Popping or clicking sensation in my chest

Hey everyone, what's up?

So, here's the deal... I'm 17, standing about 5'5" or 5'6"... yeah, basically short 😢 😢
I don't smoke, I'm an athlete and all that... but lately, I've been getting this weird clicking sensation right in the middle of my chest/lungs area. It’s super annoying—like, I'll be lying in bed and try to shift positions, and then I get this nasty feeling in my lungs until it finally "clicks," and only then does everything feel normal again. (Kind of like that popping thing you get in your knee, you know?) Anyway, it’s starting to really bug me... Has anyone else dealt with this, or does anyone know what I should do?? 😕

Thanks in advance! 🙂

The only actual advice worth taking is just hitting up your primary care doctor, since they're the ones who'll actually tell you what the hell to do next.

Oh, I’m definitely gonna pull the trigger on that eventually—I just wanted to check if anyone here had already run into this mess first!

Thanks anyway!

What’s actually going on in your chest? When you hear that popping sound, does it feel more like a bone or a joint clicking? That shouldn't be happening in your lungs—could it be your spine, making it feel like it's coming from your chest area?

I happen to know a young guy who deals with this exact kind of... let’s call it "pinched" sensation you're describing—it bothers him just enough that he has to constantly shift around in his chair to get that satisfying, albeit questionable, "pop" just to feel right again.
Honestly, it sounds pretty revolting when you put it that way, but he insists he's done the whole rounds—seeing various specialists and getting himself checked out—and they all told him it’s nothing to worry about, perfectly normal even. Oh, and by the way, he's on the shorter side too. I suppose I'm not entirely sure how much any of that actually correlates. 🤷

It’s not my spine—I’d definitely feel it if it was—it’s more like... right in the middle, somewhere between my lungs? So maybe it’s a rib or something, but tucked right in there between the lungs... and honestly, whenever I cough or something, it hits way harder on the right side than the left side......

Sophia Wells72 said:I know this younger guy who gets this weird 'pinched' feeling right where you're describing—it bugs him just enough that he has to shift around in his chair until he hears that satisfying little "crack," and then he’s good to go.
Look, I know, sounds totally gross to hear about, but he swears he’s been to photographers, videographers, and all sorts of specialists, and they all tell him it’s nothing—just perfectly normal. Oh, and by the way, he's also on the shorter side. Honestly, I have no clue if any of that actually matters or if it's just random. 🤷

Yeah, it’s exactly like you said... It’s driving me absolutely insane, and honestly, it sucks because I feel like I’m constantly slouching, damn it... 🤣

Anyway... I'll probably head to my doctor sometime this week and we'll see what happens. Either way, thanks! 🙂

Kyle Kim4 said:It’s not my spine, I can feel it... right in the middle between my lungs, so maybe it's a rib or something right there in the chest cavity... But when I cough hard, it hits the right side way more than the left......

I get that exact same popping sensation in the right side of my chest. Wondering what the hell that actually is.
What's the doctor saying about it? Is this even normal?...

I get this weird, uncomfortable sensation right in my chest area. It’s like... I just instinctively pull my chest inward, trying to catch a deep breath, and then—*crack*. Just this sickening popping sound. Like all those little bones and cartilage are snapping together at once. Honestly? It sounds revolting. It feels like someone is literally breaking my ribs from the inside.

I dealt with this exact issue a few years back, and let me tell you, it was an absolute marathon—we’re talking months of pure misery. There were stretches where the pain was so debilitating I could barely move, let alone perform basic movements like bringing my arms together in front of my chest.

It turns out I was dealing with what's known as sternum pain. I managed to trigger it by overdoing it during some ring dips at the local gym; I went way too deep with far too many reps and, predictably, managed to strain a ligament or something similar in the process.

Eventually, I managed to fully resolve the problem through a lot of swimming. I spent my summers at the lake and my winters at the local pool, using the water to basically rehabilitate myself, which worked wonders because today I am completely pain-free. I can tackle any exercise, including those same damn ring dips, as if nothing ever happened, despite how excruciatingly painful everything used to be.
Hopefully, this bit of info helps someone else out there.