RhondaM. Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Mostly I only hurt if I move. Like if I sit or lay still and don't breath I don't hurt at all...breathing makes it hurt a little but only in certain positions....deep breathing hurts more. And it hurts if I press on my chest. This started last night out of the blue. It was making my entire upper torso hurt. I thought it must be a big gas bubble or something so I laid down (and didn't hurt as long as I laid still) and went to sleep. Still hurting this morning...but only in my chest. About 2 years ago I had a complete check up because of chest pains...did the treadmill test and all that. It came down to stress. Yes this feels like preassure...but more like I picked up something wrong and pulled something. I am NOT a run to the doctor about everything person. Really. If I can push on my chest and it hurts...wouldn't that indicate muscle pain...and not anything more...serious. I don't feel sick or anything. RhondaM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I have no idea, but my first thought is that I'd rather run to the doctor and have it be nothing than not go and have it be serious. I hope you feel better quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 I have no idea, but my first thought is that I'd rather run to the doctor and have it be nothing than not go and have it be serious. I hope you feel better quickly! I know. Really. But it isn't that easy. We are out of state and my dh is at work with the truck. I can think of several things I did yesterday that could have pulled my chest muscles. And like I said it hurts when I push on it...or if I say, laugh. A heart attack wouldn't act that way, right????????? I'm not having constricted breathing problems or anything. RhondaM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 There are certainly a lot of other things it could be. I once popped a rib out of place and it hurt like crazy every time I took a breath! My DO popped it back and the pain was gone! But, if you'd pulled a muscle, wouldn't it hurt in one particular place and not all over? Pleurisy is another thing that comes to mind. I'm also not one to rush to the doctor, but for chest pain, I would (and have!). Do you know someone in the area who can take you to an urgent care clinic? I know that's not what you want to hear, but on this one, play it safe! ((hugs)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB in NJ Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I know. Really. But it isn't that easy. We are out of state and my dh is at work with the truck. I can think of several things I did yesterday that could have pulled my chest muscles. And like I said it hurts when I push on it...or if I say, laugh. A heart attack wouldn't act that way, right????????? I'm not having constricted breathing problems or anything. RhondaM. Call your doctor at home and describe to him what you're feeling. Ask them what you should do. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 You actually have little things around your heart, and chest that can become inflamed due to infection, strain, etc. My dad had that -- but you have to go to the doctor to have them check you out. Since the pain is triggered by movement & deep breathing, I'm betting it's not related to stress or an actual heart problem -- but is probably a strain or inflamation in the chest cavity... call the doctor (anything chest pain related is always given a high priority -- and you usually don't have to wait. ) Relax, and see your doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 This sounds like costochondritis, which is just a fancy word for chest wall pain. I have been experiencing this same kind of pain so had researched this past weekend. I think I brought it on by rearranging the furniture in my LR last week.:) Here is the website I found most helpful: http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=hrt_dis/11827 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Whether or not you call the doc (and my vote is definately to call), take 2 aspirin and drink a ton of water and eat a banana or potato. Those actions will not hurt you, and if you are having a problem with your heart, they could very well help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Whether or not you call the doc (and my vote is definately to call), take 2 aspirin and drink a ton of water and eat a banana or potato. Those actions will not hurt you, and if you are having a problem with your heart, they could very well help. I don't have any asprin, but I am eatina a banana and will start on the water. I did call my doctor in Texas and spoke with the head nurse who I also go to church with. She said it could be muscle pain from what I descibed but told me to listen to my body and if I felt it was my heart to go on in. I really think it is muscle pain/strain. Thanks! RhondaM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean too Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Agreeing with Kathleen. I just took dd to the doc for this. He told her to take 400mg of ibuprofen morning and night until the pain was gone for two to three days in a row. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hey Rhonda, When I left for out of state, my insurance (Aetna), let me pick out local doctors to go to! Maybe you could do that and you wouldn't have to go to the ER and pay out the wazoo! I just changed mine temporarily for the month I was gone (did it for the kiddos too!) and then changed it back when we got home. Really worked out great for us and the insurance co didn't give me any hassles at all! I was really surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Agreeing with Kathleen. I just took dd to the doc for this. He told her to take 400mg of ibuprofen morning and night until the pain was gone for two to three days in a row. Ok...I took some Advil. :) Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I was having some chest pains a couple of weeks ago and here are a few of the things I learned (I had an EKG that showed no problems with my heart): The brain devotes a ton of space to the eyes, to touch and to ... something else ... and one *something* (technical, I know!) is shared between the heart, the esophagus, part of the diaphragm and one or two other things in that area. So they share one pain sensor/indicator and because of this when one of these hurts it can feel like or make us think it's one of the others that hurt. We usually think "heart!" because that's the most serious, but it isn't always so. Which leads to another thing I learned from my friend who's dh is a doctor ... chest pain that's not a heart problem is one of the biggest parts of a doctor's practice. (Did I word that right?). It's what they see most of. That was reassuring to me. Taking aspirin (I was looking for our bottle too) *can* hurt -- not fatally or anything like, just uncomfortably -- if the problem is heartburn instead of a heart attack. The chances that a young-ish woman with no family history of heart disease and pain that comes on *unrelated* to strenuous activity (and that is localized, not spreading out anywhere) is having a heart attack are very, very slim. One of the docs did ask me several times, "Does it hurt when you press on it?" and he seemed satisfied with my answer of "No." So that's different in your situation than what I was experiencing in mine. Oh, and next time you feel the intense chest pain try drinking a glass of milk. If it relieves the pain (it opened up the esophagus to get through), it very likely could be intense heart burn. I've had heartburn before, when I've been 8-9 months pregnant -- not when I've NOT been pregnant so that's why I didn't think that's what it was. That the hospital can set the EKG up wrong which will make the doc wonder if there's truly a problem, causing him to do a second EKG that shows a healthy heart. [Oh, that was *my* situation, not necessarily a common occurrence, lol.] = = = = I totally hear you about not running to the doctor. We pay cash for our doctor visits and "oh, just go to the ER to make sure" when it's most likely nothing is wrong just isn't something we do. We don't want to wipe out a significant portion of our savings just to be safe, KWIM? (And no, I don't want to *die* either, but see paragraph #5 above). So, in summation, in my case we still don't know what it was/is. One of the docs I saw prescribed Prilosec for heartburn which I still need to fill and take. The episodes have lessened and in *my* life, I realize could also be related to *stress*. H (some of) TH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 There are certainly a lot of other things it could be. I once popped a rib out of place and it hurt like crazy every time I took a breath! My DO popped it back and the pain was gone! I vote for this one. Because I have a slight scholiosis, it happens to me a lot. It happens to my mom, too. But do go see a doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 I vote for this one. Because I have a slight scholiosis, it happens to me a lot. It happens to my mom, too. But do go see a doctor. The pain started to go away about 20 minutes after i took the advil...I'm cured! LOL I have to really move my arm or scrunch my chest to feel anything. It is muscle strain after all. Now why didn't I just take advil to begin with!? Duh! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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