# Weird one - sternum pain?



## kdsjen (Apr 25, 2011)

For the last week or two (and it has been getting progressively better) I have had this weird chest pain. It's not cardiac, it feels more like bone... like it's right on my sternum. It was really bad, and really uncomfortable but now it's just annoying and hurts mostly when I lift something or stretch.
Oddly enough it gets much better after I walk. So I've been walking and walking and walking.
Well tonight I had to cough and when I did it really popped. I doesn't hurt worse, but it's kind of freaking me out.
When I check with Dr Google, it seems linked to Rheumatiod Arthritis. My thyroid is under an antibody attack... great, now to I need to worry about my joints too? Sigh.
I see the doc next week and don't think it's urgent enough to warrant a call. Just wondering if any of y'all had any insight.


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## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

I have had a similar symptom for a long time and it is now getting better since my doctor put me on prescription strength Vitamin D. I was told that if you have pain in your sternum and also if you push on your shin bone and it feels sore you very well could be low on vitamin D. I had only the chest pain and when my vitamin D was checked it was very very low. It was 15. Normal range for the test they gave me was 20-100. She told me that she would prefer me to be in the 70 range. She said vitamin D can be affected by thyroid disease.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kdsjen said:


> For the last week or two (and it has been getting progressively better) I have had this weird chest pain. It's not cardiac, it feels more like bone... like it's right on my sternum. It was really bad, and really uncomfortable but now it's just annoying and hurts mostly when I lift something or stretch.
> Oddly enough it gets much better after I walk. So I've been walking and walking and walking.
> Well tonight I had to cough and when I did it really popped. I doesn't hurt worse, but it's kind of freaking me out.
> When I check with Dr Google, it seems linked to Rheumatiod Arthritis. My thyroid is under an antibody attack... great, now to I need to worry about my joints too? Sigh.
> I see the doc next week and don't think it's urgent enough to warrant a call. Just wondering if any of y'all had any insight.


Do you still have your thyroid? If so, consider substernal thyroid. Also Costochondritis.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/costochondritis/DS00626

How are you doing today?


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## Healing (Mar 21, 2013)

March 21, 2013:
my endocrinologist explained that when changing doses of thyroid Rx, if one has Hashimoto's, an inflammatory disease, then the lymph nodes under the sternum, can become inflamed and cause terrible pain. For me, he suggested ibuprofen 3x/day for 2 to 3 days. Since ibuprofen only treats pain, and not cardiac symptoms, if I still have pain in 2 to 3 days, he will know it is not lymphatic and is something else.

At the worst part of it, I could not even palpate my sternum or just below it.

Hope that sheds light.

Pax et lux.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kdsjen said:


> For the last week or two (and it has been getting progressively better) I have had this weird chest pain. It's not cardiac, it feels more like bone... like it's right on my sternum. It was really bad, and really uncomfortable but now it's just annoying and hurts mostly when I lift something or stretch.
> Oddly enough it gets much better after I walk. So I've been walking and walking and walking.
> Well tonight I had to cough and when I did it really popped. I doesn't hurt worse, but it's kind of freaking me out.
> When I check with Dr Google, it seems linked to Rheumatiod Arthritis. My thyroid is under an antibody attack... great, now to I need to worry about my joints too? Sigh.
> I see the doc next week and don't think it's urgent enough to warrant a call. Just wondering if any of y'all had any insight.


It is probably costochondritis (Tietze's Syndrome) and "usually" persons w/Lupus have this. I used to have the costochondritis and pleurisy all the time. OMG!!!
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/web...new_aboutaffects.aspx?articleid=291&zoneid=17










If I were making the decision, I would see my doctor about this. Prednisone can quiet this down but it is important to look for the cause as well.

You have had ultra-sound of the thyroid and you know you don't have a sub-sternal goiter?


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Is the pain directly in the middle? If its off to one side a little you could have a rib out. Years ago I thought I was having a heart attack the pain was horrid. Had a rib out. That's an easy fix.


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