clicking sounds in chest!!!

[Stephie1982]

hi - i'm a 22yr old female and i just wondered if anyone out there has any idea to why i get (which i can only describe as..) clicking noises when i take a deep breath. It doesnt happen all the time, but when it does its very uncomfortable - i've had it now for about 7yrs, and it has got worse as i've aged. I did go to the docs when it started years ago, an got sent for xray but everything seemed fine, and the doc couldnt tell me why - so i got discharged and carried on with it, but it has got worse - and the clicking noises louder!! anyone know what this is?? - Thank you - Steph

[willtme]

Sorry Steph that you have had to deal with this inconvenience.  I have had the same problem over the last year, though I have seen a reduction of my symptoms.  One possibile cause of your symptoms is tietze syndrome a.k.a. costochondritis.  It is an inflammation of the costochondral cartilage next to the sternum.  Most cases are of unknown cause.  But, known causes are irritation due to direct trauma, aggressive exercise that caused a strain, or a prior upper respiratory tract infection with cough that caused repeated stretching and strain at the costochondral junction. It is also possible that you have a structural abnormality resulting from trauma.  

You should be re-evaluated by a physician since it has been a few years as you mentioned.

[Stephie1982]

hi willtme..
Thank you so much for your suggestions - sorry that you delt with the same thing, but its good to hear that its reducing!
I cant remember ever having a trauma that may have caused this, and I dont do any excessive training - i'll make an app this week with the doc's and i'll keep you posted... Thank you again xxx

[ChrisBristol]

Hi,

I have been having probles with my sternum area for the last year. It often starts when I have been lying on my side or if I am supporting my upper body on one arm. After a while if I move I will feel a pain in the sternum, this can be quite uncomfortable. If I move my arms together or bend forward this will get worse, however sometimes if I bend backwards and spread my arms wide and up into the air I will hear and feel a click or series of clicks from my sternum.

After these clicks the discomfort is usually relieved, but I have noticed that over time the incidence of these episodes is increacing, and I find the clicking less easy to achieve.

My theory is I have poorly cartelage connections between the ribs and sternum, if I apply stress to these joints by applying pressure to my ribcage from the side (by supporting my weight on one side of my upper body) these joints allow the sternum to move out of place and hence cause discomfort. Opening these joints by stretching allows them to jump back into place and hence the clicking and pain relief.

Does anyone have a similar experience or alternative theory?

[jake1987]

hi, so i decided to research 'chest clicking'  and this website came up! and haha, i read stephie1982's comment :)  
it just so happens that i have the same exact problem. except mine clicks every time i take a deep breath whether or not im uncomfortable..  i went to the doctor and got xrays as well, and they didnt know what it was!  

so i guess i was just curious.. do you know if this is a serious thing? or...can it go away on its own?  i would love to know.  thank you:)

jake

[TIM ALEN_2]

I have this simmilar experience too just as these guys giving their situtations on the net, my problem is I get irritated often  times I hear clicking deep within my chest whenever I take a deep breath this comes sometimes with what they call a heart burn and it annoys me a lot in the past 3 years. I got a check up; X-rays and ECG'S and the result was  normal, the doctors diagnose it with an atypical heart block but my second reading was normal. so what is this?, any help from the experts PLEASE???

JOHN 22yrs old.

[mattsmart]

Hi
I to have pretty much exactly the same problem as ChrisBristol, only the pain that causes the click comes from being slouched or bending the upper body forward. when straightening up I feel a constricting pain which is relived by spreading my arms wide and back, pushing chest forward untill I hear a crack which must be the cartilage/ sterum popping back into postion?
sometimes I wake in the night /early moring with the pain, but then cannot crack my chect to relive it, this can be very uncomfortable/ distressing, as the pain can last for hours untill i have to put myself into a postion which would normally cause the pain, in order to then relive the stuck sternum!!!
Nightmare!!
I have not managed to find anything to stop my chest clicking, although I do take glucosamine/chondroitine supplements and 2 asprin every morning for the last month. Ill keep the thread posted if I notice any changes!
My doctor said I'd have to live with it, I dont agree!!
I've never had any accidents are distress to the area, and i've had this condition for around 2 years
thanks

Matt ( 26yrs)

[dali_butterfly]

I get the same sternum clicking but mine usually comes after some strenuous exercise. I also sometimes feel something like pressure in my chest. I went and saw a doctor and he said that it's just an inflammation of the chest bones. He told me to apply a cold pack for 5 minutes followed by a heat pack for 5 minutes (repeat a few times). He also told me to take anti inflammatory medicine like Ibuprophen. I took the pills but I haven't tried the heat-cold thing yet. It does feel better when I take the pills.

[mattsmart]

hi dali_butterfly

I too have read about hot and cold packs, but whenever an painful episode occures, its often not convinient to try this method!
I may try ibuprofen as a friend uses it for athuritis, and says its helps?

good luck

[190574]

I know the feeling. I feel an uncomfortable feeling in my chest everyday. It activates anxieity attacks. I take a death breath constantly and it my rib cage clicks. I went to see my doctor, and he said it is loose muscles and that they need to be tighted. When you do that, it will keep the bones attached. But, I also have poor posture which doesnt help the situation at all. I have also been told to go see a chyroptractor to staighten my back. So, I hope this info can help. Just remember, allot of the time when you feel the sharpness, it is the nerves and muscles being pinched between the ribs and sternum and can cause your heart to think of heart attack. It happened to me after work today and it was scary

[mattsmart]

your condition sounds slightly different to mine but still similar. My posture / sitting postion is what causes the sterum to get out of position, not exercise. I usually have to click a few times a day?
I saw a chiropractor who practised a Mctimony method, it didint really do much although at the time you could feel a general improvemrnt in posture?
My doctor also mentioned building up my muscles around the chest are to better support the sternum and ribs.
If you get soreness around the center of the sternum after a crack etc.........I find disolvable asprin help. although I dont think daily drugs hold the key, I think its a physiological problem which like your doctor said may require muscle work?

[mcheads]

My boyfriend and I,both coincedently, get the chest clicking sensation. I thought it was only me. Its a scary feeling which is relieved when a deep painful breathe is taken. We have put our chest clicking pain down to anxiety, however this is not medically proven its just a personal diagnostic. Good to know there are others out there

[mattsmart]

hi mcheads
is it brought on randomly, or when you feel stressed? diagnosis differs between people?

[babydaddy]

So, I seem to have the same problem.  An intense pain in my chest, popping etc.  I spoke to a friend of mine who is a nurse, she said it is likely to be a rib dislocation. Not really dangerous unless it rubs upon your lung, but not really any fun either.  She said to ace bandage the area to keep the particular rib from popping out and to try and sleep in different positions, not do the activities that cause the ribs to pop.  Hope this helps some.  Stephen

[MommyA]

I have the same problem and have been getting really bad anxiety attacks. It happens if I lay on my left side a certain way or if I'm slouching. I had an x-ray last year and they didn't find anything. I have to have another one now. I am worried because I had parotid gland cancer and it can show up again in my chest. My doctor said I'm not considered cured yet and wants to make sure nothing is there. I have also been put on medicine for my anxiety attacks. I really thought this could be cancer since I had never heard of this happening. Thanks to these posts I feel a little better. Thanks.

[brianuk]

I have exactly the same as chrisbristol and mattsmart.

Normally after sleeping on my side, with my shoulders pushing in at the front, i wake up with the tight chest/sternum, and have to lean right back with arms outstretched to achieve the clicking.

recently the clicking has become less effective, and the uncomfortableness remains, which is frustrating.

I do think it is down to bad posture, I am considering trying pilates to improve this.

Just a thought, but I have quite a slim tall build, but wide shoulders. This is why when I sleep I think the compressing effect is exaggerated. Could people posting after me put down their build and posture, and perhaps we will see some similarities?

[sbcomprof]

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[ddan]

So glad I found this forum. I've been experiencing a popping / clicking / snapping sensation in the center lower area between my ribs (after looking at a diagram of the ribs I'd say it would be near the xiphoid). It's particularly bad when I lay on my right side. It feels like one rib is getting caught under the other and "clicking" or "snapping" when I breathe. There's no audible sound (meaning, it's not like when someone cracks a knuckle), it's just a sensation.

I've actually had this for years and never thought much of it because it was primarily when I was lying down and I would just reposition my body and it would go away. But recently I'm noticing that it's getting progressively more frequent and occasionally feel the sensation when I'm standing up or sitting here typing at my computer. It's not so much painful as it is an irritating and uncomfortable sensation.

Is this the kind of thing you all can relate to?

[dmaidwell]

i get the exact same thing and it causes me too have anxiety attacks that i find hard to control...its because i have this clicking sound and when im stressed i notice it happens more but it is only if i breath insounds like a deeper sound of someone cracking their knuckles...i hate it so much because it makes me think that there is something more sinister wrong with me..the doctors just say "oh its just a thing you have to deal with and the pain you can take ibruprofen" but i dont want to live like it and want to have the problem sorted so i can go on living..without having worries in the back of my head!

[rych01]

I get the same occasional click in my chest mainly when i have been laying down for a long period of time like when i wake up in the morning.  It only been happening the past year.

What people have said about loose muscles around the joints sounds promising at least in my case.  I used to work out at the gym a lot with heavy weights and as a result gained a lot of strength and tone.  Unfortunately I had to give up the gym due to time constraints at work and a few months later my clicking chest started.  In fact my shoulder, back, elbow, knees, ankles and chest all started to click.  It was quite scary - I felt like I was falling to bits!!

Anyway I have been back at the gym now for about 2 months, lifting heavy weights and guess what... little by little the clicks have stopped.  Only my chest clicking remains but it is less frequent.

Im not saying that everybody should start throwing masses of iron around their living rooms but strengthening up their joints, ligaments and  tendons through regular weight bearing exercise may help as it has me! :)

[Nicie297]

I have been having the same problem as you, especially when I wake up in the morning, but sometimes when I have been working infront of the PC for a long period of time. Previous posts have mensioned poor posture but I make it a point to keep mine good. Every individual differs though.

Thank you for sharing your experiance as I am going to increase streangthening my chest area using weights in my excercise routine. I'm pleased to hear that your "clicking joints" are going improving and hope your theory works for me too, as well as others looking for advise.

[putange]

I have had a 'clicking' chest for about 5 years now.  I went to my doctor, who said it was nothing, but it is a very scary thing to experience suddenly.  I quit smoking shortly after it started, and the clicks went away.  After a year of not smoking or clicking, i started smoking again.  Sure enough the clicking came back.  Can anybody else relate it to smoking??

[stedro]

i've had clicking of my chest and sometimes its quite painful when i breathe. Also the pain seems to be worse when i bend  over leaning forward.

I started to incorperate dumbell pullovers (stiff arm)at the end of every work out when i trained chest, making sure i get a nice stretch on each rep, and this has helped alot that i no longer get pain on breathing.

[Suri123]

Hi stedro, how are you doing? Hope you are doing well and the chest pain has come down. I feel you might be probably having Costochondritis which is is an "inflammation of the junctions where the upper ribs join with the cartilage that holds them to the breastbone or sternum. The condition causes localized chest pain that you can reproduce by pushing on the cartilage in the front of your ribcage. Costochondritis is a relatively harmless condition and usually goes away without treatment". To know more, go through this link - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/costochondritis/article_em.htm Rest and anti-inflammatory analgesics are helpful and it recovers in a weeks time normally. If still persisting, do call your doctor. Take care.

[Suri123]

Hi stedro, how are you? Hope you are better now with the decreased chest pain. Have you got evaluated by an ortho doctor? Avoid doing sternous exercise and heavy lifting. Heat therapy and stretches should be helpful. In most cases, it goes off with rime. Gentle massage with breathing exercises will also help. Pain gel and drug releives pain temporarily. Keep updating on your progress and share your thoughts. Take care.

[Grahamrob]

Im a 17 year old male, i work out alot and i find when im doing a chest exercise if i push to hard, my chest cracks really loudly, its not painfull but wandered if it was anything to be concerned about? should i get it checked out?

[Stefan123]

I am a 20 year old male and for 2 years I have experienced this somewhat clicking sound in my chest after stretching. It doesnt happen always and is typically like clicking your nuckles in you hand after working for a while at the computer or just during sports. I have played rugby in my younger age and have never broken any bones. The doctor throughout my life has provided very positive results on my general health and bones being strong. I dont think it is to do with weak cartilage?? anybody have any ideas?

[Mat2]

HI, i am also a 20 year old male with a similar problem, I fell realy hard snowboarding onto a hand rail and it hit right at the bottom of my rib cage on the right side, it hurt like hell at the time but went away after 5 minutes and i kept snowboarding. I forgot about what happend and then i think about 3-7 days after i was sitting at my computer and stood up and herd/felt a click on the right side. I pushed on it and i could repeat the click each time and actualy feal something popping out from under the rib cage, it had no pain at all so i ignored it for a month. after that month i noticed it had swelled up quite a bit and it started to hurt, i was freaking out. Randomly it would go back to being a very small click almost unoticeable, and then all of a sudden i dont know if i was straining or something but it would swell up again, hurt to the touch in a weird way and then a dull ache after. Eventualy the pain was radiating to my back around the same level. I was getting panick attacks at night trying to sleep not knowing what was going on with me. Went to the doctor he felt around and said it seemed fine, i told him i think its my liver because i was realy tripping out on this problem. Had an ultrasound everything was OK. Then it prety much completly went away for about a month and i was even working and lifting heavy things. I stoped working for about 2 weeks. Then i helped someone move alot of heavy rocks and about 3-4 days after it came back. Swollen, and when i mean swollen i mean i was able to lie on my left side and it would pop out and i could use my hand to push it in a out, and it had a tender ache. I let it rest up and now it seems to not be swollen in the front rib cage but my spine has started to crack alot in one spot like its not aligned or something, and its giving me intense back pain through the muscles along the spine. Im going to see a chiropractor and a doctor soon. Do you think this could be something with torn cartilage/or just a messed up rib thats throwing my whole body off?????? i dont even know anymore its verrrrrry frustrating

[derc72]

i have had clicking or a crackling sound in my chest for years now and still undiagnosed, it is scary, but i am very fit , i dont smoke or drink alchohol excessively, so it gets depressing, i have no other symptoms, i hear it when things get quiet, but it gets worse when i lie down, my dad died of lung cancer , so it is a worry, the sound it makes is like an old boat rocking on the sea!,  i dont hear it as much if im standing up, any ideas how to rid myself of this problem, my GP doesnt seem to care.

[jackalost]

i have been havin these sounds for a year but now i found a magical ixir that i can suggest u all   apple vinegar.....that is the best thing u can heal.... use it two spoon wit a glass of water in the morning and evening after meals.... and u will get well like me  in 2 weeks...  i hope everyone will heal soon.. bye all

[alisonr]

I have the same thing as brian, chris and matt.. I think it's down to bad posturing/sleeping style..  I'm also finding it harder lately to remedy the discomfiture by stretching back and clicking. Oh well.. i'm glad its a dislocated sternum and not the onset of a heart attack (the first article I came across regarding the 'clicking' -___-)

If I had to guess I'd say resorting to the chest click isn't the most advisable thing if this is the first time it happens to you..  i didn't always have a clicky chest... and never had the feeling like i could tense my chest as i can now (female btw) which is probably caused by the clicking.. which probably isn't necessary.. its very tempting to click.. but in the end.. the clicking can't save you.. i'd try a light stretch instead.. cheerio

[brianmm]

i also have this clicking noise in my chest when i breath, im 26 now and have had it for 7 years,
at first when i noticed it when id breath i her a clicking noise every so often true out my regular day ,
at first it was only one click and as the years went on so did the amount of clicks now a days if i breath really deeply il get 4 clicks easily
it used to be only 3 but im sure it will even out at 4 most of the time its just one big click followed by 2 or 3 small clicks ,
i never known what to put it down to i guessed it was smoking coz i am a heavy smoker,
i figured it might be tar involved there somewhere i dont know
im planing on quiting the tobaco so il know then whether smoking had contributed to it
when i told my doctor years ago he said nothing much about it
and told me not to worry
its good to know i am not the only one out there with this clicking chest thing ,
we should start a fan club and call our selves the clickers club LOL

[jezra]

My 11 year old was laying in bed and said he heard his ribs pop. He had taken a deep breath and sure enough I heard it. He kept taking deep breaths and told me he could also feel it. I put my hand over his lower right rib cage and could feel that, "click" or "pop" each time he had taken a deep breath. Is that the same as what you all are feeling? I have not read where you can hear and feel the pop.

Anyway, I am taking him to the doctor in the am but any advise for this is much appreciated. He is athletic and plays basketball and football but he has never taken a bad fall or been hit that hard. He has never complained after any game that he was hurt though he did say this has been happening for about a month and it was tender when I touched the area.

[INPAIN999]

MY CHEST HAS BEEN CLICKING FOR A FEW YEARS NOW I AM 30 YEATS OLD DRINK AND SMOKE OCCASSIONALLY UED TO DO A LOT OF SPORTS AND SEE MYSELF AS A RELATIVELY FIT MAN FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT A DESK, MAYBE THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY CHEST CLICKIN . LAS NIGHT I WAS UP ON THE COMP UNTIL 4AM TOWARD THE END OF THE SESSION I YAWNED AND STRETCHED AND LOW AND BEHOLD THERE WAS A MASSIVA CLICK THE  BIGGEST I'VE EVER HAD AND AFTR THAT THE PAIN IN MY CHEST CONTINUED I COULDNT SLEEP PROPERLY AND IT HURTS WHEN I MOVE. I WOKE THIS MORNING AND STILL HAVE THE PAIN. IF IT HASNT GONE TOMORROW IM GONNA GO DOCTORS CAUSE THIS AINT RIGHT.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? IT CANT JUST BE FROM BAD POSTURE BECAUSE I HAVE RELATIVELY GOOD POSTURE COMPAIRED TO OTHERS.

[ahnuld]

@rych01, who wrote: "I used to work out at the gym a lot with heavy weights and as a result gained a lot of strength and tone.  Unfortunately I had to give up the gym due to time constraints at work and a few months later my clicking chest started.  In fact my shoulder, back, elbow, knees, ankles and chest all started to click.  It was quite scary - I felt like I was falling to bits!!
Anyway I have been back at the gym now for about 2 months, lifting heavy weights and guess what... little by little the clicks have stopped.  Only my chest clicking remains but it is less frequent.
Im not saying that everybody should start throwing masses of iron around their living rooms but strengthening up their joints, ligaments and  tendons through regular weight bearing exercise may help as it has me! :)"

...Same with me :-(
But I disagree with you, since tendons can't really be trained like muscles (they take seven times longer to stretch!), and to me it sounds like you strengthened your muscles while weakening the rest with the heavy training!
(As to the reasons, possibly you started using heavy weights and stuff like forced reps too early?)
Sounds like you might depend on tensing your muscles from now on to make up for the damage...


@stedro, who wrote:
"I started to incorperate dumbell pullovers (stiff arm)at the end of every work out when i trained chest, making sure i get a nice stretch on each rep, and this has helped alot that i no longer get pain on breathing."

Sure, pullovers can expand the chest, but they do this for exactly the same reason that some people experience chest/ sternum clicking in a negative way: loosening up the cartilage. For me, my first set of pullovers was also the first time I had a really loud "pop" sound from my sternum, and ever since then it has been more prone than before to the sort of shifting around and clicking when lying on my sides or my elbows which most people here describe.
But maybe, if your body has generally good connective tissue and good regeneration capability and if you do the exercise with good symmetry and the right amount of weight, it's really a way of stretching, not hurting?
So, one thing may be either the cause or the cure in this case, perhaps depending on body type and how carefully one exercises?

[xandrani]

I also get sternum popping / clicking.  Mine seemed to start after a blunt impact trauma to my chest... although as ever doctor's never find anything (are they really educated I wonder!?).

Anyway I have found that swimming 'breast stroke' helps open up my chest and after this I don't have problems for up to 24-48 hours after.  I think somehow this expanding and contracting of my chest while swimming must help everything move back in to an equilibrium state.

Swimming could also help anxiety (unless you're scared of water ;-)).

Note that the high incidence of panic attacks / anxiety mentioned seems to suggest non-diaphragmatic breathing (i.e. you are breathing in the upper chest instead, which you shouldn't really).  Breathing high up in the chest rather than the diaphragm will put unnecessary stress on your upper rib cage and connective tissue which over time could possible damage (although probably temporarily) these areas.

So learning to breathe from the diaphragm should help relieve the clicking AND the anxiety.  Yoga or a physiotherapist specialised in breathing properly should help you here.

I also agree that good posture will also reduce strain on this area of the body.

Obviously some people will have more pronounced physiological problems like a fractured rub etc, but I reckon most people just have the problems I mentioned above.

I hope this helps some people.

[kaela]

i have the same clicking ( especially when i reach diagonally up and back) or bend my upper body down , i believe i got this through years of yoga , doing the push ups, probably the wrongway ... i have pain by the sternum on the right sid e.. i tried not exercising , and ibuprofen , i bleive it ets better , but the second i exercise again it comes back .. i can;t stop exercising, it is just annoying!!    i don;t think the doctor would help , anyne have luck with acupuncture ..i'm scared of chiropractures  .. im very fit .. it looks like there is really no answers .. just ibuprofenor aspirin, hot and cold packs .. it does;t prevent me from normal life activities and most excercise , just the push ups really .. but i love y oga , so it ain;t too fun ...

[stev01]

ive also had similar clicking sensations for 18 months now,and after reading all of your postings its nice to know im not going insane.my clicks happen if im sat down and take a deep breath or yawn.im 37 and otherwise reasonably healthy.has anyone found out the true cause?

[Niknak999]

Hey I'm a 32yr old woman and have been experiencing pains in my sternum too.  It almost feels like my ribs are slightly misaligned and something is out of place.  They are only relieved by pushing my arms back or bending sideways until I hear an audible 'click' which gives a brief shooting pain in the middle of my chest then it goes away for a bit.  I was putting up with them because they were infrequent episodes but lately they have been happening frequently, at least once a day, and as some others have said on here it is becoming more difficult to find the right position to 'unclick'  the sensation and it hurts for longer after.  In fact this morning as I got out of bed just the act of sitting up cause a 'click' when i wasn't expecting it!  I have trouble with my hip joints too and the doctor just said I had a weak hip muscle on one side.  Exercise has helped my hip but its hard to think what exercise would help the ribs!!  I'm slim with wide shoulders, maybe there is a link as someone suggested!!  If anyone comes up with an exercise to relieve this please post on here!!!  I'm sure its weak muscles allowing the ribs to move too much or something like that.....

[lemondrops]

My situation is the same as yours mattsmart.  Mine occurs on the left side of my chest close to my clavicle.  Years ago I would wake up and stretch and it would pop.  Now it won't pop and it's stuck and it's driving me insane.  I also have pain in my left shoulder blade as well and the sides and front of my neck are tense.  I mostly sleep on my right side with my left shoulder coming forward towards the bed.  I think this has a lot to do with it.  Especially worse I think when I'm stressed out.  I just have this constant urge to pop it.  I can move my shoulder up and my chest out and it just clicks.  And like someone else said it causes anxiety and frustration which I'm sure doesn't help.

[prvnkumark]

Hi, i too have the same prob as you guys have i have tried all they took x-ray,scanning,bloodtest,urinetest. and lot of teset they took and told i am normal . I approached Homeopathy he gave some med and asked me to do some streaching excerise. I was feeling good in starting then latter i haven found much releif. I tried physiotherapy he told there is no problem at all just do sm streaching excerise. I am doing streching exs i am feeling better some days.
things which makes me feel good
!)good sleep.
2)after swimming.
3)after taking ibrupen.
4)and afcourse after clicking i feel bit releived.
I dont knwo what is the solution . But sure we can live this for our life time. Please guys keep updating. I will also if i find anything curing.

Regards,
Praveen