Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Breastplate Pain

Hi Everyone,

I have become increasingly aware of pain in what I would call the breastplate. I'm sure it has a more technical name (Sternum ???) , but you know where I mean !.

Anyhow, It started with a sharp pain and a 'click' if I sneezed or coughed. I learned that if I held my chest as I coughed/sneezed the pain would be lesser and I wouldn't get the 'click'

In the last week or so the pain has worsened and has now become a constant stab which is very sore if I push it. Deep breathes and any form of upper body movement causes strong pain.

Other than that, my normal flare points of shoulder, neck and hip are much improved since I started a Low Starch Diet.

Has anyone else experienced this breastplate thing ?

Thanks

David.

David,

the ribs are attached to the breastbone by cartilage/joints, and these are inflamed. Practise deep breathing exercises to maintain chest expansion and lung capacity. Hopefully as the diet continues to work it will pass away. I see that Amber UK has also just posted on this subject - it's called costochondritis.

They also serve who have to use a straw

Edited by bilko on 11/28/02 09:12 AM (server time).

Hi David

From what you describe, I would have similar symptons but with the addition of pain in the sternum if I was to lie face down on the floor or a semi-hard surface like a exercise mat. My problem is when I go to get up, the sternum just seems to lock and it take a fews moments for it to come back into shape and can be very uncomfortable and painful.

What I have discovered is that a good backward stretch on a large Gym ball is a great help. I posted "A GOOD STRETCH" in the helpful tips section which might give you a bit more insight.

Hope this can be of help

Ken

Don't let it grind you down

Hi David,
This is actually one of the first signs of me having AS, but we didn't know it at the time.
When I was a teenager I kept getting the diagnosis of costochondritis, but we could never figure out why.
We finally figured it all out when I got my AS diagnosis is 97-98. This is how my doctor concluded that I had AS since I was young and all the other problems that arose in time such as the TMJ, knee problems etc...were all tied in. It wasn't until my spine and hips got involved that they gave it a name.
Remember to do the breathing exercises which are important to keep the expansion to the max, even though I know it can be painful at times.
Glad to hear that the diet is helping you. I'm still working on it, but so far no luck. I am not giving up though.
Take care and Happy Thanksgiving.
Lisa

David, not only do I experience it my chest is caving in on itself so when I sneeze or cough it makes my whole body scream....swimming and deep breathing exercises works best to cut this down but for me it has never totally gone away......hang in there ....oak

I am older then I look and I feel older than I am

I experience some clicking in my sternum as well. I first had problems with my chest about 2 years ago. It got to the point where I couldn't really lay on my back comfortably at all. I also begen to get occasional heart palpitations around this time.

Since then I've taken a homeopathic approach with supplements, yoga and the NSD/LSD. My chest still clicks, but is much stronger and is slowly healing since I've been able to keep myself out of flare. I can lay on my back with no problem, and have been off of NSAIDs (not counting post-wisdom-tooth removal) for over 1.5 years.

I still get heart palpitations, however, and that has moved up to #1 priority to eliminate now that I know how to keep my AS under control.

Has anyone else had heart palpitations associated with their AS? I've had tests done and there is nothing wrong with my heart whatsoever. It just seems like now and then a ligament or a rib rubs a nerve the wrong way and sends some extra juice in there, messin up the whole works for a bit. I've never had one last more than 15 minutes (heard of people that have these for hours, poor souls) but it is a bit freaky and in my case almost impossible to see coming. I know that heart "block" is listed as a side effect of AS, but this doesn't fit those symptoms.


That's my chest story. =)

Cody.

yes I do suffer chest pains(palpations) didn't know what was causing it until my GP dx'd me with AS so he gave me a script for nitrostat which helps when the pains get real bad..and yes it is nitroglycerine same stuff they give for heart attacks but it does work....oak

I am older then I look and I feel older than I am

Hi Cody,
I started having chest pain 3 years ago. To my horror I woke up one morning with chest pain with no warning. As the morning progressed, I ended up with a "squeezing : pain in the chest. Naturally I went to the docs. and over a period of weeks, I had all sorts of tests that showed that there was nothing wrong with my heart. I also get the clicking thing, and lying on my back was O.K but the left side was terrible (thats when the clicking was the worst) Anyway, after all the tests the docs. decided I had panic disorder(probably because they don't know much about AS) I still get the palpitations sometimes and just weird chest ickys. I've tried to explain the clicking and the doc. looks at me like I have 2 heads! Don't despair though, mine has actually got less painful(more than likely most of my ribs are probably fused now) I also used to get very breathless when the clicking and pain were the worst. Good luck and I hope it abates soon.


Cheers. Irene

There is always someone worse off than me!

YES!!!!

AND, I thought it was a heart attack, or something bursting out of my chest like the Alien, etc....scary....I still get it, the bone hurts to the touch, it usually happens when I have breathing problems during a flare....

It can drive me insane!! But now I know it is AS related, and I try to do deep breathing exercises even when sitting on the subway...

Peace
Linc

Linc O'Brien

Hi Cody,

Yes, I've had heart palpitations for many years and never once thought they were associated with AS. In fact, they started many years before the AS symptoms, and I was thoroughly checked out, but everything was normal. They don't happen very often, only last a few minutes, and don't hurt badly. I used to get them more often back in the days when I was exercising alot. Prednisone also made them worse.

This is the first I've heard of heart problems with AS. Does anyone know what causes it?
Thanks,
Megan