What causes pain behind your sternum?

Posted by Master, Doctor Mai Vien Phuong - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Your first reaction to chest pain, especially severe or constant chest pain, may be to think it's a heart attack. But in many cases, chest pain has nothing to do with your heart. This is especially true if you're under 40 and don't have any serious existing health problems or conditions.
Sternum pain is actually more likely to be caused by conditions involving your muscles, bones, or digestive tract than by the heart or the breastbone itself.

The most common cause of sternum pain is sternitis, when the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone becomes inflamed.
Symptoms of osteitis include:
Sharp or stabbing pain on one side of the sternum area Pain or discomfort in one or more ribs Pain or discomfort that gets worse when you cough or take a deep breath Osteoarthritis doesn't always have a specific cause, but it's often the result of chest trauma, stress from physical activity, or joint conditions like osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is not a serious condition and should not cause concern.
See a doctor if pain persists or if you have other symptoms that may indicate a more serious underlying condition.

Conditions or injuries to the muscles and bones around the sternum can also cause sternum pain.
This includes:
Joint trauma Injury to the collarbone (clavicle) Fracture Hernia Surgery on the sternum (such as open heart surgery) This is not the only musculoskeletal condition that can cause bone loss Your breasts are damaged, but they are among the most common.
Injury to the sternum joint The sternum joint (SC joint) connects the top of the sternum to the collarbone (clavicle). Damage to this joint can cause pain and discomfort in the sternum and the upper chest area where this joint is located.
Common symptoms of this joint injury include:
Feeling mild pain or tenderness and swelling around your upper chest and collarbone Heard popping or snapping in the joint area Feeling stiffness around the joint or not be able to fully move your shoulder Collar injury The collarbone is directly connected to your sternum, so an injury, dislocation, fracture, or other injury to the collarbone can affect the sternum .
Common symptoms of a collarbone injury include:
Bruises or bumps around the collarbone injury area Severe pain when you try to move your arm upwards Swelling or pain around the collarbone area On , clicking, or noise when you lift your arm Unusual forward sagging of your shoulder Sternum fracture A sternum fracture can cause a lot of pain, as the sternum is involved in many upper body movements. . This type of injury is usually caused by blunt force trauma to the chest. Examples of this include fastening your seat belt in a car accident or having your chest hit while you are playing sports or performing other high-impact physical activities.
Common symptoms include:
Pain when you breathe in or cough Difficulty breathing Pops, clicks or noises when you move your arm Swelling and pain above the breastbone

Muscle strain or hernia Pulling or straining muscles in the chest can cause pain around the sternum.
Common symptoms of a pulled muscle include:
Pain around the pulled muscle Discomfort when using the affected muscle Bruising or pain around the affected muscle A hernia can also cause sternum pain. A hernia occurs when an organ is pushed or pulled from an area where it normally lies into a nearby part of the body.
The most common type is a hiatal hernia. This happens when your stomach moves through your diaphragm into the chest cavity.
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Your sternum is located right in front of several major digestive organs. Conditions that affect your esophagus, stomach, and intestines can all cause sternum pain. Heartburn or acid reflux after meals are the most common gastrointestinal causes of sternum pain.
Heartburn Ợ Sour occurs when acid from the stomach leaks into the esophagus and causes chest pain. It is common to eat immediately after eating. Pain often gets worse when you lie down or lean forward.
sour usually goes away without treatment after a short time.
Acid Reflux Acid reflux is similar to heartburn, but happens when stomach acid or even what's in your stomach starts to bother or wear down the lining of your esophagus. It may be part of a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Symptoms of acid reflux include:
Burning in your chest Unusual bitter taste in your mouth Difficulty swallowing Cough Sore throat or hoarseness Feeling like you have a lump in your throat

Conditions that affect the lungs, windpipe (windpipe), and other parts of the body that help you breathe can cause pain behind the breastbone.
Pleurisy Pleurisy occurs when your pleura becomes inflamed. The pleura is made up of tissue in your chest cavity and around your lungs. In some cases, fluid can build up around this tissue. This is called a pleural effusion.
Common symptoms include:
Sharp pain when you breathe in, sneeze, or cough Feeling like you can't get enough air Unusual cough Fever (in rare cases) Bronchitis Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes that bring air into the lungs become inflamed. It usually happens when you have the flu or a cold.
Pain from bronchitis can also make your sternum sore when you inhale and exhale. It can last only a short time (acute bronchitis) or become a long-term condition (chronic bronchitis) from smoking or an infection.
Common bronchitis symptoms include:
A persistent dry cough that makes you cough up mucus Wheezing Shortness of breath Pain or discomfort in your chest Flu or cold symptoms can be accompanied by inflammation bronchi include:
High fever Exhaustion Runny nose Diarrhea Vomiting Pneumonia Pneumonia occurs when your lungs become infected with a virus or bacteria.
Common symptoms of pneumonia include:
Shortness of breath High fever Persistent cough

Other conditions affecting your digestive tract or chest muscles can cause pain behind the sternum.
Stomach ulcers A stomach ulcer (a peptic ulcer) occurs when you have pain on the lining of your stomach or at the bottom of your esophagus.
Symptoms of a stomach ulcer include:
Stomach pain, especially on an empty stomach, response to antacids Feeling bloated Nausea Loss of appetite Panic attack A panic attack occurs when you suddenly feel afraid, as if something dangerous or threatening is happening, with no actual reason to be afraid. It is often the result of stress or a symptom of a mental health condition, such as generalized anxiety disorder or depression.
Symptoms of a panic attack include:
Feeling like something bad is about to happen Feeling dizzy or light-headed Difficulty breathing or swallowing Sweating Alternating sensations of heat and cold Stomach cramps Chest pain Is it a heart attack? Sternum pain can sometimes be the result of a heart attack. This is less likely if you are under 40 or in good overall health. A heart attack will happen if you are over 40 years old and have a pre-existing condition, such as heart disease.
A life-threatening heart attack. You should go to the emergency room right away if you have any symptoms other than breastbone pain that could be signs of a heart attack, especially if they appear without an obvious cause or if you have ever had a heart attack. previous heart attack.
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
Chest pain in the middle or left side of the chest

Pain or discomfort in your upper body, including your arms, shoulders and jaw Feeling dizzy or lightheaded Shortness of breath Sweating Nausea The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely you are chances are you are having a heart attack.
When to see your doctor See a doctor immediately if you have heart attack symptoms or symptoms that cause you severe, persistent pain that interferes with your daily life.
You should also see a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
Sternum pain and general chest pain without an obvious cause Sweating, dizziness or nausea without a specific cause Shortness of breath Pain spreading from your chest throughout your upper body Chest tightness If you are experiencing other symptoms and they last more than a few days, talk to your doctor.
When suffering from musculoskeletal-related diseases, patients should go to Vinmec International General Hospitals for timely diagnosis and treatment. Vinmec has a Department of Orthopedic Surgery specializing in examination and treatment of traumatic diseases including fractures and dislocations, orthopedic diseases including orthopedic surgeries,... which includes pathologies. on bones and joints: orthopedic treatment for rheumatic diseases in children, osteomyelitis, bone and soft tissue tumors....; some sports injuries such as damage to ligaments, loss of function of the shoulder joint, muscle atrophy...