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Suggest Remedy For Tenderness And Pain In Sternum With Dry Cough And Cold
Question: HI! I am an in shape, thin 39 year old woman who eats healthy.
For the past five days, I've had a virus like a cold. It seems to be going away. Stuffy nose, dry cough and common cold symptoms. For a little while, it hurt really bad when I would breath or shif positions in my chest. I would get stabbing pains and then sometimes a lesser stabbing pain in what felt like my lungs. This has gone away for the most part. Now, I have a pain in my upper left sternum area. Just above my left breast. It hurts only when I touch it. It is very tender to the touch - like a bruise - but nothing shows. I am also very bloated. EXTREMELY. The bloating has been going on for 5 days. AND, it's not a little bloat. It's, I'm normally a size 2 or 4 and I look 10 months pregnant (If that is possible.)
I am educated and take care of myself although I NEVER go to the doctor.
Please help me. I can't wear any of my normal clothes. My chest hurts pretty bad to the touch - again in a baseball sized area in the upper left sternum. What is happening to me?I also wanted to tell you I had a low grade fever with the virus. I also get bloated quite a bit lately. But, nothing like this..........I'm pretty thin. NOT underweight - but thin. The bloating is shocking. I would send you a picture - but you would want to know when my baby is due! It's so bad. I can't wear my clothes.
The pain in my upper left chest area is bad. My kiddos jump on me and it hurts so bad! What is that pain? Is it the virus? Is it something else? I have NOT injured myself and I don't exercise that much. I looked up Costochondritis. I am not sure that's it given all the other symptoms. For a brief minute, I thought - Pneumonia. But, my symptoms are not that severe. I also thought about GERD - but can it really be that? I did have some reflux. I can't burp. I never do. I try. Sorry for all the follow ups. Just a little nervous about the pain in my chest when it's pressed.
For the past five days, I've had a virus like a cold. It seems to be going away. Stuffy nose, dry cough and common cold symptoms. For a little while, it hurt really bad when I would breath or shif positions in my chest. I would get stabbing pains and then sometimes a lesser stabbing pain in what felt like my lungs. This has gone away for the most part. Now, I have a pain in my upper left sternum area. Just above my left breast. It hurts only when I touch it. It is very tender to the touch - like a bruise - but nothing shows. I am also very bloated. EXTREMELY. The bloating has been going on for 5 days. AND, it's not a little bloat. It's, I'm normally a size 2 or 4 and I look 10 months pregnant (If that is possible.)
I am educated and take care of myself although I NEVER go to the doctor.
Please help me. I can't wear any of my normal clothes. My chest hurts pretty bad to the touch - again in a baseball sized area in the upper left sternum. What is happening to me?I also wanted to tell you I had a low grade fever with the virus. I also get bloated quite a bit lately. But, nothing like this..........I'm pretty thin. NOT underweight - but thin. The bloating is shocking. I would send you a picture - but you would want to know when my baby is due! It's so bad. I can't wear my clothes.
The pain in my upper left chest area is bad. My kiddos jump on me and it hurts so bad! What is that pain? Is it the virus? Is it something else? I have NOT injured myself and I don't exercise that much. I looked up Costochondritis. I am not sure that's it given all the other symptoms. For a brief minute, I thought - Pneumonia. But, my symptoms are not that severe. I also thought about GERD - but can it really be that? I did have some reflux. I can't burp. I never do. I try. Sorry for all the follow ups. Just a little nervous about the pain in my chest when it's pressed.
Brief Answer:
Might be GERD, capsule omeprazole 20 mg once daily.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have gone through your query.
As you mentioned you had a cold, did you had cough?.
Presently based on the information GERD is more likely. I don't think this could be pneumonia or any other serious threatening condition. The pain and the bloating are more suggestive of GERD. In this context, I would suggest you to try bland diet along with a proton pump inhibitor drug. Omeprazole available as prilosec OTC is over the counter PPI. You can try it and see if you feel better. Besides the drug, avoid spicy food, alcohol and smoking. Avoid immediately lying down after food, walk for 10 to 15 min.
If you don't feel better in the next couple of days with the measures suggested, you can plan a visit to the doctor. He/she can rule out other possibility of costochondritis, though I am doubtful at this point of time.
I would also like to know are you planning to get pregnant, or when was your last period, if you have missed the period, kindly do a urine pregnancy test after week after missed.
This provisional advice provided by me is based entirely on the input provided to me. I would suggest examination by the doctor.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Might be GERD, capsule omeprazole 20 mg once daily.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have gone through your query.
As you mentioned you had a cold, did you had cough?.
Presently based on the information GERD is more likely. I don't think this could be pneumonia or any other serious threatening condition. The pain and the bloating are more suggestive of GERD. In this context, I would suggest you to try bland diet along with a proton pump inhibitor drug. Omeprazole available as prilosec OTC is over the counter PPI. You can try it and see if you feel better. Besides the drug, avoid spicy food, alcohol and smoking. Avoid immediately lying down after food, walk for 10 to 15 min.
If you don't feel better in the next couple of days with the measures suggested, you can plan a visit to the doctor. He/she can rule out other possibility of costochondritis, though I am doubtful at this point of time.
I would also like to know are you planning to get pregnant, or when was your last period, if you have missed the period, kindly do a urine pregnancy test after week after missed.
This provisional advice provided by me is based entirely on the input provided to me. I would suggest examination by the doctor.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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