Help!! Anyone Else Experience This?

I have had times when I really pull a muscle near my ribs (or my rib goes out of place) and it causes major issues in my shoulder/back. The chiropractor explained that it was because my body was automatically adjusting my posture and such due to the muscles, and the way everything in that general area is so connected that it can really be painful in unexpected areas. The area where the pulled muscle actually was never hurt me... But I did have the deep pain in the shoulder blade, down the arm, and under breast area, as well as the "pulsing" sensation and the changes when breathing. The only big difference between what you describe and my case is that I KNEW I pulled the muscle when it happened, and I knew the pain was a direct result of what I was doing at the time... It didn't just randomly start. Since the first injury, it does come back occasionally, but I get it often enough that I can recognize it for what it is. It typically goes away on its own, lasting anywhere from a few hours to 5-6 days... Though, it usually only lasts a day or so.

I can never actually do anything for it, other than chiropractor visits (which I really can't afford... Lol.) sometimes, a heat pad helps a little. I tend to stretch where I link my arms overhead, and bend side to side... Sometimes it helps a little, but sometimes makes it worse (so try that at your own risk. Lol.)

I would really reccomend getting it checked out though... Maybe try a chiropractor instead of the ER... Chances are, if you call up and explain your situation you could get an appointment for the same day. Save yourself the germ-fest and waiting that is the ER.

You need to go to the doctor today and get it checked out. Heart attack symptoms are different in women, but there is also a wide range of other things that could be too. Last year I was under a great deal of stress, and started having noticeable chest pains and some shortness of breath when I ran up stairs. We did an ekg at my work and noticed that I had definate changes to my ekg from the year prior. I ended up staying overnight in the hospital and having a heart cath done. Bottom line is that you just don't know. Working in healthcare you see a wide range of things common and not so much. It may be something as simple as a muscle spasm, or it may be a serious warning. Despite mamma's hearts being in the right place, don't ever replace the real thing with advice you receive on a board. We once coded a 33 year old female that was having leg pain that had called a nurse help line seeking advice. The nurse told her to take tylenol and see her doctor the next morning. She did as she was told, and never woke up.

Not sure it's the same thing, BUT... I had something similar happen to me about 7 years ago. I used to work on a computer for very long periods of time and because of it, I had severe tendonitis that affected my shoulder, neck and arm. So much so, that at one point, I could only raise my arm to collarbone level..
That said, I woke up one night with a shooting pain under my left breast and thought, is this a heart attack? It hurt whenever I made the slightest movement, in particular, if I leaned forward and applied pressure.
I ended up going to the doctors and she checked me over. While it wasn't a heart attack, she did say a nerve runs up in that area and sometimes IF we pinch it (due to tight muscles, heavy lifting, etc) it can become inflamed.. I said are you sure that's all it is.. she said, yet.. relieved, I ended up taking some Ibuprofen.. However, since that time, I no longer work on a computer all day long and my Tendonitis is gone, BUT.. if you are someone who does constantly work on a computer, lift things (if you have younger kids) then I would just try and be mindful as to how you are using your body.. You may want to consider a massage to see if that helps get the pain out and too, do visit your doctor to rule anything heart related out.. if it is just muscle and nerve, don't discount it either, it's your body's way of saying, hey I am under stress, help....
before I had that severe pain, I had had lighter episodes of pain, but ignored it... finally, when it became really painful is when I did something about it.. don't wait that long.. take care of your body now..

keep us posted :) good luck

Definitely get it checked out. Could be gall bladder. Make sure it is not heart or organ related first. Then go to a chiropractor, may be a rib or spine out of alignment.

I used to have terrible back pain, that radiated around under my breast, and it turned out to be my gallbladder. I'd definitely go tomorrow. Good luck.

Don't get me started on how useless hospitals are...

My husband has been struggling with many different medical issues for a few years now. I've helped him more with my alternative medicine degree and google than the hospital ever did with their expensive tests. Unfortunately most drs just aren't there to actually help you.

I have difficulty getting drs to listen to my concerns about my children. Most of them just don't care, sorry to say. ER drs are the worst because they always act like you're wasting their time.

I agree with the idea of going to a chiropractor. A naturopathic Dr can also be quite helpful.

Have you googled your symptoms? There is so much medical information online now.

I would get it checked out by a doctor in the morning.

To me it sounds like a pinched nerve, I get a pain like that about once a year or so and a chiropractic adjustment will usually help.

BUT - I would still get it checked out by a doctor before that to make sure it's not something else.

I get this all the time, only mine is on the right side. Try a good massage right under the shoulder blade. See if you can get someone to do this for you, but if not, then a hand held massager can help. If you can get the ribs to relax enough, then they should move and go back in. That's what it probably is: a rib that is out of place. If you lie on the floor and someone can walk on your back with hands it might slip back in. You might have to massage the front as well to get both to relax enough for it to go back in. My sister in law gets these too, and I am usually able to walk it back in for her, but mine are really stuck, so my hubby has to rub and rub before he can get it to walk in.

If it is really bad, or you can't get someone to help you, then go to the chiropractor. They may ask you to come back a few times to make sure it is ok and healing right. In the meantime, take some anti-inflammatories, like Ibuprofen or a muscle relaxers if you have any.

I am so sorry for you! I know how badly this can hurt, I have been on the floor in pain several times from this. I hope you feel better really soon.

PS you can't heal it by yourself without help, I have tried and tried and tried. It just doesn't work.

It actually could be muscular because you have small muscles in between your ribs that can be very painful when strained. This happened to me over the winter and they still flare up sometimes. However, I am not a doctor. I think you need to have it checked out today. You don't list your age or other health conditions, but that might be a factor too. The protocol is that for any type of possible chest-related pain lasting more than a few minutes you get checked right away. I see now that you posted last night and it is now morning so perhaps you are getting checked. I felt silly going to the Urgent Care for my chest pain because I was confident it wasn't a heart attack either, but my doctor insisted. And like the others have said, heart attack symptoms in women are very different from heart attack symptoms in men. Better to be safe than sorry. Based on my experience there are so many things it could be related to that I don't know how you could "Google" something. Possibilities include heart, lung, gall bladder and muscular. Good luck.