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What Causes Random Shooting Pain In Chest?
Question: Figured I'd ask this just in case. A long while ago while in XXXXXXX CA I would randomly get chest pains - some were very minor, and a few rare times the pain would knock me to my knees.
Nowadays if I ever experience any pains in my chest its so minor that its like an ant flicking my ribs from the inside (in XXXXXXX the pain would be equivalent to some punching my chest to a sensation of something trying to twist my rib bones).
I never got it checked out cause honestly I'm stubborn an felt if I went in for minor chest pains that I'd be wasting a medical professional's time when they could be helping someone with more dire needs, plus I figured it was over-exertion an that I simply needed to tone down my walkabouts, and as a smoker I also figured that it was normal.
To be more precise of where the pain originates: My left breast, maybe an inch or 2 above my nipple, feels like an inside pain. Most times whenever it acts up, the pain is either a slow pulsating pain (every 10-30 seconds) or a rapid pulsating pain (every 2 seconds). When its slow, its hardly painful but mostly an annoyance. When its rapid, its sometimes bearable but like the tip of an ice pick trying to get out of my chest.
Sorry if my examples seem horrifying, but I don't really know how to explain it better. So, do I have anything that is of concern?
Nowadays if I ever experience any pains in my chest its so minor that its like an ant flicking my ribs from the inside (in XXXXXXX the pain would be equivalent to some punching my chest to a sensation of something trying to twist my rib bones).
I never got it checked out cause honestly I'm stubborn an felt if I went in for minor chest pains that I'd be wasting a medical professional's time when they could be helping someone with more dire needs, plus I figured it was over-exertion an that I simply needed to tone down my walkabouts, and as a smoker I also figured that it was normal.
To be more precise of where the pain originates: My left breast, maybe an inch or 2 above my nipple, feels like an inside pain. Most times whenever it acts up, the pain is either a slow pulsating pain (every 10-30 seconds) or a rapid pulsating pain (every 2 seconds). When its slow, its hardly painful but mostly an annoyance. When its rapid, its sometimes bearable but like the tip of an ice pick trying to get out of my chest.
Sorry if my examples seem horrifying, but I don't really know how to explain it better. So, do I have anything that is of concern?
Brief Answer:
With highest probability, nothing to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
Greetings. Welcome to Health Care Magic and thank you for your question. I carefully read your query.
I will try to address your problem step by step, and considering facts.
Pain in the chest area, almost always, can be of some main types:
- There is Angina. It is a pain originated from blockages within coronary arteries (arteries that supply the heart muscle with oxygen and important nutrients). Characteristic in people above 45 years of age, in the male population. Starts in the mid chest and radiates to the jaw, left shoulder, left arm, in physical exertion and can go on for 15 minutes. It is described more like a heaviness in the chest, than a clear-cut pain. My opinion is that this is not your case.
- There is pleuritic chest pain or of airway origin. Smokers do have chest pains occasionally, because of a possible bronchial (airway) spasm due to irritative agents that cigarette smoke contains (besides nicotine). Also, it could come from an acute or chronic inflammation of the within ribcage linings (pleura - of the lungs, pericardium - of the heart). It is a constant, moderate to severe pain in intensity, which is more severe when lying down, and relieved to some point when sitting up or standing. It is described as a sharp, stabbing pain, and associated with an episode of flu or general infection in the past days/weeks (keeping in mind that you are a 30-year old person). From your description provided above, the symptoms do not match the diagnosis of inflammation of these tissues.
- Then there is pain related to the bones and muscles in the chest. This may be from a sore muscle or, after performing strenuous physical activity which also engages forceful breathing, the in-between rib muscles can get sore and produce pinching or stinging pain which may be more severe during coughing. If this is the case, then no further treating actions should be undertaken, as it heals quickly itself.
To sum up, there is a high probability that there is nothing to worry about. From the description above, we can rule out coronary or chest lining origin of the pain, and this is good news. Try to quit smoking and recognize it as a bad habit which, not only increases the risk for cardiovascular problems in the future, but also as a bad habit which confines your limit of exercise and produces this kind of pain, with the mechanism of bronchial spasm and/or with the mechanism of limiting your physical capacity and producing laboured breathing, which tires the in-between ribcage muscles (intercostal muscles).
I hope I was of help. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up question. Please rate the answer, if you do not. Wish you a good health.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
With highest probability, nothing to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
Greetings. Welcome to Health Care Magic and thank you for your question. I carefully read your query.
I will try to address your problem step by step, and considering facts.
Pain in the chest area, almost always, can be of some main types:
- There is Angina. It is a pain originated from blockages within coronary arteries (arteries that supply the heart muscle with oxygen and important nutrients). Characteristic in people above 45 years of age, in the male population. Starts in the mid chest and radiates to the jaw, left shoulder, left arm, in physical exertion and can go on for 15 minutes. It is described more like a heaviness in the chest, than a clear-cut pain. My opinion is that this is not your case.
- There is pleuritic chest pain or of airway origin. Smokers do have chest pains occasionally, because of a possible bronchial (airway) spasm due to irritative agents that cigarette smoke contains (besides nicotine). Also, it could come from an acute or chronic inflammation of the within ribcage linings (pleura - of the lungs, pericardium - of the heart). It is a constant, moderate to severe pain in intensity, which is more severe when lying down, and relieved to some point when sitting up or standing. It is described as a sharp, stabbing pain, and associated with an episode of flu or general infection in the past days/weeks (keeping in mind that you are a 30-year old person). From your description provided above, the symptoms do not match the diagnosis of inflammation of these tissues.
- Then there is pain related to the bones and muscles in the chest. This may be from a sore muscle or, after performing strenuous physical activity which also engages forceful breathing, the in-between rib muscles can get sore and produce pinching or stinging pain which may be more severe during coughing. If this is the case, then no further treating actions should be undertaken, as it heals quickly itself.
To sum up, there is a high probability that there is nothing to worry about. From the description above, we can rule out coronary or chest lining origin of the pain, and this is good news. Try to quit smoking and recognize it as a bad habit which, not only increases the risk for cardiovascular problems in the future, but also as a bad habit which confines your limit of exercise and produces this kind of pain, with the mechanism of bronchial spasm and/or with the mechanism of limiting your physical capacity and producing laboured breathing, which tires the in-between ribcage muscles (intercostal muscles).
I hope I was of help. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up question. Please rate the answer, if you do not. Wish you a good health.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Off-topic: How do I rate an answer? I don't see the option to do so.
Brief Answer:
Welcome again
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Being on the doctor side, I've never had to rate an answer. I think you should close the discussion and then rate the answer.
Thank you in advance. Wish you a good health.
Dr. Meriton
Welcome again
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Being on the doctor side, I've never had to rate an answer. I think you should close the discussion and then rate the answer.
Thank you in advance. Wish you a good health.
Dr. Meriton
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
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