What could cause long term chest pain?

[AGoodCupOfTea]

I’ve had chest pain since January this year. I’ve been GP quite a few times and she’s been very dismissive. I did eventually have an MRI done for my neck as they all assumed that it was disc related, my discs look good so no problem there.

The other day I was doing a breast check and pressed down on what I thought was a lump but I think may have been my rib, this triggered a lot of pain in my chest that wrapped over my shoulder and around into my back.

I was in horrific pain yesterday, burning sensations throughout my chest going into my breast and up into my arm.

My pectoral muscle feels tight going into my armpit, feels very achy and tender to touch.

I’m at a loss at the moment as my doctor isn’t being very forthcoming. I don’t think I could get an appointment for a couple of weeks.

I don’t know why I’m posting really I know people can’t diagnose over mumsnet, I’m just feeling very depressed and helpless about it all, it’s been a long time and thought it would of cleared up by now.

I had something similar and it turned out to be a pulled muscle, and I had it for months! Try not to worry but I would make another trip to your GP just to make sure xxx

I had a bad fright when I got a similar pain when I was pregnant. It turned out I had ripped a muscle across/around my rib cage.
Still have no idea how I had done it but it was really painful.

Could you have pulled a muscle and some activity is making it worse. Rather brilliantly I found hoovering aggravated mine so I couldn't do that for aaaages

costochondritis maybe? Very painful when I have a flare up

I'm not a doctor and chest pain may require a trip to A&E, so I'm not suggesting you shouldn't do that as anything serious should be ruled out. Have you rung NHS Direct?
There are of course lots of benign causes of chest pain (costochondritis, muscle strain, indigestion etc). Have you had your vitamin d levels tested?

Thanks for all the replies.

The doctor I saw didn’t want to test me for anything and felt strongly that it was muscular.

I was hoping that it was just something simple like costochondiritis, but I think I’ve gotten myself into a state now and reassuring myself isn’t enough.
The pain is every single day, it feels better with rest so usually first thing in the morning my chest feels pretty normal.

I get a lot of tightening and pulling where the chest muscle attaches to the arm, like a pinching sensation.
My chest is referring pain into my breast giving me burning sensations, weird aches and pains... the pain feels deep like I’ve been kicked in the chest by a horse! It’s persistent with the odd sharp pain here and there.

I tried pressing on the cartilage joints near my sternum to see if it was costochondritis and to be honest it’s a bit tender, the pain is mostly under my breast and to the side of it near my armpit.

I haven’t rang NHS direct, I thought they’d probably laugh at me if I told them I’ve had it for 8 months... hardly going to be a heart problem after 8 months surely.

Tietze syndrome?
Costochondritis
Possibly angina or abdominal aortic aneurysm (both somewhat unlikely with what you've described)
Something purely muscular

Tietze's syndrome, rather
(Sort of like costochondritis but not the same, usually one area affected)

Rare though
Otherwise look out for any other nerve involvement like hand or arm tingling maybe it's some impingement going on higher up

Could be lots of stuff, most isn't critical but chest pain always needs checking.
Book another appt with your Gp. Tell her you're really suffering with the pain. If she starts to brush you off be firm:

"It may well be xxx. However, the pain is really bad and it's impacting my life. I need to know what's causing it so it can be treated. Obviously if it's muscular and not healing after 8 months it's unlikely to get better without treatment. I would like you to tell me how we are going to go forward with this - further tests? Physio? Doing nothing isn't an option, something is causing it and it's likely something that can be fixed.
I'm also aware that cardiac pain doesn't present in women like men. Can you just reassure me and tell me WHY you are sure its not that??"

leghoul I had numbness in my fingers and still get it now that’s what made them think it was disc related but MRI shows nothing of the sort.

I think my chest is tightening up across my armpit region and causing the problem in my arm and fingers.

Anatidae I’ve had physio, I’ve seen two actually who both thought it was a trapped nerve but it’s not. I really don’t think physio is going to help me anymore, I tried doing yoga for a few months to help stretch the area... it may have helped as it had calmed down when I decided to stop taking the amitriptyline the GP prescribed. And then three weeks later this happens...

I’m off to see a private GP tomorrow, my GP are really holding back on referrals and blood tests, I can only assume that cut backs have led them to be this way.

I have tried other drugs as well, naproxen, codeine etc Amitriptyline is the only one that works.

I thought I’d just quickly update - I had an MRI done today on my chest, just to rule out anything and everything I suppose. But doctor thinks it’s Fibromyalgia... and looking at the list of symptoms, many of which I’ve had the pleasure of enduring, I would say he might be accurate.

Just waiting for the results first though before a treatment plan is put in place.
I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere with this horrible persistent pain!