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Suggest Remedy For Pain And Heaviness On Right Side Of Sternum
Question: I, maybe every other week, have terrible chest pain right in the area of the sternum. It is very directed and extremely sharp. If I sit down for a few minutes, it turns into heaviness and after about 15 to 20 minutes, it goes away.
Brief Answer:
Your symptoms don't seem to be cardiac related.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Your symptoms don't seem to be related to any cardiac disorder, including myocardial ischemia (judged by the pain characteristics).
A careful differential diagnosis of many causes of chest pain should be performed to establish the cause (related to any of the mediastinal structures).
Is your chest pain modulated by the respiratory movements or body movements?
This pain characteristic would raise the suspicion for musculo-skeletal pain (including chostochondritis).
I recommend consulting with your GP for a careful physical examination, a resting ECG, a chest x ray and some blood lab tests:
- complete blood count (for possible infection)
- PCR, sedimentation rate (for inflammation)
- cardiac enzymes
- kidney and liver function tests
- fasting glucose
- blood electrolytes, etc.
If all the above tests result normal, the most probable cause of your chest pain would be a musculo-skeletal disorder. In such case a short term therapy with painkillers like ibuprofen would be helpful.
I recommend discussing with your doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Best regards,
Dr. Iliri
Your symptoms don't seem to be cardiac related.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Your symptoms don't seem to be related to any cardiac disorder, including myocardial ischemia (judged by the pain characteristics).
A careful differential diagnosis of many causes of chest pain should be performed to establish the cause (related to any of the mediastinal structures).
Is your chest pain modulated by the respiratory movements or body movements?
This pain characteristic would raise the suspicion for musculo-skeletal pain (including chostochondritis).
I recommend consulting with your GP for a careful physical examination, a resting ECG, a chest x ray and some blood lab tests:
- complete blood count (for possible infection)
- PCR, sedimentation rate (for inflammation)
- cardiac enzymes
- kidney and liver function tests
- fasting glucose
- blood electrolytes, etc.
If all the above tests result normal, the most probable cause of your chest pain would be a musculo-skeletal disorder. In such case a short term therapy with painkillers like ibuprofen would be helpful.
I recommend discussing with your doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Best regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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