What You Need to Know About Your Sternum. Your sternum is a bone that’s located in the middle of your chest. It’s also sometimes referred to as the breastbone.

The xiphoid process is a tiny bone structure located at the center of the chest, just below the lower part of the sternum. At birth, the xiphoid process is formed from cartilage that eventually develops into bone.

Costochondritis is the most common cause 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.

Sternum pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles and bones near the sternum and not the sternum itself. Pain felt just behind or below the sternum is called substernal pain and is sometimes caused by gastrointestinal problems. Some of the most common causes of sternum and substernal pain are: costochondritis.

Gallstones What they feel like: A sharp pain in your upper middle abdomen that moves to your right side, under your rib cage. The pain can worsen after eating. Fix it: If the pain doesn’t go away in a few hours or you’re running a fever or vomiting, go to the doctor.

Both the liver and the stomach are located in the lower chest region under the thoracic diaphragm, a sheet of muscle at the bottom of the rib cage that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.

Causes of costochondritis 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.

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.

Costochondritis most commonly affects the upper ribs on the left-hand side of your body. Pain is often worst where the rib cartilage attaches to the breastbone (sternum), but it can also occur where the cartilage attaches to the rib.

They include:

1. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs pain relievers. Ask your doctor about using ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others).
2. Heat or ice. Try placing hot compresses or a heating pad on the painful area several times a day.
3. Rest.

Call 911 or the local emergency number, or go to your local emergency room right away if you have chest pain. The pain of costochondritis can be similar to the pain of a heart attack. If you have already been diagnosed with costochondritis, call your provider if you have any of the following symptoms: Trouble breathing.

Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause hypertrophic costochondral junctions in children (“rachitic rosaries”) and sternal pain with adults diagnosed with osteomalacia. We propose that vitamin D deficiency may be related to the chest pain associated with costochondritis.

Most people describe the pain as sharp, achy, and pressure-like. It usually gets worse if you breathe deeply or move your upper body. When you press on your chest, it feels tender and painful.

What does costochondritis feel like? Most commonly, you will have pain near your breastbone where it connects to the ribs. It is usually sharp and may feel like pressure. It can get worse when you take a deep breath or cough.

With this condition, people commonly report stinging, gnawing, or sharp areas of pain on the front of their chest. 7 The pain is reproduced when a doctor presses on them. A few autoimmune conditions may cause pain in the perceived lung area.

Costochondritis symptoms Typically, it is sharp and stabbing in nature and can be quite severe. The pain is worse with movement, exertion and deep breathing. Pressure over the affected area also causes sharp pain. Some people may feel an aching pain.

Costochondritis Although the pain is typically felt on the left side of your chest, it may also occur on the right side. Other symptoms include pain in your back and abdomen and pain that worsens when you cough or take a deep breath.

The criteria for a 10 percent disability rating for costochondritis have been met. 38 U.S.C.A. § 1155 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. §§4.7, 4.40, 4.56, 4.73, Diagnostic Code 5321 (2002).

Although there is no confirmed link between anxiety or stress and costochondritis, these emotional states may be to blame for other underlying causes of chest pain. People who have panic disorder often report shortness of breath and chest pain as symptoms.

Some doctors refer to costochondritis as Tietze’s syndrome. Most of the time, those who have costochondritis don’t have an attributed cause to their condition, although research tells us that poor posture is often to blame. The chest consists of the portion of the trunk located between the abdomen and the neck.

The inflammation may have been brought on by a blow to the chest, lifting heavy objects, intense exercise, or an illness that made you cough and sneeze a lot. It often occurs during times of emotional stress. It can be painful, but it’s not dangerous.

The chest pain associated with costochondritis is a common symptom of fibromyalgia. With fibromyalgia, you may experience soreness in your chest in addition to: pain throughout your body.

The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist. Fatigue.

Everyone with fibromyalgia may experience one or more of the following symptoms: persistent pain in several areas of the body, such as the hips, thighs, neck, and back. dizziness. chronic fatigue, even after a good night’s sleep.

No lab test or imaging scan can detect fibromyalgia. Your healthcare provider may use these tests to help rule out other possible causes of your chronic pain. Fibromyalgia can be hard for healthcare providers to distinguish from autoimmune diseases because the symptoms often overlap.

Closely related to chronic pain, fibromyalgia can make your entire body feel stiff and sore. You may find your body’s range of motion to be severely restricted. Feeling a little stiff in the morning is normal: fibromyalgia is when that stiffness does not go away for hours, even while you are up and moving.

The 18 tender points for fibromyalgia include:

• Lower neck in front.
• Edge of upper breast.
• Arm near the elbow.
• Knee.
• Base of the skull in the back of the head.
• Hip bone.
• Upper outer buttock.
• Back of the neck.

Migraines, tension headaches, and autoimmune disorders like psoriasis can all cause the scalp to become inflamed, irritated, and painful. Sunburns, rashes, wounds, and insect bites also commonly cause scalp tenderness.