Does anyone have chest pain or ribcage pain upon taking a deep breath. My Rheumy said there are joints in the chest that could get inflamed. Does a heating pad help? Thanks for any input on this it is very weird.
I have heard this before.It isn't as weird as it sounds.Without those we wouldn't be able to breath in and out. There would be no expansion movement. The things I have read about PsA and chest pain are not on this site and I do not remember where I saw them.I did see that this does happen and it can affect breathing. It would be good to keep a heating pad or wrap handy and use it!!! Try to stay out of the extreme cold and wearing a scarf around your mouth and nose when you are breathing cold air are ways to help you stay warm from the inside out!!! I hope this helps. I find just knowing there are others in the same boat is always comforting.:) Try searching the San Francisco Daily Chronicle /PsA/supplement, I think I read it in the paper.
Hi there,
Well yes, chest pain does occur.
Due to a high level of stress and having undiagnised PsA at the time, I was hospitalized. Twice. I was in so much pain. Blood pressure through the roof.
The last time a newbie cardiologist just blew me off giving me advice to go home and meditate. Fair enough. But the pain was still there and the overall feeling of being 80 even though I was only 36 at the time was frustrating. The pain would feel like sharp stabbing to similar to having someone stand on my chest… puffy too. Breathing hurt at times.
Pretty scary really, which would amplify the symptoms.
Perhaps Look up costo chronditis. This helped understand a little better.
It’s funny when I think that the same information was given to my new G.P. and wasn’t tossed by the way side but assessed and followed up on. Which led to me seeing a rheumatologist and a diagnosis and treatment. All of which has led to a more comfortable daily existence and a far more positive attitude for me.
Chest pain was the pits and only one of the areas /body parts that i am affected by pain with.
The condition is called costochondritis as jessica mentioned. I find that moist heat in either the front or the back and ice on the other side works best for me. I have also had a cardiologist shoot up the joints (they know the anatomy.) It worked great. Some gentle stretching and deep breathing exercises in a hot tub works great too. Good luck Be sure and cover your mouth and face with a scarf if you go out in the cold a sudden deep breath of cold air can put you on your knees......
If you get a good day with it, when you can do some gentle yoga, there are some specific moves designed to “open the chest” that I found if done even every now and then improved the feeling of tightness and can’t breathe sensation. Heat helps me too, though oddly its putting it on my back (I guess at the other end of the ribs where the joints with your spine are) that works best for me.
Thanks everyone for the good suggestions. It is nice to know I amm not alone dealing with this. I will try to get the heat on it.
I had a lot of it for a very long time. Had every heart test imaginable. Was even told I was having a heart attack from the results of an EKG--that was almost 15 years ago! My medical charts showed I had psoriasis--they could obviously see it if they looked at my arms or legs in a hospital gown, but nobody EVER came up with the thought that it could be PsA and suggested sending me to a rheumatologist! IDK how many times I told my internist I had mild chest pain, but not to worry, we had all the heart tests. My internist actually thought one time that maybe my bra was too tight and causing the pain!!!
By the time I finally did see a rheumatologist, the chest pain had become irrevelevant compared to my other PsA symptoms and I never mentioned it to him. Maybe I'll bring it up at my next appointment and we can have a good laugh over how no bells went off in any of the other doctors' heads that, ding, ding, ding, maybe all this was PsA!
Luckily, my chest pain has let up--I sure hope yours does, too!
I have the same thing. At first my rheumy thought it was ankylosing spondolytis because i could not expand my rib cage. Since going on methotrexate, I can finally take a deep breath and the chest pain only happens during a flare up
Yep, costochronditis can be one of the worst parts of PsA for me. As others have mentioned exercises that open your chest do help but start really, really slowly. I was taught shibashi tai chi by my OT and its been a wonderful help for my whole body especially my chest. Swimming also helps but again start slowly and gently and slowly build up. This time of year is not good with all the colds about…a fit of sneezing or coughing can still bring tears to my eyes.
I have a heat pad that helps a bit but hot water and gentle movements help me during a flare