Bubble in your chest that doesn't move and is a very sharp pain?

GERD ?

(Gastro-Esophogeal Reflux)

Sounds like the most likely explanation. Sometimes it is stress related.

I had similar experiences my Doc chalked it up to angina. Either way I would discuss these episodes with your doctor.

http://www.medicinenet.com/angina/article.htm
What is angina, and what are the symptoms of angina?

Angina (angina pectoris – Latin for squeezing of the chest) is chest discomfort that occurs when there is a decreased blood oxygen supply to an area of the heart muscle. In most cases, the lack of blood supply is due to a narrowing of the coronary arteries as a result of arteriosclerosis.

Angina is usually felt as:

* pressure,

* heaviness,

* tightening,

* squeezing, or

* aching across the chest, particularly behind the breastbone.

This pain often radiates to the neck, jaw, arms, back, or even the teeth.

Patients may also suffer:

* indigestion,

* heartburn,

* weakness,

* sweating,

* nausea,

* cramping, and

* shortness of breath.

Angina usually occurs during exertion, severe emotional stress, or after a heavy meal. During these periods, the heart muscle demands more blood oxygen than the narrowed coronary arteries can deliver. Angina typically lasts from 1 to 15 minutes and is relieved by rest or by placing a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue. Nitroglycerin relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Both rest and nitroglycerin decrease the heart muscles demand for oxygen, thus relieving angina.

@Cruiser: There are definitely some similarities, but unless angina is instantly relieved by burping, I don’t think that’s it. I’ll still bring it up if I remember though, so thanks for the suggestion.

Heartburn, my dear. When you are stressed, eat smaller meals, chew more, avoid fatty foods, acidic foods, spicy foods, chocolate and mint. Try several antacid tabs to see whether they provide some relief.

If yes, google GERD and note where the esophagus empties into the stomach. There is a little gate there that may not shut properly.

Another trick is to not eat for several hours before you lie down.

Precordial Catch Syndrome
Also known as Texidor’s Twinge. It’s benign.

“Texidor’s Twinge” would make a great title for a children’s book.

@gailcalled: But I’ve had heartburn, and this is very different. I can literally feel the bubble shifting around. Plus, antacids haven’t helped; I tried them when I first started having it years ago when I was 14, but antacids do help when I have what I recognize to be heartburn.

@Rarebear: The breathing in and out part of that article is sort of correct. But when I take deep, even breaths, like I said up there, I can feel it shifting, like the air is pushing it out of the way or something. Breathing in and out hurts a lot, but (and this might make no sense), it’s the part in between the inhale and the exhale, when I’m pretty much holding my breath, that I feel relief for a second or two. Yet holding my breath doesn’t work; it’s only for that second.

Is it possible that it really is just a strange manifestation of a normal bout of gas?

@Rarebear: @poofandmook mentioned that the sensation was strong in the middle of the bra area. That’s where I have heartburn problems. It is mid-line at the top of the breast bone and then can move up the esophagus.

And I should add that my symptoms got progressively worse when I started taking Actonel for Osteoporosis. I have now cut out the med. and eat more kale and exercise more. But you’re much too young for that.

@gailcalled: Right, it never moves, and it doesn’t have that acidic burn. It feels like a knife being twisted right in that spot. Never anywhere else.

@gailcalled You have reflux. @poofandmook has PCC. Her story is classic. The reason why it hurts when she breaths is that it’s thought that PCC is caused by a mild inflammation or “catch” in the pleura. When she breathes the pleura moves, causing the sensation of the “catch” to move. Like I said, it’s benign. Taking an Advil might help.

@Rarebear: Okay, that makes sense… but it’s not on the left side; it’s dead center. And the only way I’ve ever been able to get rid of it is to force burping… or if I feel like waiting a while, taking a gas-x. Would that still be the same thing?

@poofandmook. Hm. Then @gailcalled may be right—you may have heartburn.

It might also be a hiatal hernia that you feel in your chest. Your symptoms are fairly consistent with that as a possibility. Burping may alleviate the accumulation of air, thus allowing the part of the hernia that is now in your chest to recede to your abdomen (below the diaphragm). Obviously, this is speculative, and people with hiatal hernias often have GERD as well, so the best solution is to discuss this with your doctor, who can arrange for testing as needed.

I loves them doctors on Fluther – you guys are great!

@shilolo: I had a ct scan of my stomach last May when I got into a car accident to check for internal bleeding, and it was just about 2 inches below where this pain shows up. Would a hiatal hernia have come up on the ct scan? If so, then I don’t have one as the ct scan was completely clear.

@poofandmook Not necessarily.

I always just attributed it to gas. It was only after I realized that nobody ever had the same thing that I gave it any thought.

@poofandmook As you heard, the answer is no. If the diaphragmatic hernia is small, and the stomach part is not present in the chest at that time, it wouldn’t be seen. A barium swallow is typically done for this diagnosis ± upper endoscopy. Again, this is purely speculative. Best to talk with your doctor.