Chronic chest pain (strained muscle- not a heart attack)

[NicholeTiffany]

For YEARS now, I've been repeatedly pulling or straining some sort of muscle on the left-hand side or center of my chest, resulting in this tight pain that has worried me to the point of visiting the ER several times (dad had a bad heart). Every time, the docs run ECGs and other tests and say everything looks great, and to just apply some heat.

I don't particularly work my chest hard, and in fact, this started happening long before I worked out on a regular basis. The source can be as innocuous as sitting up the wrong way in bed, but the tightness can last for days or weeks.

Since it's recurring and in the same area, I'm wondering if this muscle is particularly weak, and if it's something I should push my own doc to look further into. It takes ages to get an appointment with my family physician, however.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[Deborah_Lyn]

You said your Dad had a bad heart, what specifically do you mean by that? Anyone else in family with bad heart issues?

An ECG is a nice start. What other tests and did they do a stress test - where you are on a treadmill and they monitor the heart?

I don't know alot about heart, just what my Momwent through. Your post reminded me of what my Mom's cardiologist said one time- they really only know what's going on when they do a Cardiac catheterization (camera inserted into groin or neck, goes to heart for direct diagnosis) because they are looking directly at it without open heart surgery. Persist with your Doctor and get a second opinion as needed. I'm not trying to scare you, but with a family history, you need to remain vigilant and make the Doctors do their job. Do not let them use your age/youth as an excuse or put it off as muscle strain. If you aren't moving 50+ pound boxes around, I really see no way your muscle in that area could be impaired..

A muscle would only hurt for a while and any tear would over time heal. You should not have a chronic issue like this unless your posture or spine is throughing your body weight incorrectly causing stress. Even then, any curvature of the spine or posture could be seen by a GP. But, that imo would be unlikely. I urge a second opinion and keep an eye on it. Heart disease will over time weaken the heart and better to find out now. Remind the doctor preventive care is 1 /10th the cost of any operation!

Good luck and I hope it'turns out to be nothing.

[Imbrication]

For YEARS now, I've been repeatedly pulling or straining some sort of muscle on the left-hand side or center of my chest, resulting in this tight pain that has worried me to the point of visiting the ER several times (dad had a bad heart). Every time, the docs run ECGs and other tests and say everything looks great, and to just apply some heat.

I don't particularly work my chest hard, and in fact, this started happening long before I worked out on a regular basis. The source can be as innocuous as sitting up the wrong way in bed, but the tightness can last for days or weeks.

Since it's recurring and in the same area, I'm wondering if this muscle is particularly weak, and if it's something I should push my own doc to look further into. It takes ages to get an appointment with my family physician, however.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

You might look into upper crossed syndrome. I have had problems with an ache in the center of my chest that increased when I had been sitting down for a long time. Turns out my poor sitting posture and imbalance between my chest and back was the culprit. I now stretch my chest several times day, work harder at maintaining a better posture, and work on strengthening my upper back.

[parsnip1965]

I'm betting on a tear that didn't heal up right. I have one in my left shoulder so I am less likely to mistake it for a heart attack (although heart pain can be felt in the shoulder), but if I want to be in excruciating pain, all I need to do is some heavy shoulder presses.

I certainly hope it's not your heart.

[PLANETGETLOW]

I hope it's not this but check it out.

www.thesphincterofoddi.com

[Atropa]

Have the doctors looked into the possiblity of referred pain?