“Chest pain syndrome” is inclusive of symptoms that may be caused by acute myocardial ischemia and includes such diverse complaints as chest pain, chest pressure,… Chest pain: What every physician needs to know. Brief substernal pain resulting from myocardial ischemia, commonly provoked by physical activity or emotional stress, is a common and significant symptom of coronary heart disease. Dynamic ultrasound scan performed at a specialist sports center revealed pseudoarthrosis of the manubriosternal joint (MSJ). Retrosternal chest pain can be a symptom of a condition causing a benign (noncancerous) or malignant ... Substernal thyroid/goiter. Other symptoms include bruising of the joints, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, or fullness around the neck. You already know that clogged coronary arteries, heart rhythm disorders and muscle strains can cause substernal chest pain, but there are causes you have no idea about. Details: Sternal fractures most commonly result from blunt, anterior chest-wall trauma, and deceleration injuries, with a reported incidence of 3% to 6.8% in motor vehicle collisions. Patients with angina, especially unstable or severe angina, are at increased risk for arrhythmias, MI, and sudden death. The evaluation and management of the patient with chest pain syndrome is a diagnostic challenge to all who practice emergency medicine. Internal injuries: Very rarely, if the sternal injury is severe internal injuries can lead to sinister symptoms of severe breathlessness and even collapse due to blood building up around the heart (tamponade) or bruising (contusions) of the heart itself. Athletic injuries, falls, and assaults are the frequent causes of the remaining cases. Patients with non-cardiac chest pain also may have heartburn or a bitter taste in the mouth due to stomach fluid “coming up.” In some patients, non-cardiac chest pain occurs after eating. I. Rarely, a thyroid will grow downward into the chest. If you experience chest pain, call 911 right away because you may be having a heart attack. For some patients, non-cardiac chest pain is associated with stress, anxiety, or depression. A 31-year-old male amateur bodybuilder presented with a 2-year history of chronic pain over the sternum and a clicking sensation in the chest wall on movement. Ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no cause for his symptoms. Do people with non-cardiac chest pain have other symptoms? Injury to this joint can cause mild pain or swell in the upper chest area. Diagnosis requires an ultrasound scan of the heart or chest … Fever is another common symptom of acute pericarditis. The sternoclavicular joint is the main joint of the upper body, which connects the clavicle to the top of the sternum. Symptoms. Chest pain linked to costochondritis usually comes on after exercise, minor trauma, or an upper respiratory infection. Other symptoms are weakness, trouble breathing, coughing and palpitations, which are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast. Pain in your chest when swallowing food or drink can be alarming. The pain associated with costochondritis usually: Occurs on the left side of your breastbone; Is sharp, aching or pressure-like; Affects more than one rib; Worsens when you take a deep breath or cough; When to see a doctor. Maybe you also already know that the following can cause substernal chest pain: • Pneumonia and bronchitis • Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in a lung) Costochondritis Symptoms.