Migrating pain...

So, about a month ago, I got hit with this insane stabbing pain right in my chest—left side. It felt like someone was literally twisting a knife in me for like 15 minutes straight. It was terrifying. Once that sharp part died down, it turned into this dull ache that started migrating to my back, right around the shoulder blade. That lasted a couple of days, mostly hitting me in the mornings or whenever I moved too much. Now, the pain has shifted over to the right side and back near the other shoulder blade. It’s not totally unbearable, more like that annoying muscle ache you get when you sit under an AC vent too long, but still... weird. I actually went to see two different cardiologists because I was convinced my heart was giving out. They ran four different EKGs, checked my blood work, did an ultrasound, even a chest X-ray. Everything came back perfectly normal. They told me it's just lingering myalgia—basically just muscle pain. But honestly, this has been dragging on for a month now and the pain keeps wandering all over my back. I'm only 26, so I don't know. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of wandering pain?
Thanks in advance

I guess I’m dealing with the exact same thing. I’m 17, I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I stay pretty active. I played basketball from when I was eight all the way until last June. Back in early January 2009, I started feeling this pain in the left side of my chest; it lasted for maybe two weeks before settling down, but then it would just flare up again whenever I did anything physically intense. Since then, the pain has sort of wandered around—moving from my chest to my shoulder blade, under my neck, and into my back, though it’s always relatively mild. Right now, though, I can feel it on the right side of my chest. I’ve actually been to the doctor twice, but both times they just told me everything seems perfectly normal, nothing to worry about, and suggested I just try to avoid stress. It’s not like I lead a particularly high-stress life or anything. Does anyone happen to know more about this, or perhaps someone could offer some actual professional insight?

Chest pain and general discomfort in the thoracic region is one of those top reasons people end up at the doctor’s office. It makes sense why folks freak out; you're dealing with the area housing your heart and lungs, after all. But here is the thing: pain doesn't always equal a crisis. The intensity of the sensation isn't actually a reliable gauge for how serious the situation is—you can have excruciating pain that turns out to be nothing, or vice versa. Generally speaking, causes fall into a few buckets: cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, GI, musculoskeletal, or "other." Usually, a doctor will run a standard cardiology screening first just to rule out anything life-threatening. If that clears, they might move on to pulmonology or GI tests depending on the symptoms. I should point out, though, that more often than not, we're looking at musculoskeletal issues. Given certain ages or activity levels, things like disc herniations aren't usually the culprit here, nor is it typically the chronic issues seen in much older patients. Often, it's just something like an intercostal muscle spasm. That said, if the pain persists, don't let them brush you off—insist on further testing.

Sarah Reed3 said:So, about a month ago, I got this intense stabbing pain right near my heart, on the left side of my chest. It was brutal—felt like being stabbed with a knife—and lasted about 15 minutes. After that sharp part stopped, I was left with this dull ache in my chest that spread to my back near my shoulder blade. That stinging sensation hung around for about two weeks before moving to the center, just below my neck. That lasted two days and mostly hit me in the morning or whenever I moved around. Now, the pain has migrated to my right side and back by the shoulder blade again. It’s not unbearable, more like that nagging ache you get when you catch a draft or a chill. I actually went to see two different cardiologists because I was terrified it was my heart, but I've had four EKGs and everything looks fine. The doctors listened to my heart and everything sounds perfect. My blood work is clean, my echocardiogram is clear, and my chest X-ray came back normal too... They told me it's just prolonged myalgia. But I really wanted to see if anyone here knows anything about this, because this has been going on for a month now and the pain keeps wandering around my back..... I'm 26 years old...
Thanks in advance

I can think of two things here: either you're dealing with massive stress from some tough life stuff and it's manifesting physically, or you've got a pinched nerve in your spine causing all that radiating pain.

fadedmarlin402 said:Chest pain and general discomfort in the ribcage area are probably among the most common reasons people end up at the doctor's office. It makes sense that folks get spooked, given that you've got all your vital cardiovascular and respiratory organs sitting right there. That said, pain doesn't always have a direct link to something life-threatening. I suppose the intensity of the ache isn't really a reliable indicator of how serious things are either; a sharp, intense pain might be nothing, while something dull could potentially be significant. Generally speaking, causes for chest pain fall into categories like cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, or just other miscellaneous issues. Usually, a doctor will run a standard cardiology screening first just to rule out anything critical. From there, they might move on to pulmonology or GI tests if it seems necessary. I should probably point out, though, that more often than not, we’re looking at musculoskeletal issues. Given his age and activity level, I doubt it's anything related to spinal disc issues or those typical ailments that tend to plague older patients. It could very well just be an intercostal muscle spasm or something similar. Anyway, if the sensation persists, I'd say insist on getting further testing done...

Thanks, you've calmed my nerves a bit.

So, does this mean it's just supposed to clear up on its own? Now I'm left wondering if I should be taking it easy or if I ought to push myself harder physically.