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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Chest Tightness, Pain On Breathing Post Working Out. Treatment?

I m 19 years old and I had a bad workout about 3 weeks ago, and since then my chest hasn t been right. It feels tight and there is always a dull pain. Sometimes this pain increases, but it never spreads. Always in my chest, near the middle, a little to the left. Any sort of physical activity (such as carrying groceries through town) can make it hurt terribly, and it doesn t get back to normal until a few days after. Sometimes breathing hurts. It hurts most when I take deep breaths, but it s usually not enough alone to trigger an episode. I ve gone to a hospital, and they confirmed it was not a heart attack . However they haven t confirmed what it is at all. They say everything has come back negative. I m scheduled for more testing and maybe 48 surveillance but the pain is very real, and I don t want to be written up as a Hypochondriac. I m looking for a fresh perspective from an expert.
Wed, 3 Jul 2013
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi! Welcome to HCM and thank you for your question! There are two possibilities (and it is good that your heart is ok) that we can consider - both of which can be due to a bad workout. First, you may be suffering from costochondritis, an inflammation of the rib or its joint, which causes flares of pain especially when taking deep breaths or during physical activity. The second and more worrisome, is, you may have strained or torn your pectoralis muscle. I am recommending that you see a sports medicine expert or a physiotherapist so that the appropriate tests can be done to guide your treatment plan. In the meantime, rest and do not exert the affected area. Also, remember that it is important to stretch and observe proper technique during weightlifting/workout sessions to avoid injuries like this. I hope you feel better soon! Take care!


Dr. Galera
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Chest Tightness, Pain On Breathing Post Working Out. Treatment?

Hi! Welcome to HCM and thank you for your question! There are two possibilities (and it is good that your heart is ok) that we can consider - both of which can be due to a bad workout. First, you may be suffering from costochondritis, an inflammation of the rib or its joint, which causes flares of pain especially when taking deep breaths or during physical activity. The second and more worrisome, is, you may have strained or torn your pectoralis muscle. I am recommending that you see a sports medicine expert or a physiotherapist so that the appropriate tests can be done to guide your treatment plan. In the meantime, rest and do not exert the affected area. Also, remember that it is important to stretch and observe proper technique during weightlifting/workout sessions to avoid injuries like this. I hope you feel better soon! Take care! Dr. Galera