What could cause chest pain?
Patient: Hi. I am 23 y/o male 6 1 about 250 pounds. Thursday evening i was awoke from sleep with a pain in my chest and an inability to breathe deeply without pain. The pain subsided after 10-15 minutes. Unfortunately, this morning around 1 a.m. it has return with a vengeance, along with a rapid heart rate and more pain with breathing deeply. I managed to calm myself down after some hours, although it felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest, and was pumping way too hard, and i had heart palpitations that can be felt by placing a few fingers on my left breast. It did initially feel like i was having a heart attack (although i have never had one so i really wouldnt know what it would feel like). The pain is a sharp type of pain in the left side of my chest just to the right of my left breast, and can also be felt in the same area in my back. The pain happens at the bottom of my breath which makes it difficult to take deep breaths without pain. Although my heart rate has returned to normal, the pain is still there some 13 hours later. Some additional information: I sleep on a bad bed and tend to have back pain here and there. Sometimes i stretch my shoulders and chest out to crack my upper back until a pop can be heard in my chest which relieves stiffness. I feel as this can be somewhat related to the cause of my pain because i have been doing it the past few days as part of a normal routine. When the initial pain in my chest started, i thought that i may just need to crack my back in the same way i described to relieve the pain, but when doing so found that i could not and there was no pop in my chest. I have been researching the subject within the past 12 hours and come to find a condition known as Costochondritis. I read that the this condition affects the areas around the sternum, upper rib cage and cartilage between the two, and can be identified as localized pain the the left side of the chest that can cause difficulty breathing deeply. I read that it can be diagnosed simply by apply pressure to the area where it hurts, and if it does it is most likely Costochondritis and not another more serious condition. Well after hearing that i decided to give myself a little test, and applied pressure (not too hard, but not softly either) on my left breast with the tips of my fingers where i described the pain. I found that it was very sore and hurt very much to do that, and since i ve done it, the pain seems to have increased and now i can sometimes feel the pain at a stand still. It is not excruciating pain but significantly uncomfortable, especially when breathing deeply through the chest. I have since been focusing on breathing deeply through my belly, which doesn t hurt as much as if i were to breath through my chest, but the pain is still there. I do not feel as this is a condition with my heart, but more of a bone type of problem. With the information given what do recommend as a course of action and to provide relief to this area? Does it sound like Costochondritis to you? if so, how common is this condition and how long with the pain last before subsiding? As i said before the first onset lasted for about 15 minutes and went away but this time it has not subsided yet and many hours have past since. Going to the doctor is difficult right now as i do not have any money nor insurance which limits me to going only for a medical emergency. Thank you for your time. Doctor: any associated fever, cough or loss of weight or appetite.if none of these can treat like costochondritis. can take acetaminophen tablets and diclofenac gel for local application.pain can continue intermittently for 6-12 months