What makes your sternum hurt

During the physical exam, your doctor assesses pain levels by manipulating your rib cage. They may also look for signs of infection or inflammation. Your doctor might order tests, such as X-rays and blood tests , to rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you need help finding a primary care doctor or a rheumatologist. Most cases of costochondritis are treated with over-the-counter medications. If your pain is mild to moderate, your doctor will probably recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as ibuprofen Advil or naproxen Aleve. Your doctor may tell you to make permanent lifestyle changes if you have persistent or chronic costochondritis.

Some types of exercise can aggravate this condition, including running and weightlifting. Manual labor can also have a negative effect. Your doctor may use pain levels to evaluate your response to treatment. Daily stretching can help relieve some pain.

Your doctor can also perform a procedure called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS , which uses small amounts of electricity to stop your nerves from sending signals of pain or aching to your brain. Long-term pain caused by costochondritis can be debilitating if untreated.

Normally, treatment of the inflammation and pain causes costochondritis to eventually go away on its own. If you have chronic costochondritis, the pain may return — even with treatment — when you exercise or engage in certain activities.

Pains associated with costochondritis can indicate other issues. The chest pain associated with costochondritis is a common symptom of fibromyalgia. With fibromyalgia, you may experience soreness in your chest in addition to:. If you experience chest pains along with these other symptoms, talk to your doctor about getting tested for fibromyalgia. Both heartburn and reflux are caused by a problem with the sphincter ring of muscles that separates the esophagus from the stomach.

Heartburn can also be caused by a hiatal hernia, which happens when part of the stomach slips through a hole in the diaphragm the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. Certain foods and drinks, including spicy or fatty foods, alcohol, and coffee, can trigger heartburn. Overweight people and pregnant women have a higher risk for reflux.

Your doctor may prescribe changes to your lifestyle and diet, medications, and sometimes surgery. The lungs and the inside of the chest are covered with a thin protective tissue called the pleura. Pleurisy is inflammation and swelling of this tissue. A viral or bacterial lung infection, autoimmune disease, or other conditions in the lungs or chest can cause pleurisy. Rest, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications ibuprofen , and sometimes antibiotics can help you get better.

Some people having a heart attack experience chest pain in or under the sternum. A heart attack is a blockage in an artery of the heart, which prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area. It is caused by a blood clot that travels from a fatty buildup plaque , inside the artery. Heart attack can be life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. Treatment should begin as soon as possible after symptoms start, so call , if your pain could be heart related.

You may get medications or have a procedure like a heart catheterization with balloon or stent treatments to open up your arteries. Severe cases may need surgery to create a bypass around the blocked artery.

Sternum fracture is a break in the sternum bone. This usually only happens in a serious trauma, like a car accident or falls from a high height. Seatbelts save lives in car accidents, but they cross over the sternum, which can fracture it in a high-impact crash.

Because breaking the bone requires such force, doctors will order additional CT scans to check for injuries to the vital organs behind the sternum, including the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels.

Ice, over-the-counter pain medications, and, sometimes, prescription pain medications may relieve your sternum pain. You may need surgery to fix the break or to treat other injuries inside the chest. Once we rule out anything serious, we treat the non-serious problem that is most likely. Because these conditions may have overlapping symptoms, many people with pain in the sternum will need to be tested for a heart attack.

You should go to the ER immediately if you have any of the following:. If you had a minor injury or if your doctor has ruled out serious causes of your pain, try the following:.

Pain in the sternum is a complaint where we really need to consider every piece of evidence to feel confident making the right diagnosis. Bloodwork shows if there is injury to the heart muscle or an infection. An EKG shows if there are electrical changes from a heart attack. A chest x-ray or CT scan can show some infections. Questions may relate to diseases, illnesses, or conditions you may have or that may run in your family.

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We will not share your information with third parties unless you give your consent or unless permitted by applicable law. TENS is a method of pain relief where a mild electric current is delivered to the affected area using a small battery-operated device.

The electrical impulses can reduce the pain signals going to the spinal cord and brain, which may help relieve pain and relax muscles.

They may also stimulate the production of endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers. Although TENS may be used to help relieve pain in a wide range of conditions, it does not work for everyone. There's not enough good-quality scientific evidence to say for sure whether TENS is a reliable method of pain relief. Find out more about transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS.

Page last reviewed: 24 April Next review due: 24 April It acts as a shock absorber, cushioning the joints. Tietze's syndrome Costochondritis may be confused with a separate condition called Tietze's syndrome. Signs and symptoms of costochondritis When the costochondral joint becomes inflamed, it can result in sharp chest pain and tenderness, which may develop gradually or start suddenly. The pain may be made worse by: a particular posture, such as lying down pressure on your chest, such as wearing a seatbelt or hugging someone deep breathing, coughing and sneezing physical activity When to seek medical help It can be difficult to tell the difference between the chest pain associated with costochondritis and pain caused by more serious conditions, such as a heart attack.

Causes of costochondritis Inflammation is the body's natural response to infection, irritation or injury. It's not known exactly why the costochondral joint becomes inflamed, but in some cases it's been linked to: severe coughing , which strains your chest area an injury to your chest physical strain from repeated exercise or sudden exertion you're not used to, such as moving furniture an infection, including respiratory tract infections and wound infections wear and tear — your chest moves in and out 20 to 30 times a minute, and over time this motion can lead to discomfort in these joints Diagnosing costochondritis If you have symptoms of costochondritis, a GP will probably examine and touch the upper chest area around your costochondral joint.

These may include: an electrocardiogram ECG , which records the rhythms and electrical activity of your heart a blood test to check for signs of underlying inflammation a chest X-ray If no other condition is suspected or found, a diagnosis of costrochondritis may be made.

People with substernal pain and symptoms of a hiatal hernia should see a doctor for prompt treatment. Like a fracture in other parts of the body, sternum fractures can cause a lot of pain. Sternum fractures usually occur as a direct result of trauma, such as a car accident or sports injury. People who believe they may have a sternum fracture should seek immediate medical attention, as the heart and lungs may also be injured.

Acid reflux happens when stomach acid wears away the lining of the windpipe esophagus. This happens primarily in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. Acid reflux may cause substernal pain and discomfort in the chest and is generally accompanied by a burning feeling. Pain in this region can also be caused by inflammation or a spasm of the windpipe. People with GERD should talk to their doctor about how to prevent further damage to this area.

The sternum and ribs have many muscles attached to them. These muscles can be pulled or strained by severe coughing or strenuous activity involving the arms or torso. Symptoms of sternum pain vary depending on the cause. The most common symptom is discomfort and pain in the center of the chest, which is the location of the sternum. People experiencing any kind of chest pain may worry they are having a heart attack. However, sternum pain differs from heart attack pain.

People who are having a heart attack experience specific signs before the heart attack itself, whereas most sternum pain starts suddenly. However, anyone who thinks they are having a heart attack should seek immediate medical attention. While sternum pain is not usually serious, there are some causes of sternum pain that require immediate medical attention.