There are two such muscles on each side of the sternum (breastbone) in the human body: pectoralisPectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped or triangular convergent muscle, which makes up the bulk of the chest muscle. It lies under the breast. It serves to flex, extend, and rotate the humerus, the long bone of the upper arm. Pectoralis minor is a thin, triangular muscle located beneath the pectoralis major.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Pectoral_muscles
What are the symptoms? The first sensation you feel when the pectoralis major muscle is torn is sudden pain felt in the chest or more commonly, at the front of the armpit. See figure 2 for the most common pain locations. At the same time you may have a sensation of something tearing.
Muscle strain or hernia
Pulling or straining a muscle in your chest can cause pain around your sternum. Common symptoms of a pulled muscle include: pain around the pulled muscle. discomfort when using the affected muscle.
The muscles discussed in this section include the fibers that make up the pectoral muscles: Pectoralis major. Pectoralis minor. Serratus anterior.
Causes. Chest wall pain that is caused by a strained or pulled muscle often happens as a result of overuse. You may have lifted something heavy or injured yourself playing sports. For example, gymnastics, rowing, tennis, and golf all involve repetitive motion and may cause chronic strains.
Causes of a pulled chest muscle
Those with weak chest muscles often injure themselves from heavy lifting, especially if the muscles aren't warmed up first. Females who experience breast pain may be surprised to discover that their discomfort is actually due to a pulled chest muscle.
Treatment for a Broken Sternum
Most sternal fractures heal on their own without splinting or any other treatment. Complete recovery – when all pain is gone – usually takes 8 to 12 weeks.
How is it treated? Treating a bruised sternum often involves waiting for it to heal on its own, which usually takes about two to four weeks, though healing time varies depending on how severe the bruising is.
Symptoms. Patients with a sternal or breastbone injury typically experience a sudden onset of chest pain at the time of injury. Pain is often sharp and intense and may increase during deep breathing, coughing, laughing or sneezing.
Repairing The Muscle
In most cases, a torn pectoral will not heal on its own. Our team will need to perform surgery to reattach the muscle so that you can begin your road to recovery. The operation will involve sewing the muscle back into place on your upper arm.
“Breasts are mostly fat and veins, but they're resting on a muscle,” she explains. Specifically, your pectoralis major muscle, which may be the source of your pain. “You can pull this chest muscle while lifting weights, carrying heavy objects, or even during sudden movement,” she says.
If your chest is painful and tender to touch, it may be caused by a strained muscle in your chest wall. This can be surprisingly painful, but with rest the pain should ease and the muscle will heal in time.
How do I know if my chest pain is serious? Call 911 or have someone take you to the closest emergency room right away if you have chest pain that lasts longer than five minutes and doesn't go away when you rest or take medication. Cardiac chest pain can be life-threatening. Chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack.
If the muscles and bones of your chest wall have been strained or injured in some way, any type of movement of your torso can cause pain. As a result, you may experience chest pain while you are sleeping, particularly if you frequently change positions or fall asleep on your chest.
The most common form of treatment is simply to rest and allow the break to heal. During this time, ice the chest area to treat both swelling and pain. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
In most cases, a broken sternum will heal on its own. It can take 3 months or longer for the pain to go away. The doctor has checked you carefully, but problems can develop later. If you notice any problems or new symptoms, get medical treatment right away.
If your problem is just with your actual sternum, you may feel better with rest, gentle stretching, and anti-inflammatory medications. But if there are other issues, you might need prescription medications, joint injections, or surgery.
Sternum pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles and bones near the sternum and not the sternum itself. Pain felt just behind or below the sternum is called substernal pain and is sometimes caused by gastrointestinal problems. Some of the most common causes of sternum and substernal pain are: costochondritis.
Chest pain on the left side above a female breast may be due to heartburn, a panic attack, gallbladder disease, gallstones, peptic ulcer and pneumonia.
The terms pulled muscle and muscle strain refer to an injury that involves an overstretched or torn muscle. A person with a muscle strain in the chest may experience sudden, sharp pain in this area. Although uncomfortable, a strained chest muscle is usually a minor injury that tends to heal within days or weeks.