Meidcal question, sort of..

So about eight years ago I picked up a heavy box and all of the sudden on my left side it felt like it was on fire and I couldn’t breath. The pain was bad. I figured I must have tore or pulled a muscle, so i took some advils and over the next 3 days it went away.

But over the past years about twice a year I will do something and the same thing happens. It’s like my chest is constricted, and I cant move my right arm up and out without pain. I take a few advils and a day or so later its gone.

I have lived with it figuring it was just a muscle thing (yeah, im an idiot) but this year my wife and I had our first child, and with all the lifting and carrying the problem comes back way more often. Except now I can start to feel it happening, its like a little tingle behind my right shoulder blade and my chest gets a little tight, but I can sit up straight, pull my shoulders back and my breastbone “cracks” and it goes away.

I had a physical two weeks ago (everything is fine, heart, lungs, blood work, all good) and I finally asked my doc about it. he sent me for a chest xray to start (on monday) but thinks it wont probably see anything he just wants to start there.

I looked around on WebMD for a cause, but couldnt find anything. As soon as you type in “chest” there you get 14 pages of heart attack stuff.

Anyway, I was hoping someone around here might have had the same thing happen, or is happening to them now, or some ideas. Any help?

Dob. Sorry to close this. But we discourage specific medical question threads that pertain to a personal problem

I’m glad you’re under a doctor’s care.

samclem GQ moderator, who at age 62 had a similar experience recently. Sharp pain in upper chest last two years, when stretching at odd angles. Figured it was a blocked artery. Life of debauchery, eating what I wanted, drinking what I could.

Went for my first general physical in a long time, to my shame. Doc sent me for chest xray and stress test. Results–no problem.

That’s not to say you don’t have a problem, but I hope not.