What is that sharp pain we sometimes feel in our chest?

We’ve all felt a piercing stab in the chest at least once. From time to time, it is associated with shortness of breath and can even spread to the back and arms. Despite lasting a few seconds, the nuisance and painful sensation are enough to make the person very distressed. Despite being a very common situation in children and adolescents, we rarely stop to try to understand what this twinge really means.

Today the incredible.club brings the explanation that doctors give for this uncomfortable sensation.

This is the official name of this sharp stitch that scares many people because it seems to indicate that the person is about to suffer a more serious heart problem. This situation is also known as Texidor’s Torsion. It is a pain in the thoracic region that occurs in the front of the heart (that is why it is called precordial: pre = before, cordial = heart). In general, it affects children and young people, but it can also manifest in adults.

It is an acute pain, as if a needle were entering the chest, and can appear at rest or even after a moderate exercise session.

Although the sensation is very uncomfortable and is close to the heart, it does not indicate that there is a problem with that organ. What happens is that the pleura (the membrane that covers some organs, such as the diaphragm) presses or touches — and therefore irritates — the nerves that are close to the ribcage. That’s why pain can start in the rib area even at rest.

As precordial capture syndrome is more common in children and adolescents, it is very common for parents to rush to the hospital the first few times, anxious that their children may have a heart problem. The inexplicable pain in the region of the heart makes the family go to the pediatrician thinking that it could be the sign of a heart attack. In this sense, the physician’s main challenge is to analyze the patient’s symptoms and history to rule out any heart problem, or even any other issue that requires more complex treatment.

Although very uncomfortable, precordial catch syndrome is not a medical emergency. It is important for the person to breathe deeply so that the pain passes more quickly. However, some people may feel sick from the effort of hyperventilating. In any case, it is recommended to change positions; that is, if you are hunched over, stretch your body and lengthen your back. An area massage can also help. As pain usually arises without an apparent cause (it can appear at rest or after some exercise), it is not possible to prevent it.

If the pain is unrelated to another problem, such as bronchitis or asthma, there is no reason to be concerned. Precordial capture syndrome usually disappears by itself when the young person turns about 20 years old. It does not require treatment, although some doctors recommend anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to ease the discomfort. However, if the pain appears very often, if the person is diagnosed with a heart problem or if the discomfort is accompanied by other symptoms, it is essential to consult a doctor.

This twinge in the chest is usually cause for concern because there are other manifestations of malaise that also present the same type of pain. Some have a physical cause and others are just psychosomatic. It is important for a doctor to say what the case is. There are some events that include pain in the heart region, including: foreign body in the airways, hepatitis, aerophagia (air swallowing), accidental ingestion of caustic liquids, bronchitis, pneumonia or asthma. On the other hand, pain can also be part of psychosomatic symptoms of panic attack, hyperventilation syndrome, anxiety and/or depression.

In any case, it is very important to go to the doctor if you are concerned. No internet diagnosis can replace a thorough evaluation performed by a professional.

Have you ever felt a twinge in your chest like the one we described above? Do you know of any other strategies that help ease the discomfort? Share in the comments.