What Causes Electric Shock Or Spasms Around Breast Bone?

Posted on Tue, 15 Dec 2015

Question: I am a health 74 year old man with good blood pressure, taken daily. I exercise 6 days a week for 2 hours or more. I have occasional (10 to 50 times a day) what feels like an electric shock or spasm at or near my breast bone? This occurs mostly when at rest and is not affected by exercise. What are the possible causes?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (22 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cardiac check-up

Detailed Answer:
Hello, sir. Thank you for your question and welcome to Health Care Magic. I understand your concern.

Although this may be a non-worrisome event, based on your age of 74 years old, I would have some recommendations. Let us go through this together. The spasm/shock-like pain you may be originated from any organ in the within-ribcage, but mostly, I would like to exclude the lungs and the heart in the differential diagnosis. Therefore, a cardiac check-up seems appropriate at this time. I would recommend:
- EKG - to assess the electrical and conduction systems of the heart in resting state;
- echocardiogram - to asses the size, function and motility of the heart structures and the valves.
Based on these examinations, the need to perform a cardiac stress test can be elicited.
Also, I would recommend a plain postero-anterior and lateral chest X-ray, to evaluate the structure of the lungs and pleura (lung linings).
This is more to exclude the probable origins of this phenomenon, rather than calling it a worrisome phenomenon in the first place. So, nothing to worry about at this moment.

I hope I was helpful with my answer. I am here to help, if you have follow-up questions. Please rate the answer, if you do not. Wish you a good health.

Best regards,
Dr. Meriton

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj