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Suggest Treatment For Severe Chest Pain
Question: Hi..I have severe chest pain(looks like a muscle pain) on my left chest while moving my head.It started today only.I didn't do any exercises yesterday.Usually I walk/run in the gym for 40 minutes daily(I am diabetic).Not taking any medicines for past 3 months.When I move my neck down to the left side, the pain inside left chest is very severe.pain started in the morning today and was not severe at that time. It looks getting increasing now.
Brief Answer:
Muscular pain
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I understand your concern.
Indeed, it looks like muscular pain. There are muscles within ribs (intercostal muscles). These muscles typically become sore when physical activity that requires laboured breathing is carried out. In resting state, all the "work" to breathe is done by the diaphragm. But, when we have laboured breathing, intercostal muscles "come into play" as adjunctive to the diaphragm, to cope with the increases within-rib-pressure. I would recommend you a short (5 day) course of over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen), accompanied with stomach innermost layer (mucosa) protectors (ranitidine, for example).
However, being that you are 44 years old, an age considered as borderline for the risk for cardiovascular problems, I am entitled to recommend, just to be safe, an EKG and a plain chest X-ray, to exclude any cardiac or pulmonary origin of this pain.
I hope I was helpful. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up questions. Please rate the answer, if you do not.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Muscular pain
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I understand your concern.
Indeed, it looks like muscular pain. There are muscles within ribs (intercostal muscles). These muscles typically become sore when physical activity that requires laboured breathing is carried out. In resting state, all the "work" to breathe is done by the diaphragm. But, when we have laboured breathing, intercostal muscles "come into play" as adjunctive to the diaphragm, to cope with the increases within-rib-pressure. I would recommend you a short (5 day) course of over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen), accompanied with stomach innermost layer (mucosa) protectors (ranitidine, for example).
However, being that you are 44 years old, an age considered as borderline for the risk for cardiovascular problems, I am entitled to recommend, just to be safe, an EKG and a plain chest X-ray, to exclude any cardiac or pulmonary origin of this pain.
I hope I was helpful. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up questions. Please rate the answer, if you do not.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Hi,
Thanks Doctor.
From your reply, I just remember that yesterday I did some pranayama(yoga) for 5 minutes.
It is a breathing exercise inhaling through one nozzle(until lungs are full) and exhale through the other slowly.
I used to do this in the past(may be one year before) and did this yesterday after a big gap of 1 year.
May be that caused this pain?Shall I refrain from doing that until the pain goes.Or should I continue it?
Thanks
xxxxxxx
Thanks Doctor.
From your reply, I just remember that yesterday I did some pranayama(yoga) for 5 minutes.
It is a breathing exercise inhaling through one nozzle(until lungs are full) and exhale through the other slowly.
I used to do this in the past(may be one year before) and did this yesterday after a big gap of 1 year.
May be that caused this pain?Shall I refrain from doing that until the pain goes.Or should I continue it?
Thanks
xxxxxxx
Brief Answer:
Welcome back
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, mr. xxxxxx!
Yes, that can be the possible cause. I would recommend you to discontinue this exercise until the treatment is done and the pain goes away. You can then re-start on the training, but slowly adjusting the dosage of the exercise, for example start for less minutes, and add one minute every two sessions, so that the muscles can adjust. Remember to be completed with an EKG and a chest X-ray.
I hope this is helpful. If you do not have further questions, close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you all the best.
Dr. Meriton
Welcome back
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, mr. xxxxxx!
Yes, that can be the possible cause. I would recommend you to discontinue this exercise until the treatment is done and the pain goes away. You can then re-start on the training, but slowly adjusting the dosage of the exercise, for example start for less minutes, and add one minute every two sessions, so that the muscles can adjust. Remember to be completed with an EKG and a chest X-ray.
I hope this is helpful. If you do not have further questions, close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you all the best.
Dr. Meriton
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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