I'm only 25

[Jill822]

I am a 25 yr old female.....The last 6-8 months I have been experiencing a burning sensation in my left breast, sharp pains in my right breast. Sometimes my sternum will hurt when i sneeze or move a certain way. I've been to the E.R. numerous times. They've done EKG's, blood work, xrays of the chest, and a cat scan of the chest finding nothing. The only previous health problems is a hyperthyroid disorder which I currently am taking a beta blocker for. I also get pains in both my left and right arms and hands, the left side being more severe than the right. I also get some  pain in my neck and back which feels like a burning sensation. I am deathly afraid that this could be related to my heart. Any ideas?

[kenkeith]

Your doctor has your medical history, test results, etc. and it appears the stress test is to rule out any occluded vessels that are causing chest pains.  It does appear you have a condition that is very hard to diagnose, but trust your doctor to get to the underlying cause.  You have an interesting case, keep us informed.  Good luck.

[Jill822]

Ive not had an endoscopy done or any of the pulmonary functions tested. I had a chest xray in the E.R. does that count? I also take a beta blocker for a hyperthyroid i dont know if I already stated that or not. I also had my gallbladder removed a few years back. I have an appointment with a physician on monday and I believe she is going to give me a stress test at that time. im so nervous that about this due to the fact that Im so young, I desperately dont want to be sick

[kenkeith]

Chest pain is oftened very difficult to analyze for underlying causes. First the protocol would be to rule out any life threatening causes. Apparently, this has been done. Once a life-threatening problem is ruled out, most emergency room doctors will make a presumptive diagnosis (i.e., “This is probably what’s causing your pain,”) and refer you to your own physician for follow-up evaluation and treatment.  Have you had perfusion test (ct scan, cath or stress test for vessel blockage...that would be the appropriate for chest pains related to the heart.

Non heart related chest pain can be endoscopy of your GI tract, or pulmonary (lung) function tests. Has that been done?  Has the medication (nitro) bee prescribed and does that relieve the symptoms.

There can be what is medically termed "referred pain" and the underlying cause can be pain from the abdomen that  is caused by irration of the diaphragm by the gall-bladder, liver, ...

After ruling out more serious cardiac problems, other causes of rib cage pain can include osteoporosis, costochondritis (inflammation in the cartilages where the ribs join the breastbone) or pleurisy (swelling of the linings of the lung).