Suggest Remedy For Pain In Lower Chest And Bruises

Posted on Tue, 24 Mar 2015

Question: Hi..I have a slight pain in my lower, left chest, but only at times. Researching - it appears to be my spleen? Just a guess, anyway. The pain is slight. I really only feel the pain when I work out at the gym and sit at the machine to work the back. My chest is pressed up against the pad and I pull back to work the back. The pain feels like a bruise and someone hit me on that bruise. There is nothing superficial about this pain - it is all internal. I am generally healthy and dont drink that often and I dont take drugs. I do take atorvastatin - 20mg. I am 5'10 about 190 lbs if that helps.

I have noticed this pain for many months only when I do the one machine at the gym. I dont think it has become worse over time - since I first noticed, but hard to say.

I look forward to comments..
Thank you - XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It's more probably related to the stretch of internal abdominal muscles...

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you for asking!
I read your query and understood your concerns.

What you are experiencing isn't typical for cardiac or gastrointestinal problems (internal organs). It's more probably related to the stretch of internal abdominal muscles (which are deeper than superficial muscles).

However I recommend to do the following examinations to find out the right etiology of your concerns:
- ECG
- Cardiac ECHO
- Stress test
- Abdominal ultrasound

Hope this was of help!
Dr. Shehu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Benard Shehu (7 hours later)

HI Dr. Shehu,
Thank you. I don't think it is related to the heart, after rereading my question I see why you may have thought it was. More specifically the pain area is left side just about at the end of the rib cage. Definitely below the heart and above the stomach. From internet research it looks like the spleen area (hopefully muscle in front of the spleen, as you mentioned.

Would the first 3 tests you mentioned help if this is spleen related and not heart related?

Makes sense about muscle tissue and hope that is all it is. Wouldn't it heal over time so that when I do that one exercise that presses the area I wouldn't feel it?

Any concerns of cancer? what test can be done - if so?

Concerns it can be a bad spleen? I dont have any other symptoms.

Sorry, when you get older, you worry about these things.

Thank you, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Should rule out cardiac issues first...

Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXXXXX

1. Pain during physical activity might be related to serious heart problems although it is what we call "atypical" for hear problems. That's why I have recommended to run the above mentioned tests to rule out the cardiac issues first.

2. With regards to abdominal ultrasound, it will exclude spleen issues.

3. If everything is ok in the first steps, then, your symptoms are related to deep abdominal muscles. In this case, I advise to :
- apply hot compresses
- take OTC analgesics
- avoid physical activities that would require involvement of abdominal muscles for a couple of weeks.

Hope it was of help!
Dr.Benard

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Benard Shehu (10 hours later)

Dr Shehu,
Thank you. I will take all of your suggestions seriously and act. About a year ago, I thought I was having a heart issue and drove myself to the hospital. They took all of the tests you mentioned, I think. All came back great. It turned out to be skeletal. That went away after about a day and that was it.

This thing now is something that is being stubborn and noticed over a couple of months if not more now. Lets say just concentrating on the spleen...what symptoms would I notice if something was starting to go bad with it?

Could a pain in the spleen occur with my chest pressing against something with a bit of pressure and be the first symptoms something may be wrong with the spleen?

What else would one notice if the spleen was starting to go bad?

I appreciate your help..
XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Following answer to your queries...

Detailed Answer:
Hi back Gary!

If something was going bad with the spleen and it become enlarged you would have experienced the following signs:
- an abdominal fullness after eating
- pain in left superior abdominal quadrant which spread through the shoulder
- fatigue due to anemia
- easy bleeding due to low platelet count (trombocitopenia)
- frequent infection

However to definitely exclude your doubts I recommend to do blood analysis and abdominal ultrasound, because enlarged spleen is accompanied by anemia and other blood count anomalies and is impossible to be missed on abdominal ultrasound.

If everything is normal they definitely exclude spleen problems.

Wish you health!
Dr. Shehu

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar