Stabbing chest pains can come on very suddenly, which can cause a lot of concern for many of us before it disappears quicker than it ever came on.
A doctor has explained three benign reasons why this occurs from time to time in a bid to allay fears of people that may have just experienced this.
Dr Karan Raj, who posts on TikTok as @dr.karanr, has gone viral for his explanations of medical mysteries on a number of occasions and has more than 4.6million followers on his channel.
The NHS doctor has created a number of clips debunking Covid misinformation during the pandemic.
This time, he has tackled the sudden chest pain mystery.
“There are three benign causes for the sharp stabbing pain”, he explains.
“Costochondritis - inflammation of the cartilage that links the ribs to the breastbone - the sternum.
"Pleurisy - inflammation of the tissue between chest and the lung - the pleura. This is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection
“Precordial catch syndrome - we don’t really know the cause of this, but it involves irritation of the intercostal nerves, which are the nerves that run through the chest wall.”
More than 36,000 people have liked the doctor’s clip since it was posted over the weekend - and many viewers have thanked him for reassuring them amid worries over the brief symptoms.
One wrote: “Finally! An explanation for this.”
Another said: “Thank you so much for this. I am completely enlightened.”
A third added: “Thank you for putting my mind at ease.”
In a response to one user, Dr Raj urged people to head to the doctors if the chest pain persists.
When you should phone 999 for chest pains
NHS Scotland says that chest pain can be caused by anything from muscle pain to a heart attack - the experts say that these pains should never be ignored.
And they have listed a number of circumstances when you should consider phoning the emergency services.
These include:
- If the pain feels heavy, pressing or tight
- If the pain last longer than 15 minutes
- If the pain spreads to other parts of your body, such as your arms, back or jaw
- If you have other symptoms, such as breathlessness, nausea, sweating or coughing up blood
- If you are at risk of coronary heart disease - for example, you smoke, are obese or have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.
- If the discomfort is only minor or has resolved, then you should speak to your GP or phone NHS24 on 111.
