The good news is that (other than the pain) it is completely harmless.
The way it always felt to me is like someone wrapped a small wire around something tender in my chest, and if I tried to breathe or straighten my posture, they would yank on it. I’d get it anywhere from a couple times a week to once a month. Then one day in my mid-30s it just stopped.
From what I understand this is relatively common. I was so grateful for the person on reddit who dropped this nugget of wisdom several years ago. It was nice to know I wasn’t dying or whatever.
I had no idea they had a name!
I’ve had it as long as I can remember, though not very often. It would only be a few times a year I’d say…
For me, the way to deal with this was to raise my arms above my head in a stretch. Made it stop every time.
Thought I was having a heart attack the first couple of times it happened.
As an adult, I still have them from time to time, but not anywhere as frequently, though still without any warning.
mine was sleeping on my back lying still, it alleviates it. also it was triggered by doing certain exercises, but that seems to help alleviate eventually. one time it lasted alot longer than usual
Same! Instead of raising my arms, I basically just take a very deep breath and try to expand my thorax as much as possible. Works quite well for me.
Ahh, this is fun. Every time I’m like “Is this it? Is this the one?”
But no, it never is.
until it is
And your body has been crying wolf for so long that you just ignore it
That’s the spirit! Got to stay positive.
Gotta have something to look forward to!
But no, it never is.
Yet
I’ve always heard it referred to as “wind pain”
Thanks ! Didn’t know that was harmless. And people call me mad…
Oh, good, I’m not dying.
Yet.
are you fucking kidding me
Oh yeah that happens to me since I’m a kid. I was told it was harmless but never had source.
Yep, always fix by slowly breathing in as soon as I feel resistance I stop and hold my breath for a bit then try to add more air to my lungs. Eventually it would go away.
I was sure the image was of buttcheeks and hanging dong
Wtf! I literally had this happen to me right before I scroll down to this post.
a first timer! how do you like it? that “pop” sensation?
Nah not the first time tbh, just never cared enough to look into it xD.
I was kind of hoping it was terminal so I never told anyone
Yeah man, I’ve had this shit since I was a kid. Doctors never told me about this, couldn’t ever figure it out.
I don’t really get these anymore like I used to, but man they suck. As an adult it might hit me once a year and I’ll just be like oh yeah forgot about this. It’s just this crazy sharp pain in your chest, you can’t take deep breaths, just gotta pause and breathe shallowly till it passes.
My favorite time was when I was climbing a ladder up a roof, like really? Now?
Oh hey… I used to get those all the time as a kid!
Eventually I worked out that it could be made to instantly go away if I stopped breathing and just stretched my shoulders back and twisted in the same direction that the cramp was on
It always felt like a stabby, stabby muscle twinge right under my rib bones.
I think we call this a “stitch” in the UK
Nah, a stitch is side cramp when doing exercise
Oh nice post. I totally have this.
Treatment: Reasurance
Its okay. You’re not dying. Calm down.
The pain is agitated by expansion and contraction of the chest. Taking a deep breath and allowing the rib cage to fully expand can relieve the pain, however it will feel unpleasant initially. At the point of full expansion, it can feel like a rubber band snap in the chest, after which the initial pain subsides.
Oh I gotta try this.
Yeah, this is how I used to deal with it. You just eat that stabbing pain for a few seconds and then it’s gone.
I haven’t had this in probably 15 or more years at this point, which seems to be consistent with the syndrome itself being most common in young adults, teens, and children.
At the point of full expansion, it can feel like a rubber band snap in the chest,
🤮
I often struggle with arythmia, angina, and palpitations, with up to several seconds between beats sometimes, and this sounds horrific. I’d rather double my heart problems than trade them for this
I can also sometimes get it to snap by putting my left foream against a doorframe and twisting my torso rightward to stretch my chest. I’ve always thought it was “popping my sternum” but it only works/is necessary on the left side
Make sure to keep going until you feel and hear the snap.
I’m gonna need the tire inflator
