what is this side chest pain

Member

A couple times recently when I've been getting near the end of my 'long' run I start to get a pain in my right side, probably 5-6 inches below my arm pit and a bit more towards the center of my chest, but definitely somewhere inside my rib cage. The pain happens when I exhale but not inhale. This happens after about 45 minutes of running. It feels like something deep inside; could it be something to do with my lung or just muscular?
thanks
gocubbies

Kermitologist

cramps? side stiches?

dunno

Gone Fishin

Sounds like a classical "stitch"... real common with distance running. The general consesus is it comes from a fatigued diaphram. Typically it happens with new runners or during a real strenuous run like a race or speedwork or possibly on a long run like you mention.

There's a few things you can do. One is to combat the fatigue of your breathing by conciously changing where you breathe in your stride. If you take a moment and focus in on where you inhale in relation to which foot is striding forward, then change it so you are inhaling when the opposite foot is striding forward. This can sometimes break the repetitiveness of what's fatiguing your diaphram.

If that doesn't work, poke at it. Literally. Pushing a couple fingers, hard under your ribcage right at where the stitich is coming on is often enough to get the blood flowing there and really does help. Push in for a count of five or even more, and do it a dozen times if necessary. This is probably the most common way to get past it.

And the last ringer is to simply stop and bend over at the waist like you are going to tie your shoe. This "crinkling" over of the diaphram, again gets it out of it's fatigued rhythm and does the trick to cure the stitch.

Aside from fatigue, sometimes a side stitch can be triggered by too much in your stomach or too little. Water sloshing in your stomach or dehydration. So there's a few things to learn about yourself and whether it's a cause. Most likely though, it's simply fatigue. As you run more and your endurance increases, the stitches will subside. Mr. Green

Member

No it's not the typical side stitch. It's higher up and more specific, centralized. Where a side stitch feels like the size of a dollar bill, this pain feels more like a quarter or so. Like I said it's higher up, like it's in my lung or something.
thanks

Gone Fishin

Near your heart at all?

Excelent

If its on the right side of the chest in the rib cage, its not cardiac. Any type of cardiac related ailment would occur on the left side the chest.

Does this pain radiate or cause any type of numbness the extremities specifically the left arm?

Do you have or have you ever had any breathing related problems?

If this continues, I suggest seeing a doctor, and maybe even a pulmonary specialist.

The Pinball

jrjo just gave the best cure for sidestitch i've ever read!

it could be a muscle spasm of some sort, however, i would for sure see a doctor just to rule anything serious out.

Member

Thanks for all the replies folks, but it's definitely right side, between arm pit and nipple (if I remember correctly) not a side stitch, only hurts when I exhale. No, none of the classical heart attack symptoms, no radiation or anything.
Thanks again.

Member

It is possible that you pulled one of your intercostal <sp?> muscles (the muscles inbetween your ribs) and that it is getting fatigued on your long runs. Enhale would stretch it and exhaust would contract it. dunno

Member

Here's an interesting article on side stitch:

http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/1611.html

Interesting... could be your gall bladder's sagging...

Oh wait... arm pit and nipple... between... noooooo that's a funny gall bladder...

my boys could swim

Member

I had the same exact pain for a few hours then i couldn't breathe but it was on my left side, i went to the ER and my left lung collapsed. 30 days off sadly

Member

what is this side chest pain

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