the left feels a bit sore) when I twist a certain way, but that's it.

I'll have to go to my GP, but in the meantime, any thoughts at all?

You might want to look at getting an EKG done, it will indicate whether you have any heart irregularities or issues in the past. As well - get your Blood Pressure checked - because the sternum is one of the areas where you are experiencing some discomfort - the Aorta is close to the sternum and after prolonged elevated High Blood Pressure can dissect or hemorrhage although if that happened you would likely lose consciousness . Those are the worse case scenario.

This discomfort could also be caused by something you are doing but are not aware - everything from your posture, leaning up against a desk or table when sitting down for prolonged periods of time, etc.

But getting an EKG and your Blood Pressure checked could potentially rule out cardiovascular issues. That's what I would do if I was experiencing that.

Good Luck and I hope it's nothing consequential!