Precordial Catch Syndrome – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Have you ever had an episode of transient, needle like or serrated pain in your chest or near your heart? If yes, then one of the reasons to this ghostly pain of yours can be Precordial Catch Syndrome. It originates with stabbing intense pain in the chest region but can also make a pathway for Anxiety and sometimes anxiety can also lead to the pain. So, it is kind of a two-way road. Precordial means ‘infront of the heart’ and Precordial catch syndrome is also known as Texidor’s twitch. This syndrome is predominantly experienced by older children and young adults and that too mostly when they are sitting in a weird drooped like posture.

History and Facts

• Precordial Catch Syndrome was firstly discovered and studied by Texidor and Miller in 1955.
• In 1975 Sparrow and Bird recognized PCS in healthy people and stated that it is common and under-recognized.
• It goes on its own without treatment but sometimes anti-inflammatory medicin is required to relieve symptoms.
• It is not dangerous condition so nothing to be scared about.

Indicators and Manifestations

There are many signs and symptoms of precordial chest syndrome which can be easily noticed and felt by people themselves. Some of them are mentioned below:

As the name itself suggests, Precordial Chest Syndrome starts with soreness and discomfort in the chest region, mostly on the left side.

The pain does not scatter or defuse itself in different regions or parts of the body but rather stays intact at one particular position that is the chest area. This symptom is all that is required by one person to differentiate between a heart ache and precordial chest syndrome.

Fast breathing and respiring augments the pain to a very high level. So, the best a person can do is to control their breathing or breathe as slowly and calmly as they can.

Sometimes fast and quick movements of the body can also aggravate and intensify the pain. No body movements would make the pain leave your body faster.

The whole period of this needle like sharp pain can either last up to 2-3 minutes or sometimes even for whole one hour. It differs from patient to patient.

Some Of The Other Symptoms Include

• Blurriness
• Anxiety
• Vision loss
• Loss of Breath
• Palpitations
• Syncope

As soon as any of these symptoms are observed, the person must realize what it is and should visit a doctor for the treatment.

Read more on Chest Pain in Women – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Causes

Different diseases and syndromes are caused by different reasons. Precordial Catch Syndrome is originated by compressed, tweaked and irritated nerves in the inner lining or part of the chest walls but not from heart. The signs may be very fast and speedy and they keep coming and going from one moment to another. The symptoms may start from ribs or connective tissues also. Exact reason is unclear, psychological Stress is also one of the factors leading to Precordial Catch Syndrome.

Type Of People Prone To Precordial Catch Syndrome

Though it can grasp your chest and body at any age but mostly it is observed in children from age of 6 to 12 years. Exceptions are always present in every condition, even this syndrome has an exception. It can persist up to teenage years and beyond that too sometimes. Men and women have an equal ratio of being affected by the syndrome.

Complications

• It hurts when one take deep breath, it forces a person to take breath slowly that causes lightheadedness
• Psychological stress
• Anxiety

Ways Of Guarding Yourself From Precordial Catch Syndrome

Shielding yourself from this syndrome is quite easy. People have to do is try and sit straight without slouching or bending. Injuries related to the chest or heart areas should be avoided as much as possible. These might not be able to prevent the syndrome properly but will definitely reduce its intensity. It is sometimes also caused by an outgrown spurt which is non-avoidable or preventable.

Diagnosis

The medical history of the patient and all the other major reasons for chest pains are taken into consideration first. After all the possibilities are ruled out then the doctor checks and examines the patient for Precordial Chest Syndrome. There are no such tests used to detect this syndrome but sometimes Radiography, Echocardiography and Electrocardiography might be carried out by the specialists and doctors to mark the presence of syndrome as positive or negative in the body of a person. Since the syndrome is not very consequential or major, listening to the heart and lungs or a physical examination of the tenderness of the chest and heart can be more than enough and satisfactory too.

Life Expectancy

Though this syndrome is risk free and not very harmful but it can still lessen and reduce your living years. It has a tendency of going away as soon as it comes but sometimes it persists for longer periods of time. Reappearing of the pain is also very common. The expectancy of the life of a person depends on how much care they take or how much they are concerned about themselves and their lives. The lifestyle adopted by a person is a very major factor determining the role and intensity of Precordial Catch Syndrome.

Read more on Chest Pain Left Side – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Treatment

The pain brought by Precordial Catch Syndrome in a person does not need a guard to show it the exit door of a person’s body. It goes by itself and there is no particular treatment for it. Though as mentioned before, avoiding slouching, fast breathing and speedy movement of the body can lead to a faster exit of the pain and irritation. Non prescription medicines can be recommended to relieve pain such as mortin/ibuprofen. Deep and slow breaths are also one of the efficient solutions of this syndrome. Telling the people that the pain is harm less and will go away soon can lead to avoiding psychological stress. Basically, reassurance provided to the person suffering also helps. The doctors also prescribe a pill to reduce the pain if it sustains for longer periods.

Conclusion

Precordial Catch Syndrome does not lead to any major problems in the body. All have to do is staying calm when the pain starts; sit straight so that it will disappear in no time. People face this pain in their early twenties. All the sufferers just wait for your late twenties to come and for the syndrome to leave your body.