Many people in the population suffer from pain in the region of the sternum, i.e. the breastbone. Since important organs such as the heart and the lungs are located behind this, most people affected are unsettled when they consult a doctor. However, the cause of the pain often lies in the musculoskeletal system.
Causes
The chest muscles start at the sternum. This includes the sternalis muscles themselves (sternalis muscle, not functional and not present in everyone), as well as the small (pectoralis minor) and large pectoral muscles (pectoralis major). Physical strain (sports, work) or incorrect loading can cause tension in these muscles.
An incorrect posture is often caused by the shoulders hanging too far forward. The tense muscles press on the sternum and trigger the pain. A poor posture when sitting or standing can lead to a pinched nerve in the back area.
If an intercostal nerve is affected, i.e. the nerve that runs along the rib, this can cause pain in the sternum area. Certain movements during sports or manual work that are not performed correctly can also cause this. Although the nerve is trapped in the back, the pain signal comes from the end of the nerve at the sternum.
This phenomenon is called projected pain. The Tietze syndrome describes a rare disease in the area of the cartilage-bone border of the ribs and sternum. In medical terminology this is called chondropathy.
Mostly the second and third rib cartilage is affected. The resulting pain in the sternum often occurs very suddenly. No cause for the syndrome has yet been found in Tietze syndrome.
However, inflammatory processes or overstrain are suspected. In addition to the rib cartilage, the injection of the sternum can also be affected in Tietze syndrome. A sternal fracture can occur if the injection is directly exposed to strong force.
This is very painful and is often accompanied by injuries to neighboring structures, such as the ribs. Contrary to layman’s assumptions, sternal fractures occur relatively frequently. As a rule, they do not require further treatment.
Nevertheless, a sternal fracture can have far-reaching consequences. Behind the sternum, the esophagus lies in close proximity. If you suffer from stomach problems and an acidic rupture (heartburn, in the technical term “reflux esophagitis“), the pain caused by the stomach acid can radiate into the esophagus.
Depending on the degree of severity, the radiated pain can also be perceived as sternal pain. Pneumonia can also cause pain in the sternum. However, it is rare that pneumonia only manifests itself through this. In most cases, other symptoms such as general fatigue, fever and cough are also in the foreground.