Pressure on my sternum

jenine · Silver Member Joined: 23 Mar 2001 Posts: 255

My sternum has been cracking for about last 2 years. Pulling my arms back I would try to crack it. Often I feel pressure on my sternum, but for now it has stopped from itself!? When I do some activities or excercises it hurts a bit, so it limits me from doing these exercises and I hate that. Please give me some advise about this. Should I go to see a chiropractor maybe? I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thank you!

melonie · Silver Member Joined: 15 May 2000 Posts: 244

You should see a doctor for sure! The best option would be the doctor who has experience in sports medicine. Generally, any doctor should be able to tell you whats going on.

If you feel the pain which concerned you, that's a good sign to visit the doc.

Take care!

Guest · Guest

After doing research on the internet, I’m quite surprised to see how many people actually have the same problem.
My cracking sternum started about 4 years ago, about 8 months into when I started weight training. I’d get stiffness in my chest and I’d have to stretch to ease it. Made me panic a bit the first time it actually cracked! I’ve been to the doctors several times and been for x-rays and blood tests…. But nothing! They can’t seem to tell me what the problem is. I’ve basically been told to stop doing weights for a while and take painkillers when the pain gets really bad. Sometimes it hurts that much I can feel the pain in my back and I have to sit up straight with my shoulders back.
I’m currently on my 3rd week of not doing weights and yet I’ve not noticed any difference. I actually feel better when I lift weights! I’m trying not to crack it as much but this seems to cause me more pain sometimes. I’m going to the doctors again soon to see if I can get a referral to a physiotherapist, see if they can help in anyway, but I doubt it.

CraigVT · Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 1

It's a vicious cycle. Pressure builds up in your sternum area, you twist and turn while forcing your chest outward, shoulders and arms back, with chin up to try to get it to pop. You turn your head side to side because the neck somehow slightly ties into the pressure in your chest. You are always taking an arm and pushing it against the side of a wall, forcing it back while you push your chest out. The crack you feel from it is addictive. You have to have it. So a doctor tells you not to crack it anymore? Yeah right, that’s not going to happen because it only makes the pressure build more and the pain worse. You don't know what is causing it. Is it a heart murmur? I have had blood tests to rule out heart problem. Although, they say it could have been caused by stress. I do have hypertension with a high pulse rate, even though I am in good shape and am now back in the gym. One thing I CAN tell you, stopping the wait training will NOT help. If anything, it makes it worse. If a doctor tells you this, they are just flat out pulling this out their bums. I honestly think that it is inflamed cartridge in the chest. The cartlidge right in between the rib and the sternum. So how did it get inflamed? My chiropracter seems to think that was caused by stress. Yep, I said it....stress. I'm not a doctor, but none of them know the answer so this is all I have to go on. I was a wrestler in high school and college. I never had any symptoms or injuries. After a couple years of inactivity and gaining a few pounds (not fat by any means), I started to feel this symptom. If I would go out for a night drinking with the buddies, the pressure from the hangover the next morning would make it feel ten times worse. So why not just quit drinking? I tried it. This did not solve the problem either. Sitting at a computer at work will also agitate this. Even though it feels like it is your sternum cracking, it is not your sternum. Your sternum is a solid bone that holds a lot of blood. If it were cracking it would be fractured. It does not feel good to crack a fractured sternum. If feels GREAT when this cracks. It relieves the pressure that will immediately begin to build back up. It is the inflamed cartridge attached right next to the sternum. You can try icing it to minimize the inflamation of the cartlidge and taking 800 milligrams of Advil every 8 hours….the effects of trying to cure this problem will be minimal because as long as you keep cracking it, the inflamation will never go away. It is MUCH easier to say "well stop cracking it" than to actually do it. I have had this symptom going on 4 years now. It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. If anyone out there has a better explanation or has also had this problem and cured it…I would LOVE to hear from you. I just don’t think you exist. Until then, I will continue to live with dull pressure followed by twisting and turning to get a crack that will relieve the pressure temporarily. It’s such a “pain in the chest”!

Guest · Guest

I have that sternum thing too. I have had it for about 5 years. About 2 years ago, I started getting it in my upper back too. It's weird and it's chronic. If anyone knows how to relieve it, please let me know.

Guest · Guest

I've had exactly the same problem for about 5 years, and it seems that the cracking sound is steadily getting deeper, my doctor says that is inflamed cartilage too. Ibuprofen can help but nor for long. One thing I can say, smoking makes it alot worse.

judic630 · Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 1

I also have had problems like this for about 3yrs. and have had every test done from asthma, stress tests, heart tests, nuero exams, and have gone to a chiropractor, and a massage therapist and so on. they have come to a conclusion that I must have fibromyalgia, but, I dont know if they even know I think they just gave up on me. Oh well I now have a new symptom and it just started this week I have had the worst feeling in my neck Im being choked too death and it makes me nauseas sometimes and Im not sleeping either that well. So I guess I should be happy that Im able to still breathe...LOL

manahei · Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1

Has anyone been able to find a solution to this issue? I have had it on and off for a few years. It does seem to be aggravated by stress and exercise. The "popping" I have not experienced in many years. I would hate to think I will spend my whole life with this aggravating pressure around my sternum. I feel a constant need to stretch my rib cage and back to relieve it even though there is no relief. If I find someone that can help me I will post here with the full details.

Guest · Guest

If you have sternum pressure that is relieved when it "pops" like cracking your knuckles why would you ever think it was asthma or a heart problem? Don’t be ridiculous! It is obviously a sternum issue. How would cracking your sternum relieve pain from a heat issue?? Your ribs are fairly flexible and the sternum is the point that connects them all, so it is obvious that any deformation of your ribs (which are rigid bodies) will transfer to their point of connection, the sternum. I do judo and weightlifting both of these activities contribute to the pain, in particular laying down flies, benching, dips, and judo position like the scarf hold. You could also get it from sleeping in an odd way. If it really bothers you stop these kinds of activities and give yourself some time to convalesce, i.e. many months.

Guest · Guest

My sternum has been popping alot also. It feels really good when it pops. It happens most often when I have been still in one positon for a long time. I twist my sternum and it pops in a lot of places. I hope this is not bad for me. I am "sort-of" addicted to it.

Pressure on my sternum

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