Sternomanubrial Joint Popping

I went to the doctors because of discomfort in my chest I’ve been having and sometimes there is a popping sound too. He sent me to hospital for x-ray of my chest and everything. Then I saw another doctor who ensured me that this is nothing to worry about. After few days he phoned me and said that he is concerned about my discomfort in anterior chest and he thinks that can be relived if he can make my sternum click. He has no doubt that this is coming from the sternomanubrial joint, usually this joint fuses with time. He suggested that he should treat me conservatively and wait to see how progress matters. I am going to see him Monday morning.

Wow I thought I was the only person with this problem, mine started about 3 years ago, with loud poping and got worse now when i breath you can feel and hear the damaged cartlage go in and out of the jont. I saw 5 different surgons. Each one had a different solution, one wanted to wire it, one wanted to put a metal plate in my chest, one said just live with it and one wanted to just cut out the cartlage. None had ever seen this before so I did not trust any. So far I have just lived with it but sometimes wonder about the long term effect.

Have either of you had anything done about it yet??

I decided to register, any updates yet?

WOW... Thought I was alone with this issue. I just had to comment after reading, has anyone tried spinal manipulation? I don't know if thats what it is really called I'd suggest talking to your primary care physician about it but manipulation has given me some relief. I've been dealing with this problem for years now. Just the past year has been worse than any other time this has happened, usually after a couple of months the pain subsides and it doesn't bother me that much again until I hurt myself somehow (This time though I did not do anything to injury myself, it just happened out of the blue). This time it's been over a year straight with no relief in site. I have been to numberous doctors/specialists, had every test imaginable and ultimately the only answers I received were "deal with it" or "rib resection". I am not happy with either answer, for now chose to deal with it. I can say from experience that not many doctors at all have seen this type of injury, nor do they know what to do about it. I feel bad for anyone that is going through this, for that I am truly sorry. I never thought I would hear of another person with this same issue. I go to the doctors regularly so I will keep everyone posted if by chance we come up with a solution.

I hadn't ever heard of a surgery like this but I do actually have an issue similar to this. Has anyone had this surgery? I'd like to hear how it went! Thanks :)

You can get the joint fused. Its arthritis in the joint usually due to injury. They can clean out the cartilage and replace it with a bone graft. A locking plate and screws will be used to secure it.

I also have this pain in the sternum, have had since 2010, it just seems to have come on for no reason that I can think of, I first tried chiropractic treatment with some herbal medicine, however did not work and the Chiro advised me that he could not treat this condition. I then went to the GP and organized to have ultrasound/Xray etc and was told it was a Briosternal articulation with some sort of Sclerosis involved, I still have the pain today but live with it and some days are better\worse than others, I find that resistance training helps me with this condition, eg; bench presses, chin ups etc. I am 61 yrs of age, I guess every body with this will have to experiment various ways to deal with this; Regards Kevin