discomfort behind my xiphoid

update...so glad I had this removed, still a little sore around the incision but have not needed any pain pills and my chest pain is gone. I can now lean forward without discomfort.

Hej gp1967 i'm so glad your surgery went well...i have the same problem with my xiphoid for the past 6 months,i have injured it at work,went to doctor 3 times,did x-rays twice,some other tests too but they are saying that is perfectly normal and that some people have their xiphoid enlarged and pointed out,as for the pain in the chest and sometimes in the back doctor said to take some tylenol and it will go away eventually,but the pain is still there...anyways i was wondering if you could tell me if you have done surgery in the U.S. (i live in U.S.) or somewere else,because i'm considering surgery myself...thank you for your posts and i wish you fast recovery.

Thank Yuo all I have had this same pain for 30 years, I have has test run for the past 25 years without any relief. I don't take pain pills very often. the thinner I am the better I feel.
I going to show this to my doc.

yes I live Michigan and had to push the issue with my family doctor as he kept treating me for other things thinking it was all in my head which I now find ridicules. since the surgery I feel great, no more chest pains only some discomfort during the healing process. Staples are now out and healing process is going well, he advised I should be 100% in 2 - 3 weeks. He also advised my xiphoid was broken, twisted and pointing inwards which was never discovered during any x-rays, what he removed was the size of your thumb and I still have what feels to be a xiphoid stump. If you don't need a referral (I didn't) go see a general surgeon for this issue.

What type of surgeon did you use for this surgery? I play allot of tennis and feel the pain after I am done playing. It seems to be getting worse. I've had clogged arteries in the past, implanted several stents but do not feel this is related as my last cath showed all clear. I want to get this surgery done and find it very encouraging that I see so many of you with the same problem.

Hi, I just checked out this site for answers and all I found was similar stories to what I have. However as of two weeks ago surprisingly a specialist (referred by my PCP) at a spine and stroke center noticed what the MRI and CT reports did not identify. My xiphoid bone is dislocated, poking up and pushing the left muscle further up. He thinks I will need that bone removed and the muscle reattached, a surgery that's 4 days in hospital and 4 months recovery. To start was 3 days in physical therapy for ultrasound in just that spot, then in one week a steroid shot into the sternum, (which would be on New Years Eve), if that numbs this pain it will be his clue to go ahead and get a chest surgeon to fix that. He also found that my gallbladder is 3x the normal size and probably is creating pain also. Maybe have that removed too. My xiphoid pain is really bad, heavy like a softball growth that is always sore and gets worse, sharp pinch and wants cold and steady soft pressure and very little movement to make it any easier to deal with. I also have sharp piercing pains through my left ribs and down them to the lower back. He thinks this could be from the gallbladder, I'm not sure. These were only found on the CD by the Dr. not the radiology reports!! Pain med.s and muscle relaxers help minutely with the pain but it remains from a 3 - 7 scale. After beginning the ultrasound therapy today, it was a 8 - 10 pain day, for me that seems to be making it way worse. I check in with the Dr. tomorrow and will see what he says, hopefully get the shot and begin with referrals. Good luck to you all, maybe this may be a clue for your xiphoid/sternum pain, mine went undiagnosed for almost a year and a half. I hope he's on to something, I saw it, the bone and muscle are not right!!

Thanks to all of you for posting your experiences. Interestingly, my pain/discomfort started a day after I had an endoscopy (a procedure where a gastroenterologist inserts a scope down a person's mouth to check the esophagus and stomach area). Anyway, the scope showed that I have Barret's esophagus and a hiatal hernia, however, nothing prior to this procedure, I had never experienced the pain bellow my xiphoid along with the small "bump." Thanks to all that I have read here, I now have something to discuss with my GP and gastroenterologist. I will also post my results. Thanks again.

Blue Dog, jr, & others;

How are you after surgery on the xiphoid? Please follow-up with post-surgery news.

You described a problem that sounds very much like mine, for which 2 doctors have now told me I'd have to live with the pain & not being able to eat without discomfort afterwards, that things are all "normal." Now I will try to get help to fix this. Thanx very much.

The liver is behind the xiphoid. I have had a lot of issues with pain along the bottom of my ribcage, and slightly behind; also up into my right breast so that it's discomforting to wear a bra. For some unrelated health issues, I started going to an acupuncturist. A lot of the treatments have been related to my liver, which has resulted in an alleviation of these pains. I also did a liver cleanse , which got out a bunch of gallstones and I could feel a big difference immediately. I've done it twice so far, and it's helped quite a bit.

Did you die?

Hello everybody here,
I am happy to see such reported cases shared with others to help us. I suffered the same thing for almost 3 years now. the only problem that i have (kind of an extra one) is that my work as a lecturer worsen my pain.
I did the one million dollar tests...everything from X-rays, bone scans to several MRIS, my doctor said there is nothing up-normal that they cannot see. he told me it is all in your head...my pain will disappear with steroid injection and pills but will come back as soon as i reuse that area...especially with heavy exercise so much lecturing. they said first it was Costochondritis, but i thought Costochondritis should be gone in 3 years now.
anyways...after three years and too much use of that area...i get pain attacks now that is similar to a heart attack. it feels like a sever pain in the upper chest by the sternum and i can't talk or even listen to someone talking until it goes away ...now a days i am getting the pain almost everyday....and it is lasting more now...I wonder if removing the xiphoid process will help me...I am no sure that i feel a lump in my xiphoid or anything but i think it was looking bent to the left in my x-ray and my radiologist said it is from birth.
any input? HELP!!!!

This was a great find. I have a family history of aneurysms so this is a relief. I'm 31 and have been dealing with this said pain for about 2 or 3 years. Same story, it's Acid Reflux or in my head. I'm tired of my GP not listening to me. Every morning I wake up I am in pain. It progressively gets better through the day but the pain is always there, just not as bad. The pain also radiates up my sternum and to the sides. Also some back pain. It is somewhat tender to the touch. And something pops. I also get lightheaded more often for some reason. Reading all of these posts, this sounds to a tee what is going on with me. If I could only get my GP to listen before the Government take over, then I will never get any help.... >:(

Hello everyone, I am a 38 year old male in great shape. I work out, eat well, sleep well, and work hard. About four years ago I started having the same pain at my xiphoid process as described by most of you. I would wake in the early morning hours with terrible pain, I was unable to roll over or breath deep. This usually happened if I had a large late supper or ate too much. I started noticeing a slight lump that was very tender. Sometimes the pain would last all day, but the mornings were the worst. There were days I just couldn't go to work. I did talk to a doctor who suggested surgery.

Fast forward to today.... After dealing with the pain for about a year, my back started hurting as well and I felt that I was falling apart. I went to see a chiropractor that my wife works for. He took x-rays and said that my spine was out of alignment, which was twisting my lower ribs and putting pressure on my xiphoid proscess, pushing it out of alignment. After adjusting my spine, the pain went away, my xiphoid process has settled into place, and I feel great. Every once in a while I will have to go get readjusted to keep every thing in place, but thats because I work in construction and am always twisting my back out by....well....falling off roofs and stuff.

Anyway, it makes more sense to me that a spine out of alignment would cause pain in the xiphoid process, rather than that little xiphoid thingy pushing the spine out of alignment. Especially after I experienced total freedom from pain after one adjustment.

I really hope this helps somebody. I'm a tuff guy, but wakeing to that pain in the morning brought tears to my eyes. This might help some one avoid the pain and expence of surgery.

I wish I would of read these articles 3 years ago. I was having the same issues with pain at my sternum. I had cat scan and a pet scan which showed that my xyphoide was turned forward. Also was found that I had a large hiatal hernia which then showed I had a paraesophagiel hernia and was advised to have surgery to repair it. I had the surgery 3 years ago for the hernia, this pass April I ended up having a total gastrectomy due to the first surgery got screwed up. Now as I read these discussions I believe if they would of looked at my xyphoide and fixed it I wouldn't be where I am today. I still have the pain in the xyphoide and I will not have another surgery because I believe many surgeons just want to cut you. I wish I would of knew more back then, now my life is totally changed because of a surgery that didn't need to be done going wrong. So please do not let the doctors convince you, you need surgery for a hernia instead of dealing with the xyphoide first.

I started having pain in the xyphoid area almost five years ago in 2007.  I had a cortisone shot in the xyhpoid area a month after it started.  It caused some other complications and only helped for a short while.  I also developed frozen shoulder about 6 months later.  I think that was due to the limitations on activity.  When it is flared up and inflamed, I cannot raise my arms up without pulling on the xyphoid area and inflaming it worse.  Actually I have never been able to raise both arms above my head at the same time since this started.  I also developed GERD and lactose intolerance at the same time.  The valve does not close all the way and I always have air coming up and cannot ever lie down flat because I get painful pressure and burning in my chest.  I sleep in an adjustable bed in a sitting position.  There are very few foods I can eat anymore.  I take Protonix daily and sometimes twice a day for short periods of time when it is at its worst.  When the xyphoid flares up, it always causes my stomach problems to get worse.  I believe that is from the pain causing the muscles to tense and put out more acid, but I am not sure.  I notice that any time I hurt my ribs or xyphoid area, my stomach blows up with air within minutes.  What is that about?  I can also never lay on my side as it pushes on my shoulders and ribs.  I have not been able to lean forward for five years.  I use grabbers to pick things up off the floor or pull things down from the cupboards.  I also have to make sure I sit perfectly straight up and do not slouch.  That causes stabbing pains in the xyphoid area and a recurrence of the inflammation.  Heavy lifting or twisting can easily set this off as well.  My life is extremely limited now.  I was a very active person and I have a large yard and lots of flowers and yard work, which I now pay someone to keep up.  I also used to have a horse but that would not be an option these days. I did abdominal crunches for about ten years before this started.  The doctors thought that may have contributed to this condition.  I am not overweight and I eat a healthy diet (but very limited).  I have not been able to drink anything acidic since this started and I cannot drink even a sip of a carbonated beverage or I get horrible, sharp pains in my esophagus where I think the valve is.  I have several coworkers on the same GERD medication but they do not have any problems drinking carbonated beverages and some of them even eat spicy foods. 

I had a CT scan of the xyphoid area this past summer.  The thoracic surgeon did not find any abnormalities in the xyphoid.  Mine is forked and maybe a little long, but it sounds like many people have forked xyphoids.  It does not seem to bend in or out in any way.  The surgeon did comment that I have a very long rib cage and a barrel chest.  He said he could remove the xyphoid.  It is up to me.  I seriously considered the xyphoid surgery but my fear is that if there are complications, I will not be able to deal with them because my stomach won't tolerate any antibiotics or pain medications.  The psychologist was afraid that the surgery would just cause more nerve pain once the xyphoid was cut off.  More comments from other people regarding post surgery life without a xyphoid would be greatly appreciated.

About a year ago I shoveled some heavy snow two weekends in a row and it caused the symptoms to spread to the rib cage and below as well.  Every flare up since has involved the xyphoid and ribs.  It takes a lot longer to heal now.  I also get the pain in my back when this is going on.  Sometimes it feels like there is a spear through me from the xyphoid and going out the back.  I cannot push buttons or wipe the counters without a lot of pain either.  So strange.  I have been in a flare up since the beginning of October when I pushed open a really heavy door.   I have been working from home for the last three months.  I have developed bilateral frozen shoulder (both shoulders) again.  Now every time I lift my arms the least bit or try to reach for something, it pulls on my ribcage and causes the spasms to get worse.  I can no longer wash my hair myself or shower myself.  I have assistance with that.  That did not happen the last time I had frozen shoulders.  I am not sure what the difference is this time unless it is the fact that my entire rib cage is affected now.  Due to my stomach problems, I cannot take any medications except Protonix.  Nothing for the pain or to relax the muscles when they get so tight that it feels like someone has you in a bear hug right across the ribs.  I think it is probably better that I can't take any pain medicines because I am afraid I would have to take them so often that it would lead to a dependence on them.  No thank you.  I have had two endoscopies and they only showed some inflammation, no erosion.  Those were four years ago however and my stomach is much worse now.  I should probably have another one done.

I have tried chiropractic many times and it does not help this.  My upper back moves and cracks all the time behind the xyphoid and my one rib goes out quite often, but when the chiropractor adjusts it, it just starts moving around even more.  He calls it hypermobility.  I have tried physical therapy and occupational therapy for the frozen shoulder as well.  That didn’t help, in fact both seemed to make it worse.  Have also tried myofascial release.  That helped until the therapist worked in the area near the xyphoid and then it made the pain worse.  I got more help from the chiropractor for the frozen shoulder and from a book I downloaded from the internet with exercises just for frozen shoulder.  This time I can't do the exercises though because of the entire rib cage being involved.  Any exercise just causes the muscles to go into spasm and stiffen up even more.  I am getting acupuncture treatments every week.  That seems to help more than anything else at this time.  I have also seen a psychologist to learn self hypnosis to help me better deal with the pain.  It helps some but I would much rather figure out for sure what is causing this pain and do something to permanently get rid of it. 

My family is getting very frustrated because they can't understand why the doctors are so clueless and don't seem to be very interested in dealing with this.   My old doctor became a hospitalist so does not see clinic patients anymore.  I even went to the big hospital that everyone talks about when you have medical problems that are hard to figure out.  Not much help there either.  They did switch my medication to the Protonix four years ago and that helped for awhile.  I called them recently and their only comment was "has anyone talked to you about fibromyalgia?"  Ugh!