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Several times yesterday (probably fewer than 10x over the course of the entire day) I had random sharp, short chest pains near the heart. So far today, -several more.
The onset feels as if being poked in the chest with a blunt knitting needle. -Semi-blunt, but pointy nonetheless. Center of chest level but slightly closer to the left armpit, directly between sternum and left nipple region. During these second-or-two long events, there is NO sensation or squeezing, pressure, nor any notable 'warmth.' The pain does not 'radiate' beyond the pinpoint region that I could poke my index finger directly over. The exact specificity of being able to point to the spot where it hurts is a big diagnostic clue for at least one of the possibilities listed below.
So, -what is this? First off, -let's not panic.
While I *am* being treated for 'heart failure' issues on-going now since late 2023, sharp, short chest pain lasting only a few second or two from a single point is rarely cardiac in origin.
Let's examine the other possible causes:
• 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞: Harmless, sharp stabbing pain lasting seconds to a few minutes, often in young adults/teens, worse with a deep breath.
-I'm going to cautiously say "no" to this. This does not seem to match my sensation. Precordial Catch Syndrome is thought to involve a pinched or irritated intercostal nerve in the chest wall or minor muscle spasms.
While my reported pain has, so far, ONLY ever occurred when I am 'at rest' (e.g., sitting, reclining, laying down etc. -never during physical activity,) I have tested this by taking deep breaths during these events and they are painless breaths. Typically, taking deep breaths during a Precordial Catch Syndrome is painful, causing the patient to take quicker, shallower breaths.
• 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 / 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬: Inflammation of rib cartilage or muscle strain; often tender to the touch or triggered by movement/breathing.
-Again, "no." I've had 'costochondritis' of the sternum and of the ribcage before and the pain is 'closer' to the outer chest wall than what I am experiencing. This feels 'deeper' as in contained within the left lung(?) In my late-teens and into my early 20s, my sternum would painfully 'click' out of place. I came to discover a stretching technique to repair this. By sitting in the driver's seat of my car, gripping the left-side of the steering wheel with my left hand and turning my body to the right and extending my arm around the back of the passenger's front seat while twisting, -which expands my chest, -the sternum would reliably 'snap' back in place.
I eventually outgrew this by age 30 or so...
• 𝐀𝐜𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐱 / 𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐃: Stomach acid irritation that can cause sharp or burning chest discomfort.
-Possibly this. -I have had a few 'acid reflux' incidents, -especially after eating and laying down. I have occasionally had 'sour stomach' after eating or drinking certain known food/drink items regularly can cause this but usually a good burp or two and the problem resolves.
• 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐲 / 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Inflammation of the lung lining, sharp pain when breathing deeply or coughing.
-This is highly suspect as I do have and had have for weeks now, a persistent deep-chest cough producing copious sputum. The desire to 'cough it out' sometimes is ineffective and leaves my chest(lungs?) feeling a little sore.
After a good cough that relieves the sputum I do feel for a short while a notable increase of ease in breathing even though normal-to-deep breathing is not an issue for me.
• 𝐀𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜: Can cause sharp or tight chest sensations accompanied by a racing heart.
-Another high-likelihood candidate. I am under quite a bit of local-external distress across several agitating sources (but, -who isn't?) I would not fully commit to this as a diagnosis. I would merely 'note' it as a possibility.
The onset feels as if being poked in the chest with a blunt knitting needle. -Semi-blunt, but pointy nonetheless. Center of chest level but slightly closer to the left armpit, directly between sternum and left nipple region. During these second-or-two long events, there is NO sensation or squeezing, pressure, nor any notable 'warmth.' The pain does not 'radiate' beyond the pinpoint region that I could poke my index finger directly over. The exact specificity of being able to point to the spot where it hurts is a big diagnostic clue for at least one of the possibilities listed below.
So, -what is this? First off, -let's not panic.
While I *am* being treated for 'heart failure' issues on-going now since late 2023, sharp, short chest pain lasting only a few second or two from a single point is rarely cardiac in origin.
Let's examine the other possible causes:
• 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞: Harmless, sharp stabbing pain lasting seconds to a few minutes, often in young adults/teens, worse with a deep breath.
-I'm going to cautiously say "no" to this. This does not seem to match my sensation. Precordial Catch Syndrome is thought to involve a pinched or irritated intercostal nerve in the chest wall or minor muscle spasms.
While my reported pain has, so far, ONLY ever occurred when I am 'at rest' (e.g., sitting, reclining, laying down etc. -never during physical activity,) I have tested this by taking deep breaths during these events and they are painless breaths. Typically, taking deep breaths during a Precordial Catch Syndrome is painful, causing the patient to take quicker, shallower breaths.
• 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 / 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬: Inflammation of rib cartilage or muscle strain; often tender to the touch or triggered by movement/breathing.
-Again, "no." I've had 'costochondritis' of the sternum and of the ribcage before and the pain is 'closer' to the outer chest wall than what I am experiencing. This feels 'deeper' as in contained within the left lung(?) In my late-teens and into my early 20s, my sternum would painfully 'click' out of place. I came to discover a stretching technique to repair this. By sitting in the driver's seat of my car, gripping the left-side of the steering wheel with my left hand and turning my body to the right and extending my arm around the back of the passenger's front seat while twisting, -which expands my chest, -the sternum would reliably 'snap' back in place.
I eventually outgrew this by age 30 or so...
• 𝐀𝐜𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐱 / 𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐃: Stomach acid irritation that can cause sharp or burning chest discomfort.
-Possibly this. -I have had a few 'acid reflux' incidents, -especially after eating and laying down. I have occasionally had 'sour stomach' after eating or drinking certain known food/drink items regularly can cause this but usually a good burp or two and the problem resolves.
• 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐲 / 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Inflammation of the lung lining, sharp pain when breathing deeply or coughing.
-This is highly suspect as I do have and had have for weeks now, a persistent deep-chest cough producing copious sputum. The desire to 'cough it out' sometimes is ineffective and leaves my chest(lungs?) feeling a little sore.
After a good cough that relieves the sputum I do feel for a short while a notable increase of ease in breathing even though normal-to-deep breathing is not an issue for me.
• 𝐀𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜: Can cause sharp or tight chest sensations accompanied by a racing heart.
-Another high-likelihood candidate. I am under quite a bit of local-external distress across several agitating sources (but, -who isn't?) I would not fully commit to this as a diagnosis. I would merely 'note' it as a possibility.