Injured after chest workout

[Saylor23]

If anyone can give me some Incite on this I would greatly appreciate it. Ok now, I'm 22 I'm active and I lift weights and workout. One day I got on the bench press I stretched before but not long. I went to bench 225 I got it 5 times and when I got up from the bench I was very light headed and felt a pressure on my chest. The pressure lasted for a week... Then when it healed my sternum gets really sore depending on how I sit..I can't lift heavy any more and when I lift now (lighly) I'll feel my chest tighten up and I'll get lightheaded...I took 3 months off before trying again and it's still like this. After lifting (lightly) with any chest exercise I breath in deep and when i exhale it sounds kinda llike something's in my airway. I've had heart tests (echo, ekg, stress test, all was normal) and I had a chest X-ray it showed normal. Idk what to do. I also get pains under my left breast area the come and last about few seconds off and on its a moderate stabbing/pinching feeling could this be nerve damage from the chest? Should I get an MRI if I could ? It ***** I can't workout or feel normal anymore. Please help with any info I have no insurance or any help.

[Saylor23]

Thanks that may be it, I've not had an MRI so they've not been able to see the soft tissue. It is a real pain to deal with whatever it may be..the pain can shoot anywhere from the left side od the breast near the sternum to almost under my armpit. Thanks for the input it's appreciated!

[NOHARD]

Hi Saylor, It sounds like you may have torn your muscle away from your sternum, as this will give you the pain that your getting, had a friend do that it took him ages before things got back to normal, you may be looking at a 6 month break from any chest workouts, but its a real bugger to get right again, the simple way would be to get a cortisone injections, as this will help heat it back in place, but as you have no insurance thats a real bugger being a yank, in the UK its would be free.
Good Luck