Sternum Pain: What Is It?

Pain in your sternum, or breastbone, may be caused by a number of things, including inflammation, a joint or collarbone injury, and acid reflux. Pain in your sternum may also happen with a heart attack, but this is more likely if you’re over the age of 40 and have heart disease.

Your sternum, or breastbone, connects the two sides of your rib cage together. It sits in front of many major organs located in your chest and gut, including your heart, lungs, and stomach. As a result, many conditions that don’t necessarily have anything to do with your sternum may cause pain in your sternum and the surrounding area.

Your first reaction to chest pain, especially severe or consistent chest pain, may be to think it’s a heart attack. But in many cases, chest pain has nothing to do with your heart. This is especially true if you’re under age 40 and don’t have any serious health issues or existing conditions.

Sternum pain is actually more likely caused by conditions that have to do with your muscles, your bones, or your digestive tract than with your heart or the sternum itself.

Keep reading to learn the most common reasons for sternum pain and when you should see your doctor.

The most common cause of sternum pain is a condition called costochondritis. This occurs when the cartilage that connects your ribs to your sternum becomes inflamed.

Symptoms of costochondritis include:

• sharp pains or aches on the side of your sternum area
• pain or discomfort in one or more ribs
• pain or discomfort that gets worse when you cough or breathe in deeply

Costochondritis doesn’t always have a specific cause, but it’s most often a result of a chest injury, strain from physical activity, or joint conditions like osteoarthritis. Costochondritis isn’t a serious condition and shouldn’t cause you to be concerned.

See your doctor if the pain persists or if you have other symptoms that might indicate a more serious underlying condition.

Conditions or injuries to the muscles and bones around your sternum can also cause sternum pain.

This includes:

• joint injury
• collarbone (clavicle) injury
• fractures
• hernias
• surgery on the sternum (such as open heart surgery)

These aren’t the only musculoskeletal conditions that may make your sternum hurt, but they’re among the most common.

Sternoclavicular joint injury

The sternoclavicular joint (SC joint) connects the top of your sternum with your collarbone (clavicle). Injury to this joint can cause pain and discomfort in your sternum and in the area in your upper chest where this joint exists.

Common symptoms of injury to this joint include:

• feeling mild pain or having aching and swelling around your upper chest and collarbone area
• hearing pops or clicks in the joint area
• feeling stiff around the joint or not being able to fully move your shoulder

Collarbone trauma

The collarbone is directly connected to your sternum, so injuries, dislocation, fractures, or other trauma to the collarbone can affect the sternum.

Common symptoms of collarbone trauma include:

• bruises or bumps around area of collarbone injury
• intense pain when you try to move your arm upwards
• swelling or tenderness around collarbone area
• pops, clicks, or grinding noises when you lift your arm
• abnormal frontward sagging of your shoulder

Sternum fracture

Fracturing your sternum can cause a lot of pain, because your sternum is involved in many of your upper body movements. This type of injury is often caused by blunt force injuries to your chest. Examples of this include your seat belt tightening in a car accident or your chest getting hit while you’re playing sports or doing other high-impact physical activity.

Common symptoms include:

• pain when you breathe in or cough
• difficulty breathing
• pops, clicks, or grinding noises when you move your arms
• swelling and tenderness over the sternum

Muscle strain or hernia

Pulling or straining a muscle in your chest can cause pain around your sternum.

Common symptoms of a pulled muscle include:

• pain around the pulled muscle
• discomfort when using the affected muscle
• bruising or tenderness around the affected muscle

A hernia can also cause sternum pain. A hernia happens when an organ is pushed or pulled from the area where it normally sits into a nearby part of the body.

The most common kind is a hiatal hernia. This happens when your stomach moves up past your diaphragm into your chest cavity.

Common symptoms of a hiatal hernia include:

• frequent burping
• heartburn
• having trouble swallowing
• feeling like you ate too much
• throwing up blood
• having black-colored stool

Check out: Muscle strain treatment »

Your sternum sits right in front of several major digestive organs. Conditions that affect your esophagus, stomach, and intestines can all cause sternum pain. Having heartburn or acid reflux after a meal are the most common gastrointestinal causes for sternum pain.

Heartburn

Heartburn happens when acid from your stomach leaks into your esophagus and causes chest pain. It’s common to get right after you eat. Pain usually gets worse when you lie down or bend forward.

Heartburn usually goes away without treatment after a short time.

Check out: Post-meal tips to ease heartburn »

Acid reflux

Acid reflux is similar to heartburn, but happens when stomach acid or even what’s in your stomach starts to bother or wear away the lining of your esophagus. It can be part of a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Symptoms of acid reflux include:

• burning in your chest
• abnormal bitter taste in your mouth
• difficulty swallowing
• coughing
• throat soreness or hoarseness
• feeling like you have a lump in your throat

Learn more: How to prevent acid reflux and heartburn »

Conditions that affect your lungs, windpipe (trachea), and other parts of your body that help you breathe can cause sternum pain.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy happens when your pleura gets inflamed. The pleura is made up of tissue within your chest cavity and around your lungs. In some cases, fluid can build up around this tissue. This is called pleural effusion.

Common symptoms include:

• sharp pain when you breathe in, sneeze, or cough
• feeling like you can’t get enough air
• an abnormal cough
• fever (in rare cases)

Bronchitis

Bronchitis happens when the bronchial tubes that bring air into your lungs become inflamed. It often happens when you get the flu or a cold.

Bronchitis pain can also make your sternum hurt as you breathe in and out. It can last only briefly (acute bronchitis) or become a long-term condition (chronic bronchitis) due to smoking or infections.

Common bronchitis symptoms include:

• persistent wet cough that causes you to spit up mucus
• wheezing
• difficulty breathing
• pain or discomfort in your chest

Flu or cold symptoms that can go along with bronchitis include:

• high fever
• exhaustion
• runny nose
• diarrhea
• vomiting

Check out: 7 home remedies for bronchitis »

Pneumonia

Pneumonia happens when your lungs get infected by a virus or bacteria.

Common symptoms of pneumonia include:

• difficulty breathing
• high fever
• persistent cough

Other conditions that affect your gastrointestinal tract or your chest muscles can cause sternum pain.

Stomach ulcer

A stomach ulcer (peptic ulcer) happens when you get a sore on the lining of your stomach or at the bottom of your esophagus.

Symptoms of a stomach ulcer include:

• stomach pain, especially on an empty stomach, that responds to antacids
• feeling bloated
• nausea
• lack of appetite

Panic attack

A panic attack happens when you suddenly feel fear, as if something dangerous or threatening is happening, with no actual reason to be afraid. It’s often a result of stress or a symptom of mental health conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder or depression.

Symptoms of a panic attack include:

• feeling like something bad is about to happen
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• having trouble breathing or swallowing
• sweating
• feeling alternately hot and cold
• stomach cramps
• chest pain

Check out: 11 ways to stop a panic attack »

Sternum pain can sometimes be the result of a heart attack. This is much less likely if you’re under age 40 or are in overall good health. They’re more likely to happen if you’re over 40 and have an existing condition, such as heart disease.

A heart attack is life-threatening. You should go to the emergency room right away if you have any symptoms besides sternum pain that may indicate a heart attack, especially if they appear without any obvious cause or if you’ve had a heart attack before.

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• chest pain in the middle or left side of your chest
• pain or discomfort in your upper body, including your arms, shoulder, and jaw
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• having trouble breathing
• sweating
• nausea

The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely that you’re having a heart attack.

See your doctor right away if you have heart attack symptoms or symptoms that cause you sharp, consistent pain that gets in the way of your daily life.

You should also see your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• sternum and general chest pain that has no obvious cause
• sweating, dizziness, or nausea with no specific cause
• trouble breathing
• pain that spreads from your chest throughout your upper body
• chest tightness

If you’re experiencing other symptoms and they last for more than a few days, talk to your doctor.

You can find a primary care doctor near you through the Healthline FindCare tool.

Your next steps depend on what condition might be causing your sternum pain and how severe the condition is.

You may just need to take over-the-counter pain medication or change your diet. But you may need long-term treatment if the underlying condition is more serious. In some cases, you may need surgery to treat a heart or gastrointestinal condition.

Once your doctor diagnoses the cause, they can develop a treatment plan that can help relieve the symptoms and causes of your sternum pain.

Causes, treatment, and when to seek help

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
• Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process.

Was this helpful?

Pain under the left breast can have a range of causes from digestion to heart conditions. Home remedies may be enough to treat some conditions, but others require medical attention.

There are some organs in the upper left region of the body that could be the source of the pain. These include the stomach, heart, lungs, ribs, colon, pancreas, and spleen.

Doctors often group the most common causes of pain under the left breast into two main categories: digestive and heart-related.

This article looks at the different causes of pain under the left breast, their symptoms, and the treatment options available.

Share on PinterestThe pain of a heart attack tends to occur in the center of the chest.

As the heart is situated slightly to the left of the midline in the upper body, pain under the left breast can sometimes indicate a heart problem.

According to the American Heart Association, when pain does occur during a heart attack, it commonly happens in the center of the chest, lasts longer than a few minutes, and can return after fading.

Heart attack pain can cause a very strong, uncomfortable, crushing pressure or squeezing sensation, or it may feel like very bad heartburn. Some people may not experience any or only mild chest pain; this is more common in women, older people, and those with diabetes.

Other symptoms include:

• profuse sweating
• nausea or vomiting
• shortness of breath
• heavy, weak shoulders or arms
• severe pain traveling to the arm, jaw, neck, back, and elsewhere in the body
• dizziness
• a strong sense of anxiety or impending doom

Treatment

If someone suspects a heart attack, they should call an ambulance immediately. While waiting, they should rest, and if they are not intolerant to aspirin, they should take an adult-dose tablet (300 milligrams) to help thin the blood.

Further treatment options will depend on when symptoms started and how soon the person having the attack can access the first stage of care.

If the cause of the attack is found to be a blocked coronary artery, the doctor may recommend a procedure called an angioplasty to open a blocked or severely narrowed coronary artery with a balloon and possibly place a stent.

1. Angina

When the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen in the coronary artery blood supply, the resulting pain under the left breast or in the center of the chest is known as angina.

Associated symptoms include an uncomfortable feeling in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina pain can also feel like indigestion, and a person may also experience sweating, light-headedness, nausea, or shortness of breath.

Treatment

Angina is a possible symptom of severe underlying heart disease, so anyone experiencing symptoms of angina should seek medical attention immediately. A doctor may prescribe medication, such as beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, statins, or aspirin.

2. Pericarditis

The heart is surrounded and protected by a thin, layered, fluid-filled membrane called the pericardium. It can become inflamed due to infection or a disorder where the body’s immune system attacks itself.

Symptoms of acute pericarditis include:

• sharp, stabbing pain under the left breast or in the chest
• pain in one or both shoulders
• pain worsening when taking a deep breath or lying down on the back
• feeling hot, sweaty, feverish, light-headed, and short of breath

Treatment

Immediate treatment for pericarditis may include an OTC anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen and rest until feverish symptoms decrease. If a person experiences severe pain, a doctor may prescribe a steroid, such as prednisone.

If the condition is severe, the person may need to say in the hospital for monitoring.

Ibuprofen is available for purchase online.

Prevention

While acute pericarditis typically cannot be prevented, getting treated quickly and following a prescribed treatment plan will reduce the chance of the acute pericarditis recurring or becoming a long-term condition.

3. Gastritis

When the stomach’s lining becomes inflamed, this is known as gastritis. Not everyone will experience symptoms, but a sharp, stabbing or burning pain under the left breast is a potential clue that gastritis may be present.

The pain can also be accompanied by heartburn, feeling sick, vomiting, and bloating.

Treatment

For mild symptoms, changing the diet and lifestyle can ease pain under the left breast. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as antacids, can help reduce stomach acid.

Home remedy options include:

• reducing alcohol intake
• eating smaller portions more often, as opposed to one big meal
• cutting out dairy, spicy, fried, or acidic foods, and caffeinated drinks
• cutting down or giving up tobacco smoking
• reducing high intake of OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• eating foods high in fiber and plant nutrients

If the pain is caused by or related to the presence of the bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics and medicine that reduces the production of stomach acid.

4. Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis has symptoms that include:

• sudden, severe pain under the left breast and in the upper center part of the abdomen
• nausea and vomiting
• rapid pulse
• fever

Chronic pancreatitis, where the condition worsens over time, has symptoms including:

• frequent or prolonged episodes of pain under the left breast that can spread to the back
• nausea and vomiting
• oily, pale-looking stools
• diarrhea

Treatment

Treatment for chronic pancreatitis ranges from pain management, using increasing strengths of medication, to surgery if pain under the left breast is still severe.

For acute pancreatitis, immediate treatment includes:

• intravenous fluids to aid in hydration and ensure the body’s other organs have good blood flow
• no eating for 24-48 hours, then following a high-calorie diet to support healing
• giving intravenous pain medication or antinausea medication

5.

Heartburn

Share on PinterestHeartburn may cause a pain under the left breast.

When stomach acid travels back up the food pipe, it causes a burning sensation in the mid-chest and throat, and sometimes pain under the left breast. Heartburn can be a symptom of indigestion and stomach acid issues.

Symptoms include:

• a tight, burning sensation in the upper chest or throat that sometimes travels under the left breast and the jaw
• a bitter taste in the mouth
• pain under the left breast or in the chest while lying down or just after eating

Treatment

Self-help treatment options for mild heartburn include not eating big meals, not lying down to sleep right after eating, and raising one’s pillow, so the head is higher than the waist when sleeping. This may help prevent stomach acid from traveling up the food pipe.

OTC medications such as antacids are a first medical option to try and are available for purchase online.

6. Pleurisy

The lungs are surrounded by a layered membrane called the pleura. If the pleura surrounding the left lung become inflamed due to infection or another cause, the resulting pain will develop under the left breast.

More severe causes of pleurisy include rheumatoid arthritis and lung cancer.

The most common symptom of pleurisy is a sharp chest pain when taking a deep breath, but it can also be accompanied by:

• pain in the shoulder
• a dry cough
• shortness of breath

The pain can get worse when the person walks around, coughs, or sneezes.

Treatment

Rest is highly recommended. Lying on the side of the pain can help relieve pain symptoms.

If a person experiences particularly severe chest pain, they should seek immediate treatment from a doctor, who may prescribe NSAIDs or other pain-relieving medication.

A doctor may also carry out further tests, such as blood tests, a chest X-ray, a chest CT scan. They may also take a small sample of pleural lung tissue for biopsy.

Pleurisy caused by a viral infection often gets better after a few days, but a bacterial infection will require antibiotic therapy.

Prevention

The best way to prevent severe cases of pleurisy is early intervention.

7. Spleen

The spleen can cause pain under the left breast if it is enlarged or if it bursts following an injury.

Symptoms of an enlarged spleen include:

• tenderness and pain under the left breast
• feeling uncomfortable when eating even just a small meal
• anemia and extreme tiredness
• bleeding easily

A burst spleen typically will cause:

• pain under the left breast or ribs, and tenderness when touched
• bleeding
• dizziness and fast heart rate

Treatment

If a person suspects a burst spleen, they should go immediately to the emergency room. Bleeding can be life-threatening if left untreated.

A doctor will check for an enlarged spleen by feeling the abdomen and may recommend further testing through blood testing or imaging, such as an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI scan.

Underlying conditions, such as chronic liver disease and subsequent cirrhosis, can affect and interact with the spleen.

A doctor will prescribe medication when medical therapy is possible to treat splenic or liver disease. Surgery is only required if underlying causes cannot be diagnosed clearly, or if complications arise from the enlarged or damaged organ.

Prevention

People should aim to keep the spleen safe when playing sport by wearing protective sporting equipment. Always wearing the seatbelt when in the car is also advised.

As cirrhosis can be caused by excessive or long-term high alcohol intake, cutting down is recommended.

8. During pregnancy

Share on PinterestAs the uterus grows it may cause pain under the left breast.

Soreness and pain experienced under the left breast during pregnancy are often caused by pressure from the top of the uterus as it grows, or if the baby is kicking or punching the expectant mother. The pain can be worse when leaning forward.

Muscles and other tissues will stretch as the baby grows, and this can also cause pain under the breasts.

The expectant mother’s body is changing during pregnancy, and the internal organs will be pushed and moved as the baby grows. The mother’s body chemistry may also change, and other causes of pain under the left breast during pregnancy can include:

• heartburn with stomach acid reflux
• the rib cage changing position to allow space for the baby in the abdomen

Some conditions can be treated at home with rest and OTC medication, but people should seek medical attention straight away if:

• the chest is injured
• the pain under the left breast is unexpected
• symptoms of pain and tightness do not get better with rest
• shortness of breath, feeling sick, or profuse sweating accompanies the pain

Pain under the left breast is often frightening to experience. As there are several organs in this area of the body, the earlier the cause of the pain can be diagnosed, the more likely that treatment and recovery will be successful.

A heart attack is not the most common reason for pain under the left breast, but it is always better to have the symptoms checked out, especially if other symptoms of a heart attack are present.

Many causes of pain under the left breast can be prevented through making changes to several everyday lifestyle choices. Following a healthful diet, getting regular exercise, lowering or cutting out tobacco smoking, reducing alcohol intake, keeping weight down, and reducing stress can all help.

Read the article in Spanish

Middle chest pain: possible causes, treatment

Doctors call the phenomenon when a person has pain in the chest in the middle, thoracalgia. There can be a lot of reasons for the appearance of pain syndrome, from the most harmless to quite serious pathologies. In order not to miss an important “alarm bell” from your body, it is best to contact a neurologist , who will examine you and determine why your chest began to hurt.

Middle chest pain: causes

There can be many reasons why pain appeared in the middle of the chest, so it is worth considering the intensity of the pain syndrome, its frequency and the specific localization of pain. By doing this, it will be possible to narrow the search for pathology leading to unpleasant sensations.

Heart pathologies

Pain in the chest is often associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, the heart. If you feel thoracic all the time, this may indicate an aortic aneurysm. In this case, the pain in the left or right side of the chest is felt for a long time, and it will become stronger every time the person moves from rest to physical activity. The condition is treated exclusively surgically, so hospitalization will be required to confirm this diagnosis. Pain in the center of the chest in front can also appear if a pulmonary embolism develops. The pain syndrome becomes stronger on inspiration, and taking analgesics allows you to suppress it. Compressive pain may indicate that a person has angina pectoris, and pain can also be a symptom of myocardial infarction.

Respiratory damage

If there is pain in the front in the center of the chest, and at the same time you feel interruptions in breathing, you cannot breathe deeply, cough and shortness of breath appear, the problem may be the occurrence of pulmonary diseases, which include tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy and some others. The same symptoms can occur with diseases of the diaphragm.

Injuries

Pain in front of the chest, in the middle, or between the ribs may occur in a person who has survived an accident, has been involved in a fight, or has damaged chest structures from a fall or blow. Such pains intensify when he tries to turn around, bend down, take a deep breath, and are explained by the fact that blood vessels rupture, the periosteum is damaged, cracks and fractures form. In such a situation, at rest, the pain syndrome can disappear almost completely, which gives a person a false confidence that there is no need to consult a doctor.

Diseases of the spine

The most common reason why the chest hurts in the middle is osteochondrosis, if we talk about the pathologies of the spinal column. Pain in osteochondrosis can be constant or manifest in the form of seizures. The pain will be the same in intensity and manifestation with radiculopathy in the thoracic spine. Also, pain syndrome can indicate an intervertebral hernia and congenital anomalies in the structure of the spinal column.

Neurological diseases

Causes of pain in the chest in the middle can be neuralgic in nature. The most common diagnosis in this case is intercostal neuralgia, in which it is very painful in the sternum, it radiates to the back under the shoulder blade, which makes it easy for a person to confuse pain with heart pain.

Esophageal problems

Pain in the shoulder blades and in the middle of the chest may be associated with pathologies of the esophagus. The reason in this case is, as a rule, a spasm, which manifests itself more often in the morning or after eating. Pain in the chest area is relieved by taking antispasmodic drugs. Often spasms of the esophagus are accompanied by spasm of the muscular walls of the stomach.

How to relieve pain. First Aid

Often a person who has pain in the middle of the chest does not know what to do in such a situation. Some people are in so much pain that they faint. At the same time, a strong fright is observed, the pulse rate increases, the skin turns pale. The first thing to do if suddenly a person has severe pain in the sternum, internal organs and spine:

Also, if a person has pain in the middle of the chest, it is best to ask everyone present to leave the room and ensure complete rest for the patient until the ambulance arrives.

Diagnostics

The first thing the doctor will do is to interview and examine the patient, which will narrow the search for pathology by concomitant symptoms. After that, various diagnostic procedures can be prescribed to determine the cause of the pain syndrome. 9 may be useful0003 magnetic resonance or computed tomography , x-ray , ultrasound , blood tests, etc. This will determine why there are pains in the middle of the chest that radiate to the back, upper limbs or ribs.

Which doctor to contact

If you are able to visit the clinic on your own, you can make an appointment with the general practitioner . He will determine the approximate cause of the pain syndrome and the direction of further search, as well as give you directions for diagnostic procedures and, if necessary, to specialized specialists. In the event that there is a sharp pain in the chest in the middle, it is difficult and difficult to move, it is impossible to get out of bed without pain, call an ambulance. After the examination at home, the specialist will provide first aid and determine whether you need to be taken to the hospital.

You can make an appointment with specialists online , as well as by phone 8 (812) 901-03-03.

“Extra-cardiac” causes of chest pain

“Extra-cardiac” causes of chest pain – Polyclinic News

Regular site version

Font size

a-na+

Spacing

a-na+

Color scheme

AAA

Images

b/w hide

application for admission

Leave your details and our administrator will contact you during business hours
to clarify the details

Your phone *

E-mail

Desired appointment date *

Convenient appointment time *

08:00 – 09:0009:00 – 10:0010:00 – 11:0011:00 – 12:0012:00 – 13:0013:00 – 14:0014:00 – 15:0015 :00 – 16:0016:00 – 17:0017:00 – 18:0018:00 – 19:0019:00 – 20:00

Which specialist *

Message

Consent to the processing of personal data *

January 22, 2021

If there is chest pain, the first thing we suspect is that it hurts the heart. However, not only the heart muscle is located in the chest. Other organs can also signal problems with chest pains.

1. Intercostal neuralgia – irritation or inflammation of the intercostal nerves. Such pain is most often mistaken for a heartache. This is a sharp or shooting pain, aggravated by any movement and tension of the chest, for example, sneezing, coughing. Most often, this is how osteochondrosis manifests itself – degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine.
2. Bone pain is similar to neurological and muscle pain. It is caused by trauma, tumors or inflammatory lesions in the bones.
3. Diseases of the bronchi, lungs are manifested by pain in the chest. Pain on the one hand, become stronger when inhaling, during movement. An additional symptom of pulmonary diseases is a cough.
4. Inflammation of the trachea causes sore pain in the middle of the chest. Characteristic cough.
5. Diseases of the esophagus and stomach can also be manifested by pain and burning behind the sternum and in the region of the heart.