Dan East

There is a very specific type of chest pain I’ve encountered a couple dozen times throughout my life. This pain is related to breathing, and is a very intense, stabbing pain that hurts the most when taking a deep breath. The reason I’m posting about this is that I’ve found a “cure” that works for me, that completely stops this type of chest pain. Now let me throw in a disclaimer that I am not a doctor, and that any chest pain should be taken very seriously because it could be an indication of severe medical problems (myocardial infarction – aka Heart Attack – being a particularly serious one).

Onset and Symptoms

The onset is very sudden, like flipping a switch. Sometimes when it starts I can feel a little popping or crackling sensation where the pain is at. The thing that really sets this apart is the breathing. If I take shallow breaths it doesn’t hurt at all. As I inhale there is a certain point where the pain starts – a sharp pain that feels like someone sticking a knife in my chest. It is a very intense, stabbing pain that is so strong that I literally cannot make myself breath any deeper. As long as I keep my inhalations shallower than that threshold it doesn’t hurt at all. I’ve also noticed that this tends to happen when I’m twisting my body around in an odd position while taking a breath. Like twisting around in the car to reach something behind the seat.

The Solution

The solution is very simple, and works instantaneously. If I exhale completely – and I mean pushing out every last bit of air I possibly can, then the next time I inhale I can breath as deep as I want and it won’t hurt. Sometimes I feel that little popping, cracking sensation when I exhale all the way. On occasion it takes a couple tries before the pain goes away. Now I’m to the point where I exhale all the way on the same breath that the pain starts, and it doesn’t even have a chance to take hold.

My Theory

The generic term for this type of chest pain is Precordial Catch Syndrome or PCS. It is not known exactly what causes the pain in PCS – since it is not life threatening, and only lasts briefly, it is one of those minor medical maladies that simply does not warrant extensive research. One theory is that PCS is due to a pinched nerve. I guess in a sense that is what is happening – I think that a small area of lung tissue becomes folded back on itself, and that sharp crease is what causes the pain. Perhaps it is as small as an individual alveoli (the tiny air sacs where the oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between our blood and the air), or it might be a larger lung structure. The act of inhaling tries to force the fold back upon itself, pinching the tissue at the crease and causing the severe pain. The reason exhaling works is because it allows the tissue to become flaccid and relaxed, so the pressure is no longer holding the fold in place. I have read some suggestions that forcing yourself to inhale deeply can make the pain go away. However my thought is that could actually cause damage. If there is a fold then inhaling deeply would eventually force the fold to pop back out, even if it is turned back on itself. However it would put a great deal of stress on the crease, which is where damage could occur. That would also explain the lingering soreness some people experience.

A Simple Experiment

Here’s a very simple (and crude) experiment. Take a zip-lock bag and blow it up. Now push one of the corners in. Notice how the very tip will stay folded in on itself? If you squeeze the bag really hard and increase the pressure enough, that fold will pop out. I think that is what happens in my case, and the air in the lungs actually holds the fold in place. Exhaling removes the pressure and allows the lung to return to its natural shape.