Do you know what precordial catch syndrome is? precordial catch syndrome treatment and symptoms? and when to go to the doctor or call 911? Continue reading the following article to find out the precordial catch syndrome in adults.
precordial catch syndrome can occur for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, it do not mean that you have a serious illness and may not be related to your heart.
What Is Precordial Catch Syndrome?
It is a non-dangerous condition in which sharp, stabbing pain occurs in a specific area of the chest and worsens during breathing. Pain attacks last for a few minutes, pain usually occurs on rest, and other symptoms are absent. Fears arising from this syndrome may cause anxiety in the patient.
The syndrome is considered idiopathic. While some believe that the pain may be from the chest wall or due to irritation of the intercostal nerve. Psychological distress is one of the most important risk factors. Since the myocardium is unrelated to this pain, the diagnosis depends on the clinical manifestations.. The differential diagnosis of this condition includes angina pectoris, pericarditis, pleurisy, and chest trauma.
Treatment is usually by reassuring the patient. The prognosis is good. This syndrome was described for the first time in 1955 and is considered relatively common, especially in children aged 6-12 years, and is less common in adults. The incidence is equal between males and females.
What Are The Symptoms Precordial Catch Syndrome?

- precordial catch syndrome usually occurs when a person is at rest, especially if they are in a slouched position or if they are hunched over.
- People have reported feeling sharp, stabbing, or needle-like pain in the chest when breathing. Often a person feels pain below the left nipple.
- The pain, which is not related to eating, usually lasts only for a short time. This can be between 2 seconds and 3 minutes. It can happen once or several times throughout the day.
- Precordial catch syndrome is often exacerbated by deep breathing, but no tenderness in the area. It does not spread to other areas of the chest, like the pain from a heart attack.
- The severity of the pain varies between individuals. Some people experience mild, nagging pain. Other people experience so much pain that it can cause loss or blurring of vision.
- The pain, which tends to cover an area of no more than one or two fingers, suddenly disappears completely.
- People with PCD do not have any other symptoms or physical changes. They will not feel any paleness, redness or wheezing but may feel dizzy from shallow breathing for extended periods. Pulse rate and rhythm remain normal.
The Causes Of Precordial Catch Syndrome
- There is no clear cause for Precordial Catch Syndrome. While the sudden onset of pain may be frightening, it is not caused by a heart attack or lung disease.
- Experts believe that the pain caused by Precordial Catch Syndrome is caused by compression or irritation of nerves in the inner lining of the chest wall.
- Symptoms come and go suddenly, and may begin in the chest wall, ribs, or connective tissue.
- Precordial Catch Syndrome can be caused by a growth spurt, poor posture, or an injury, such as a blow to the chest.
Diagnosis

- Diagnosing Precordial Catch Syndrome in adults can be difficult, as it causes no symptoms other than sharp, sudden pain, which often goes away by the time a person is able to see a doctor.
- Fortunately, Precordial Catch Syndrome is harmless. In most cases, if a child or teen is otherwise healthy, a doctor will be able to diagnose PCS without any tests.
- To diagnose Precordial Catch Syndrome, your doctor will first rule out more serious conditions that can cause chest pain. This includes doing a complete physical exam, listening to the heart and lungs, and checking the chest area for any pain.
- Your doctor will also ask about your medical history and any underlying health problems.
- If your doctor suspects a cause other than Precordial Catch Syndrome, additional tests may be ordered. If you have been diagnosed with Precordial Catch Syndrome, no additional testing is needed.
- If your doctor diagnoses Precordial Catch Syndrome and orders the test, seek a second opinion from another physician to confirm whether the tests are really necessary.
Treatment
- Treatment is not required for Precordial Catch Syndrome, as the pain will resolve on its own and have no lasting health effects.
- There are a few things you can do at home to help ease the pain when it does occur.
Treatment for Precordial Catch Syndrome
Encourage Slow Breathing:
For some people, slow, deep breathing (although it’s painful for the moment) causes the pain to stop afterward. This does not work for everyone, so if your child is not taking deep breaths, you can instead get him to focus on taking small, gentle breaths.
Help Them Sit Down.
Try to get your child to relax and change his position from a reclined or stooped position to sitting upright or standing upright. Encouraging your child to practice good posture, to sit tall with shoulders back, may help prevent PCS from recurring.
Try The Medicine:
If you experience Precordial Catch Syndrome fairly regularly, your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medications to help relieve the pain for the time being. You can get over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medications at your local pharmacy.
Conclusion:
Precordial Catch Syndrome in adults cause real apprehension and anxiety because there are some other pathological conditions similar in terms of the severity of pain and its symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary for the doctor to make a careful analysis to distinguish them.
Most of these cases are due to sensory and psychological causes, the most common of which are the entry of foreign particles into the airways, hepatitis, swallowing of air (for example, intentionally to try to induce belching) and burning liquids, asthma and pneumonia. Pain, on the other hand, may be a physical symptom of panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and hyperventilation syndrome.
The bottom line is that you should consult your doctor whenever you feel you need to ask more questions about your injections. There are no articles or medical texts that can explain everything to you or replace a comprehensive diagnosis carried out by specialists.
Have you ever suffered from frequent chest tingling? Is there any trick you learned that helped you deal with it? Share your experience and tips with us in the comments section.