The good news is that (other than the pain) it is completely harmless.
The way it always felt to me is like someone wrapped a small wire around something tender in my chest, and if I tried to breathe or straighten my posture, they would yank on it. I’d get it anywhere from a couple times a week to once a month. Then one day in my mid-30s it just stopped.
From what I understand this is relatively common. I was so grateful for the person on reddit who dropped this nugget of wisdom several years ago. It was nice to know I wasn’t dying or whatever.
Oh good so it’s not just been me dealing with this random pain for the last 20 years…
This thing haunts me every few months since always. You can usually stop it by exhaling deeply and relaxing muscles in affected areas.
I haven’t had it in so many years, but I eventually got to the point where I’d just take a deep breath and it would seem to pop away. It would hurt, but then it would stop.
It’s more common in young adults and children, and I’m approaching middle age here unfortunately, but the upside is no more precordial catch.
Hey, I know this one. I’ve had it since I was a small child but didn’t quite know the name.
I had no idea they had a name!
I’ve had it as long as I can remember, though not very often. It would only be a few times a year I’d say…
I’m not sure if it’s the same thing or not, but I have a condition where sometimes my chest hurts because of a bone in a strange place. I’ve been to the hospital a few times thinking I might have heart problems. Then I get prescribed painkillers.
Samesies. I popped a rib out a while back and now I seem to have recurring bouts of costochondritis right over my heart where that rib attaches to my sternum. Definitely thought I was dying for a bit.
As I got older those random pains have me worried “is this a cardiac event?!” despite showing no other symptoms for one.
If you’re able to access primary care they may be able to bill your insurance for an EKG yearly. Wouldn’t catch everything but might notice if you pick up some a-fib or another lowkey issue that might snowball (although the main issue with afib is usually clots and afib clots usually hit the brain not the heart iirc).
Do it if you can. Afib is one of those things that can take years to diagnose, with most people thinking they’re just unfit. Meanwhile, half their heart isn’t working properly …
Now look up Proctalgia Fugax
Huh. I always thought this was part of my asthma since exercise-induced asthma is a thing and I usually get this after an intense cardio-heavy session.
harmless
Crashed on a bicycle because of it. Broke nothing, but a few scars on my face still there
Know anything about a kinda dull pain in the sternum that comes and goes, which lasts a week or month, then is gone for a few weeks or months before it comes back. Has been going on for a few years at this point. Got all kinds of scans and tests done the first year but everything showed normal. I at least don’t think I’m gonna die anymore but it sucks.
Pleurisy, costochondritis, gerd, or referred pain from radiculopathy, maybe. Especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle or back trauma
I never know what people mean by sedentary lifestyle but I have been getting more exercise since it started and it hasn’t helped.
It means do you sit or lie around most of the day. Do you have an office job where you sit at a computer all day then go home and play on your phone or whatever until you go to bed? That’s sedentary. If you exercise that’s good but if it’s something like a radiculopathy you’d benefit from seeing a physical therapist who can target the section of the back that is impacted (though you may need to start with primary care or orthopedic and mri). If it’s the other stuff treatment is generally medications and varies from stuff like NSAIDs or proton pump inhibitors (though if it’s gerd and you treat with NSAIDs that may worsen things)
Basically go see a doctor
Ah so it is a known thing and has a name, yay! Thanks for sharing.
Ahh, this is fun. Every time I’m like “Is this it? Is this the one?”
But no, it never is.
until it is
That’s the spirit! Got to stay positive.
Gotta have something to look forward to!
And your body has been crying wolf for so long that you just ignore it
But no, it never is.
Yet
I’ve always heard it referred to as “wind pain”
Thanks ! Didn’t know that was harmless. And people call me mad…
Oh, good, I’m not dying.
Yet.
