Symptoms:
1) I don't have it all the time. It comes and goes with no reason.
2) My doctor has no idea what it is. The more time that passes the worse the pain becomes.
3) The pain is always in the same places. At the very top of my rib cage, directly under my breasts. Sometimes it's on one side and sometimes it is both.When it is on the right side, I also get the pain thru to my back.
4) I have had chest xrays and cat scans. Shows nothing relating to the pain.
5) Here is the stupid part. If I take my bra off and take an Alieve, it usually subsides in a short period of time. But it isn't today. This is the third attack today and nothing is helping the pain.
6) I think that is all the highlights. Does anyone know or have you ever heard of this before? If it doesn't let up, it's severe enough that I am going to have to go to the E.R.
WHAT do you think?
2006-07-25 11:55:23 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I have a similar problem. I have had a treadmill test, a nuclear study, and a CT scan. They didn't find any reason for the pain. (Mine does not affect my back.)
The current theory is that it is stress-induced. (Believe me I have a lot of stress right now.) This could be what is happening to you.
Additionally, heart trouble is underdiagnosed in women. You may way to consult a cardiologist if you have not done so already.
And, you may want to consult a chiropractor. It is amazing what they can do.
Good luck to you.
2006-07-25 12:01:56 · answer #1 · answered by Otis F 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Maybe a muscle is pinching a nerve or you are loosing blood flow in a certain area? If you haven't had a second opinion I would get one. And if you've had a second with the same answer, get a third. The discovery health chanel does a lot of "Mystery Diagnosis" shows. Maybe someone on there has the same problem. Maybe it's stress too. Seems like if you had your bra off, you would be in a comfortable situation whereas if you are somewhere like work, you might be more stressed. Have someone take your blood pressure when you are having these attacks and check your pulse rate.
2006-07-25 19:01:46 · answer #2 · answered by Veg Linz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have any problems with back pain in the area between your shoulder blades? If so, I think what you are experiencing is a referred pain. Look at it this way, you have a spasm in your mid/upper back. Your ribs are connected to the vertebrae back there and are being pulled on by the spasm. Since the ribs are also attached to the sternum, the spasms cause the ribs to pull on the sternum. This causes pain in the chest. Often women who have back spasms in that area aggravate the spasms with the pressure of the bra. If this rings true with you, try getting a back manipulation (or seriesof manipulations) by a chiropractor and see if the chest pain is helped.
I had the same problem and it was years before I connected my back problems with my chest pain. I asked the chiropractor about it and he said he saw it all the time. Traditional doctors often miss the connection.
Good luck.
2006-07-25 19:07:00 · answer #3 · answered by kathy_is_a_nurse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My boyfriend thought I was crazy when I told him of the exact pains. Believe me I know how bad the pain is. It is excruciating!! I truly feel for you. I asked my dr. about it and he called it pluretic pains and gave me a steroid pack. Needless to say I didnt take the medication because I just didnt see how this would work. I have recently made another appointment with a different dr. Hopefully he will seem more sure of it, because the last one just didnt seem to care. I kinda shrugged it off. Maybe I should have taken the meds. I dont know. I just didnt feel comfortable with it. I do have one question...do you smoke? I do and I found that the more I smoke the more often it happens. so maybe you could try slowing down a bit if so. I dont think that is what causes it though. Good luck
2006-07-25 19:02:22 · answer #4 · answered by sabprice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it get that too sometimes and I think it feels like a pulled muscle, it's almost as if you turn the wrong way and you stretch the muscle wrong. I'm maybe try rotating ice and heat to see if that helps, if the doctor has run tests then I'd lay down and take it easy
2006-07-25 19:03:14 · answer #5 · answered by Kitikat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow, both me and my daughter get those pains too. We think it has something to do with acid reflux, so you might want to consider it....but i get the pains where it goes straight through to my back and feels like knives.....could be muscular.....also could be, as you say, the mystery pain.....let me know if you get it diagnosed....mine have subsided but I still get them once in a while.....good luck.
2006-07-25 18:58:36 · answer #6 · answered by charlie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Has he checked out your gall bladder? Also, have you tried using a different type of bra to see if that is causing the problem?
2006-07-25 18:58:28 · answer #7 · answered by Searcher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Muscular related cramp. Try a simple stretch daily.
2006-07-25 18:57:58 · answer #8 · answered by arabianbarbie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Searcher has a point - gallbladder...
You could go to someone who is practicing Alternative Medicine, they often have a good idea, make sure it is someone who is reputable or someone you know has been treated by.
2006-07-25 19:06:25 · answer #9 · answered by Eve C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have your stomach checked out. It could be caused by your intestines - just as IBS or acid reflux!@
2006-07-25 18:58:56 · answer #10 · answered by nswblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋