Every one of us, at some point in our lives, has experienced a sudden, sharp stabbing pain in our chests. It almost feels as if we are having a heart attack. Even trying to take a long breath results in shooting pain in the chest. However, it disappears completely just after a few minutes or even seconds of light breathing. Have you ever wondered what causes this sensation?
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Stabbing pain
The shooting pain that usually occurs on the left side between your chest and abdomen area is called precordial catch syndrome. The sudden sharp chest ache is the most common symptom of this condition. Unlike a heart attack, the pain from this condition does not spread through your body.
The pain gradually goes away as you change your breathing pattern. This is because the precordial catch syndrome is caused due to the way you breathe. The chest pain typically subsides within 30 seconds to 3 minutes. It is possible that some people will feel it for up to 30 minutes. You should feel normal again as soon as the pain subsides.
What causes it?
As per WebMD, the cause of precordial catch syndrome is unknown to doctors.
It could be the result of a pinched nerve or a muscle spasm in the chest lining or chest wall. It has no effect on your heart or lungs and has no connection to those conditions.
Nonetheless, this condition is diagnosed to be completely harmless without any long term effects. The pain most likely occurred due to the incorrect posture, or if you have sudden body movements near your chest after being immobile for so long. Body movements and stretching can help relieve the sudden pain.
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