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What Causes Sharp Pain At Sternum When Breathing In?
Question: Having sharp pain at sternum when breathing in deeply since 3am. Intensity varies. Ibuprofen helps a little bit but not significantly. Warm bath, sitting upright, and compression with ace bandage gives most relief. No other symptoms besides feeling cold on and off (but it's cold here in Ohio, so this may be unrelated). Having anxiety about the pain isnt helping things. Healthy 38 year old male.
Brief Answer:
not likely heart related
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for using healthcare magic
The most worry some aspect of chest pain is the possibility of it being heart related- a heart attack.
Based on your description ( varying intensity, worse on taking a deep breath, relieved by warmth and bandaging)- it is not heart related.
Heart related pain tends to be worse on activity, heavy or tight sensation , not affected by breathing, associated with shortness of breath/palpitations and excess sweating).
In addition if it was heart related and going on this long, you would be in critical condition.
If you have a previous history of heart disease , risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol,diabetes, increased weight) or a family history of heart disease - you may still want to rule it out by visiting your doctor
The pain may be costochondritis or pleuritis. These are the 2 main options based on the history.
If you elicit pain when you press on the sternum then it is costochondritis.
Costochondritis is inflammation between the ribs and the sternum. It can vary from one person to the next but in some cases can be severe.
It is not life threatening but is treated with the methods you are currently using- anti inflammatory pain killers such as ibuprofen, rest, warm compress
If you are using ibuprofen at 400mg, you can consider using at 800mg three times daily temporarily- the maximum daily dose is 2400 mg a day so this would be in the limits
Alternatively you can use another anti inflammatory such as naproxen. It can take days, sometimes weeks for this to resolve.
PLEURITIS refers to inflammation of the pleura (lining outside of the lung). It is also not life threatening and is treated with anti inflammatory pain killers as well.
It can sometimes result from even a previous common cold.
Summary: (1) not likely heart related
(2)may be costochondritis or pleuritis
(3)these are treated with rest and anti inflammatory pain killers
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
not likely heart related
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for using healthcare magic
The most worry some aspect of chest pain is the possibility of it being heart related- a heart attack.
Based on your description ( varying intensity, worse on taking a deep breath, relieved by warmth and bandaging)- it is not heart related.
Heart related pain tends to be worse on activity, heavy or tight sensation , not affected by breathing, associated with shortness of breath/palpitations and excess sweating).
In addition if it was heart related and going on this long, you would be in critical condition.
If you have a previous history of heart disease , risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol,diabetes, increased weight) or a family history of heart disease - you may still want to rule it out by visiting your doctor
The pain may be costochondritis or pleuritis. These are the 2 main options based on the history.
If you elicit pain when you press on the sternum then it is costochondritis.
Costochondritis is inflammation between the ribs and the sternum. It can vary from one person to the next but in some cases can be severe.
It is not life threatening but is treated with the methods you are currently using- anti inflammatory pain killers such as ibuprofen, rest, warm compress
If you are using ibuprofen at 400mg, you can consider using at 800mg three times daily temporarily- the maximum daily dose is 2400 mg a day so this would be in the limits
Alternatively you can use another anti inflammatory such as naproxen. It can take days, sometimes weeks for this to resolve.
PLEURITIS refers to inflammation of the pleura (lining outside of the lung). It is also not life threatening and is treated with anti inflammatory pain killers as well.
It can sometimes result from even a previous common cold.
Summary: (1) not likely heart related
(2)may be costochondritis or pleuritis
(3)these are treated with rest and anti inflammatory pain killers
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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