Chest pain above the sternum

I need some help here, everyone. 😢

I'm rushing off to work, so this might come out a bit messy: For about a week now, I've been feeling this sharp, stabbing sensation just above my chest, specifically on the right side. It’s most noticeable whenever I cough or sneeze. I went to see my primary care physician, but she insists everything looks fine. Despite that, the pain hasn't gone away, so I'm thinking about booking an appointment with a specialist at a private clinic to get a second opinion. The only problem—and this is where I feel a bit lost—is that when I call the clinic and they ask which type of specialist I need to see, I have absolutely no clue what to say. 😵 So, the receptionist basically snapped at me because I didn't have the exact name of who I needed to speak with, and then she just hung up on me. Unbelievable. 😲 (Even though I told her exactly where the pain was—just above my chest and everything...) Now, I honestly don't have the energy to call them back again. 😢Alright, I'm asking for some guidance here—does anyone know which specialist I should see to get this checked out? If you have any inkling of what might be going on, please let me know (I do suffer from allergies, by the way). Thanks in advance to everyone.🙂...

Allergies...
It could just be the very first sign of anaphylaxis..
1. Stage one.. You mentioned coughing and some chest tightness,
Is it feeling like you're suffocating? Are you having trouble breathing at all?

It might just be a standard reaction..
It doesn't necessarily have to be anything serious..

David Smith4 said:Allergies...
It could be the very onset of anaphylaxis..
1. Stage one.. You mentioned coughing and chest pains,
Are you choking? Is your breathing labored?..

It might just be a standard reaction..
It doesn't necessarily have to be anything serious..

Thanks for getting back to me,
I'm not choking, and honestly, allergy pills haven't done a damn thing for me. Maybe a better way to describe it is "stabbing pains above my chest on the left side"... alright, who should I actually see for this? Which specialist should I book? I'd really like to avoid dealing with that rude lady at the front desk again.🤣

Thanks for the reply,
Don't lecture me—I'm staying far away from allergy pills because they haven't done a damn thing for me yet. Maybe a better way to describe it would be... that sharp stabbing sensation just above my chest, on the left side. So, who's actually the best person to go see for that? I mean, what kind of specialist should I look for? I'd really love to avoid running into that one lady at the front desk again.

Hey, don't start lecturing me just yet... though it might start soon. You could probably see anyone, really. I'd guess maybe an allergist or an immunologist..
Just watch out so you don't end up with hives—you know, those red welts all over your body. There's a bit more detail below regarding anaphylaxis... you really shouldn't mess around with this stuff. I barely made it out myself once.

Symptoms:
1. Stage
- Itchy skin, redness
- Coughing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Nausea
2. Stage
- Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Dizziness
- Loss of consciousness/altered mental state
3. Stage
- Dilated pupils
- Anxiety
- Fear/Panic
- Respiratory collapse
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Coma (complete loss of consciousness)

Resuscitation:

Treatment for someone in anaphylactic shock depends entirely on which stage they've reached. If someone experiencing anaphylaxis doesn't get immediate medical help, it can be fatal. Nowadays, you can actually get emergency kits prescribed for people with severe allergies. These kits typically contain Solu-Medrol, Dexamethasone, and epinephrine.
1. Level One Resuscitation
The first level applies to the initial stage of anaphylaxis. The patient is given Solu-Medrol and Dexamethasone via 0.5 mg ampules injected into the gluteal muscle. This process is repeated every 5 to 10 minutes until the person starts coming out of the anaphylaxis.
2. Level Two Resuscitation
The second level begins during the second phase of anaphylaxis if the person arrives in that condition or if the first stage of resuscitation fails. In this case, the dosage of Solu-Medrol and Dexamethasone is increased, and epinephrine is prepared. If the patient hasn't responded after the Solu-Medrol and Dexamethasone doses, epinephrine is administered.
3. Level Three Resuscitation
The final stage is for the last phase of anaphylaxis. Epinephrine is administered—0.5 ml at a 1:1000 dilution (0.5mg)—intramuscularly into either the deltoid or the quadriceps (since those muscles have great blood flow), though it can also be given directly into the heart. Epinephrine can be administered this way every 10 minutes. For children, the dose is 0.1 mg/kg. In cases of severe hypotension that doesn't respond to epinephrine, volume needs to be replaced through IV infusions (like a plasma expander or 0.9% saline via rapid infusion). Once the epinephrine is given, diphenhydramine is administered at 25-50 mg, along with H2 blockers and corticosteroids (methylprednisolone). If there is bronchospasm that doesn't react to that therapy, a bronchodilator inhaler is used alongside other emergency medical procedures to ensure the airways stay open.
EPINEPHRINE NEEDS TO BE GIVEN INTRAMUSCULARLY SO THAT MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION IS REACHED WITHIN JUST 5 MINUTES!
If an IV line is already available, the medication should be given directly intravenously, but don't waste time searching for one! When giving it intravenously, it should be a 0.5 ml bolus at a 1:10,000 dilution. This is vital when dealing with cardiac arrest during anaphylaxis!

Thanks, I scheduled my appointment for this afternoon at 6:00 PM, so we'll see what they find. For me, a cough isn't really a primary symptom, but if I sneeze or cough, I feel this sharp, stabbing pain on my right side. Thanks for the help... I'm really hoping it's not what you described 🙂

First things first... No, I wouldn't dream of it... What you experienced wasn't even a severe allergic reaction, let alone anaphylaxis, so please, everyone, let's avoid making things sound worse than they are...
Additionally, what David Smith4 wrote was quite muddled; please don't take this the wrong way, but his algorithm isn't exactly accurate... though that isn't really the point. Regarding that chest pain, she described it as stabbing, pressure, or burning... how intense was the pain? How long did it last? There could be several factors at play, so I won't list them all here...

Sam Hall15 said:First things first, no, there is absolutely no way that what you experienced was even a severe allergic reaction, let alone anaphylaxis, so please, everyone, stop speculating wildly about this...
Secondly, what David Smith4 wrote is pretty muddled. Don't take this personally, but his logic is flawed—it's just not accurate. But that's beside the point; regarding that chest pain, she described it as stabbing, pressure, burning... What was the intensity? How long did it last? It could be a dozen different things, and I won't list them all here...

I went in for testing, but they didn't find anything... my doctor's theories are basically

1. That it's due to the HVAC system at my workplace
2. Or perhaps poor posture leading to reduced lung capacity (though I'm not sure if these theories are just guesses because she can't figure out what's actually wrong with me)...

...so, it feels like a stabbing sensation. For instance, when I lie down in bed at night, it "jolts" me on that side, and if I cough, I feel it too... if I press on the right side of that specific spot, I feel pain that isn't present on the left side... it's brief; if I cough, I feel that sharp sting for just a few seconds and then it's gone. I don't know what other tests to run; I've already had scans for my lungs and sinuses. Tomorrow, I'm seeing a different specialist at Firefly, simply because I already have the referral. I just need to talk it through with someone else...

That kind of pain description is quite typical for what we call anxiety-related pain. It’s common among people who are more sensitive to physical sensations... however, just to be safe if you're feeling uneasy about it, it wouldn't hurt to get an EKG, a chest X-ray, and some basic blood work done. Do you deal with any stomach issues, like heartburn or gastric pain?

Sam Hall15 said:That kind of pain description is classic for what people call anxiety-induced pain. Basically, those who are more prone to autonomic instability experience it this way. But just to be safe, if the pain is worrying you, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get an EKG, a chest X-ray, and some basic blood work done. Are you dealing with any stomach issues, like heartburn or gastric pain?

Physically, I’m perfectly fine, but I have dealt with some mental health struggles—specifically anxiety and panic attacks—so that’s definitely a possibility... thanks.😉

First things first—no, I’m not even being hyperbolic here—what you experienced wasn't even a severe allergic reaction, let alone anaphylaxis. So, folks, please, let's not get ahead of ourselves with the terminology...
And secondly, what David Smith4 wrote there is a bit of a mess—don't take this the wrong way, but his "algorithm" isn't exactly accurate. Not even close, really. But hey, that's not even the main point; that chest pain she described—was it stabbing, pressure, burning...? How intense was it? How long did it last? There are so many variables involved that I won't even start listing them all right now...

That info above comes from the Emergency Medical Procedure manual by Dr. Van Dijk.
She had symptoms that could point toward an allergy...
Anyway, this is how we treat and handle anaphylaxis here in the States...
Anaphylaxis doesn't necessarily have to show every single symptom before the reaction hits...
I'm no doctor, obviously, but I've studied anaphylaxis extensively—plus, I actually went through it once myself and barely made it out. That experience is really what drove me to dive deep into studying it...

But okay... whatever. You probably know more about this than I do... Hehe... at the end of the day, the goal is just to help whoever is asking for it... cheers.

Oh, I suppose everything happens for a reason... 😁
If you'd like, I can send over some helpful links regarding anaphylaxis...

Well, maybe... who knows? I might just stumble onto something new this way... thanks!