Strange Chest Symptoms for a Month

Interesting, thanks for the reply! Is this something that's constant for you, or how long does it tend to last? My main concerns are that this has been happening for a full month now, and that it hurts when breathing deeply. I do definitely suffer from anxiety-- I've never been officially diagnosed for it, but I've always been a very anxious person and it affects me all the time, sometimes physically.

I was your age when my digestive issues started. It was one thing then another throughout the years. I sure wish I had understood the role anxiety played. I would highly recommend you begin a meditation practice. If you are in a large city you can find meditation groups you can attend to help you learn about meditation. Getting a handle on anxiety early will be a great help to you. Secondly there are therapists who can help you understand how emotions affect your body and how to control that. This does not mean the chest pain is in your head. It’s very real and if it is from esophageal spasms, I think the hyoscyamine will help. But anxiety can cause the spasms or other digestive issues. Now all that being said there’s a possibility that it’s not digestive but possibly an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib to the breastbone. I also had that in the past. My treatment was ibuprofen. Heating pad also helped. And it can last for weeks. And for me the pain from esophageal spasms remains a dull pain for weeks. When pain gets worse I use the hyoscyamine.

@baxtersmom @tess0831 Omeprazole is actually the generic of Prilosec. Lansoprazole is the generic of Prevacid. They are very very similar.
I too have Barrett’s but mine is currently in remission. My Gastroenterologist wants me to continue to take omeprazole though. he has mentioned a couple of others I could take instead if the potential long term effects of omeprazole concern me, but the others need to be taken twice daily.
JK

I too am having constant pain in my right chest. It started on March 31st. No fever, No breathing problems and No high blood pressure. It’s driving me crazy!

@tess0831 Since you mentioned anxiety and that it hurts to breathe deeply, I though I could give you another possibility to think about like a physical breathing problem. Anxiety will just make it worse and you start breathing by yanking up from your neck to expand the rib cage instead of using your diaphragm for slow deep inhalations. I have some issues with this because I have thoracic outlet syndrome and that affects how my rib cage moves because of muscle tightness between my neck and chest that is tighter on one side. I get to where it hurts a bit to get deeper inhalation lower down in the lungs as they expand until it is used to expanding there. Brisk walking could help because you can get deeper inhalations and kind of retrain your body how to breathe properly. Anxiety pushes it toward tight upper chest exertions, and exercise will promote diaphramatic breathing. I'm sure you've had a lot of other good suggestions to consider and with COVID-19, you have to pay attention to breathing issues if they point to those kinds of symptoms. I do know when you breathe using your upper chest muscles, it speeds up your heart and causes some anxiety. If you are able to go for a walk to test this theory, you might be able to answer your questions. Listening to music and doing deep relaxed breathing in time to the music also helps reduce anxiety.

Hello @peaceharmony, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I’m happy you’re here and joining the discussion. I read that you’re having constant chest pain on the right side since March 31st. Can you describe the type of pain or share any other symptoms? Have you chatted with your provider yet?