The sternum represents the bony center of the frontal thorax. The ribs from both sides of the body converge in the so-called sternum. The rib ends are connected to the sternum by cartilaginous connections. Pain in the sternum can have different causes.
Sternum pain-center, left, right
Initially, localized pain may occur at the actual bone, but there may also be a cause of pain behind the sternum, which then radiates towards the sternum. The second is usually more dangerous because there can be numerous organic and also life-threatening causes behind it. If it comes to breastbone pain in the area of the center (sternum center), left or right, and if the cause is to be looked for rather in the range of the bone, muscular spannings are usually to be blamed for the fact that the concerning feels the breastbone pain.
Since there are numerous and strong muscle bellies between the ribs, which start at the sternum, these can lead to strong pain radiating into the sternum when they cramp. This is also known as intercostal neuropathy. The article Physiotherapy for Breast Pain may also be of interest to you.
Muscular Cause Bruise Another important cause of sternal pain is bruising. Especially after car accidents with drivers wearing their seat belts, a bruise of the sternum often occurs. Usually without hematoma formation, very prolonged pain for the affected person can occur.
During the examination, the doctor will always apply manual pressure to the sternum. If the pain can be provoked by this, it is mostly not organic but muscular causes. In addition to the accidents, there are also often slight bruises that patients often do not remember.
They bump into a door or wall cupboard and then only register the onset of pain, sometimes even a few days later. Here, diagnosis is difficult, since trauma is not remembered. If a bruise is suspected, an x-ray should always be taken to see if it is a fracture of the sternum.
After open-heart heart surgery, the sternum is cut through to operate on the heart. Here too, pain in the area of the sternum occurs days to weeks later. Organic cause In addition to the bony or muscular causes of sternum pain, an organic cause must always be ruled out.
Very important are heart diseases, such as an acute heart attack or an acute narrowing of the coronary arteries. These lead to pulling pain radiating into the sternum and to very strong pressure. As a rule, the symptoms are more severe under stress than at rest, often accompanied by shortness of breath.
Patients with such a cause usually do not come to the practice any more but are so severely impaired in their general condition that an emergency doctor must be called. A pulmonary embolism can also trigger chest pain. Here, too, there is usually a strong, breath-dependent pain radiation and patients often complain of severe shortness of breath.
Also organic are esophagitis. The esophagus runs directly behind the sternum. In the case of severe heartburn, either chronic or acute, inflammation in this area occurs, which can also lead to radiation into the middle, right or left sternum.
Contusion Organic cause In addition to the bony or muscular causes of sternal pain, it is important to always rule out an organic cause. Very important are heart diseases, such as acute heart attack or acute narrowing of the coronary arteries. These lead to pulling pain radiating into the sternum and to very strong pressure.
As a rule, the symptoms are more severe under stress than at rest, often accompanied by shortness of breath. Patients with such a cause usually do not come to the practice any more but are so severely impaired in their general condition that an emergency doctor must be called. A pulmonary embolism can also trigger chest pain.
Here, too, there is usually a strong, breath-dependent pain radiation and patients often complain of severe shortness of breath. Also organic are esophagitis. The esophagus runs directly behind the sternum.
In the case of severe heartburn, either chronic or acute, inflammation in this area occurs, which can also lead to radiation into the middle, right or left sternum. Organic cause
- Often such complaints occur when the person concerned is tense or embarrassed.Even after extensive muscle and weight training, small hardenings and strains occur in the muscular area between the ribs. These hardenings lead to nerve irritations, which can then radiate into the sternum.
People who are mentally very tense or who work regularly with computer screens can also experience chronic tension in these muscle areas, which can lead to sternum pain.
- The main criterion for diagnosis is pain that can be triggered by movement in the chest. The doctor will ask the person concerned to stretch and rotate in the upper body. If the pain can be triggered by this, this indicates a muscular cause.
Depending on which muscle areas are affected, not only does the pain occur in the middle of the sternum but also on the right or left side. It is important to note that muscular causes never cause shortness of breath or pressure on the chest.
- Another important cause of sternal pain is bruising. Especially after car accidents with drivers wearing their seat belts, the sternum is often bruised.
Usually without hematoma formation, very protracted pain can be caused for the person affected. During the examination, the doctor will always apply manual pressure to the sternum. If the pain can be provoked by this, it is mostly not organic but muscular causes.
- In addition to the accidents, there are often slight bruises that patients often do not remember.
They bump into a door or wall cupboard and then only register the onset of pain, sometimes even a few days later. Here, diagnosis is difficult, since trauma is not remembered. If a bruise is suspected, an x-ray should always be taken to see if it is a fracture of the sternum.
After open-heart heart surgery, the sternum is cut through to operate on the heart. Here too, pain in the area of the sternum occurs days to weeks later.
- In addition to the bony or muscular causes of sternum pain, it is always important to rule out an organic cause. Very important are heart diseases, such as acute heart attack or acute narrowing of the coronary arteries.
These lead to pulling pain radiating into the sternum and to very strong pressure. As a rule, the symptoms are more severe under stress than at rest, often accompanied by shortness of breath. Patients with such a cause usually do not come to the practice any more but are so severely impaired in their general condition that an emergency doctor must be called.
A pulmonary embolism can also trigger chest pain. Here, too, there is usually a strong, breath-dependent radiation of pain and patients often complain of severe shortness of breath. Also organic are esophagitis. The esophagus runs directly behind the sternum. In the case of severe heartburn, either chronic or acute, inflammation in this area occurs, which can also lead to radiation into the middle, right or left sternum.
