Sternum Pain when sleeping on side

I am 26/M now. I am also facing the same problem after sleep, not only after sleep but many times after watching some movie laying on bed with support of pillow. It was not so frequent till few days back. So, I did some chest stretching exercise after my sleep and used to ignore it after that. But now, I am facing it frequently. I am very afraid where it would lead to. The main reason for afraid is that the area of sternum has been swollen a bit. All the symptoms that I have read in previous comments like feeling of bone rubbing, cracking feeling are observed. I am in search of reason and solution too. Please do suggest something.

i have the same thing right side top of breast bone and in middle to the right where the breast starts
it hurts bad at night
not much during the day but somedays i can feel the pain during the day too.
i always sleep on my sides , i fugured because im bigger on top , maybe its from sleeping a wrong way
not to sure buy would love to find out.
had a chest xray and they said everything is fine.
thanks ,
Jen

Same here. My theory is that my chest-to-back strength is weighted more in my chest which causes my shoulders to roll forward naturally. When my shoulders roll forward, it seems to have a crushing effect on my sternum. Therefore, I also use a stiff pillow to essentially push up whichever shoulder is on top. I've also been trying to train myself to sleep on my back, which is very helpful.

I've been dealing with a similar pain/discomfort for over 20 years. It was diagnosed as costo-chondritis, but I believe it is more than that based on the research I've done. I've seen many doctors and had several tests for many suspected conditions (GERD, hiatal hernia, muscle trauma, etc.), but nothing conclusive and everything always comes up "normal".

The condition first manifested back in 1991 when I had a nasty virus and developed pleurisy on my left side ribs from coughing so hard (I thought I had broke a rib from coughing). That, combined with overexertion from lifting heavy building materials at the same time. I thought that the pain/condition was just one of those injuries that would subside after a couple of weeks, but 25 years later, it remains with me and I've just gotten used to its episodes and discomfort.

Here are some of my symptoms which may sound familiar to some of you::

1. Infrequent (once per month or so) stabbing pain in my upper stomach/lower chest (about an inch below and to the left of my sternum) while sleeping. I am a side sleeper and when the pain occurs, it takes about 1/2 hour before I get relief. At that point it hurts to the touch too. From experience I find that when I eat or drink after 8:00 pm to the point of feeling bloated, that tends to give cause to the pain later that night. So I try to avoid that. Still I sometimes get the pain just out of the blue when I sleep.

2. A constant feeling of non-painful discomfort in the same area - it feels almost like a bubble...which made me think I had a hiatal hernia. However, tests came up negative on that. I can feel the discomfort when my shirt folds against the area, when water hits my chest during showers, when I perform certain exercises of the torso at the gym, when I twist a certain way, and so forth.

3. Sometimes when I sneeze, cough or reach extensively I trigger a "Charlie horse" spasm in the same area that takes a minute or two to subside.

After 25 years, I haven't found a doctor that has defined it definitively, though costo seems to be the default response. Whatever I have or whatever doctor's choose to call it, it is clearly a permanent injury/condition that I simply have learned to cope with. Though it is frustrating that so many people suffer from this or similar afflictions without any definitive answers as to resolve it...if that's at all possible.

I'm glad I came across this. It's about three weeks I have this same pain on the right side. I tend to sleep on that side and used a soft pillow today and it wasn't as bad. It does not hurt when I cough or sneeze just if I lay on it. The internet answers scared me so I'm glad I found this site.
Thanks
Carole

Look up Xiphoid Process pain. Basically we've dislocated tge piece of cartilage at the base of our sternums. My doctor said it becomes flipped forward and no one knows why but will go back. Big meals and heavy lifting can cause it, according ti the net, as can weight gain. Some people lose a lot of weight and find it sticks out. Mine is worse after sleeping, especially on my sides and I think gas makes it worse. Sitting upright and drinking a 24oz makes it a lot worse too. Keep the pressure off and use muscle relaxors. There are a number of muscles connecting to it and the diaphragm there.

Please check for a popped rib head and intercostal muscle strain. Usually if you palpate your ribs, youll find a sore area.

My chiropractor says it's because my spine is out of alignment. The X-rays do make sense to see how something could be grinding there when I sleep on my side. Try getting regular adjustments - it will probably help to have everything in alignment. Also, the nurse in his office says she has trained herself to not let her shoulders slump forward too much when she sleeps on her side. Everything rolling together puts too much pressure on it. That's probably why the pillow is helping somebody out there - it's a barrier to your entire torso compressing that space in your chest.

DID THIS WORK.

I have this too.. i have no idea what has caused it :(

I've been experiencing this problem lately. I'm 49, in excellent shape, and work out regularly.
The problem seems to be getting progressively worse (on the first day, the pain stopped after a few seconds of massaging the chest; today it persisted for minutes, and hurt even when I took deep breaths). The pain seems very localized, leading me to believe that it could be an underlying injury, though I don't recal any incident that could have caused it. Someone here mentioned vitamin deficiency and/or cartilage wear, and I suspect that might be the case.

I'm 16 and I have the same problem.Kinda freaks me out...

I am having the same problem. I am 35 yr old female and relatively healthy. My pain only stays a few days to a week and comes and goes once a month or more and is always on my left side. Terrible pain on the left side sternum, back /shoulder blade area and sometimes upper arm. It hurts to turn my head or bend it up and down almost like a crick. I do have a little bit of a cold and cough. I am taking an NSaid (Inflammatory Med otc) because My sternum is inflamed known as Costochronotitis. Hope this is helpful to some of you guys and I hope you all have had some relief and gotten assistance from a Dr.

I get relief if I turn on my back.

A common symptom of acute pericarditis is a sharp, stabbing chest pain, usually coming on quickly. It's often is in the middle or left side of the chest, and there may be pain in one or both shoulders. Sitting up and leaning forward tends to ease the pain, while lying down and breathing deep worsens it that should help nothing to serious but would be best to see a doctor and get medicine for it