Chest Muscle Strain, anxiety? Shortness of breath.

jaysanchez4
jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So last Week ( Tuesday ) I did pushups for the first time in almost 2 years WITH my daughter on my back. Now I’m overweight, haven’t exercised and did this. Don’t ask why.

The next night, I noticed I was having some shortness of breath and the right side of my chest is very slightly painful when I press down on it, kind of like a bruise?

Now I don’t know if I’m on the right area to post this but I’ve also been eating terribly lately and since the shortness of breath I’ve been eating better, staying under my calories etc etc. The past few days I’ve deemed this as anxiety and that’s what two doctors told me over the phone. But today I noticed the pain when I press there so I’m wondering, is this a muscle pull in my chest? Causing the shortness of breath mainly at night?

I should also add, the day after the push ups, I was deeply sleeping at 3am and the fire alarm in my condo went off. I shot up and panicked and my shortness of breath started that night.
I’m wondering if the pushups, fire alarm, me eating terribly for weeks, being overweight and all this anxiety has led to, well...anxiety! Or could this shortness of breath be due to a muscle pull on my chest?



Any help will do.

Replies

  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    edited March 2020
    I’ve had this before. Did you warm up before you did the push ups? It could be a strained pec muscle which sometimes can give your chest a tight feeling and lead to shortness of breath due to that muscle being tight and shortening. This usually happens if you go straight into something like that and you’re not properly warmed up and it sounds like you hadn’t done push ups in a long time. Whenever I get this I usually warm up ( jog or jump ropes) until break a sweat and I go into a chest stretch. Look up ‘ stretches for pecs’ and try some of those. It should alleviate it a little if it is a strain. This always works for me.
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    I’ve had this before. Did you warm up before you did the push ups? It could be a strained pec muscle which sometimes can give your chest a tight feeling and lead to shortness of breath due to that muscle being tight and shortening. This usually happens if you go straight into something like that and you’re not properly warmed up and it sounds like you hadn’t done push ups in a long time. Whenever I get this I usually warm up ( jog or jump ropes) until break a sweat and I go into a chest stretch. Look up ‘ stretches for pecs’ and try some of those. It should alleviate it a little if it is a strain. This always works for me.

  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    I haven’t done a push up in almost 2 years and someone challenged me to do 10 with my Daughter on my back and I did it. The next day I had shortness of breath. Mixed with anxiety and everything else.

    I’m wondering though, why do I only feel the extreme shortness at night?

    Thanks for your relly btw !

    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    I’ve had this before. Did you warm up before you did the push ups? It could be a strained pec muscle which sometimes can give your chest a tight feeling and lead to shortness of breath due to that muscle being tight and shortening. This usually happens if you go straight into something like that and you’re not properly warmed up and it sounds like you hadn’t done push ups in a long time. Whenever I get this I usually warm up ( jog or jump ropes) until break a sweat and I go into a chest stretch. Look up ‘ stretches for pecs’ and try some of those. It should alleviate it a little if it is a strain. This always works for me.

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Something ate my reply. I would really advise seeing a doctor in person. I would not take chances.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    gothchiq wrote: »
    Something ate my reply. I would really advise seeing a doctor in person. I would not take chances.

    Thank You, I’m just so nervous to go to the doctors right now because of what’s going on. The fact that I only feel this 95% of the time at night makes me wonder why that is and why I only deeply feel it when i think about it. There’s no pain or tightness, just shortness at night.
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    You should definitely get it checked out first. I went to the doctors for it a few times but I felt tightness and it gave me anxiety. They usually run test like an EKG to rule anything serious out. Mine ended up just being tight muscles from bad posture and using the phone a lot and working out without stretching it. Took a while but I’ve got rid of it by stretches and active release therapy.
    The anxiety would make it ten times worse. Maybe you concentrate on it more at night?
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    You should definitely get it checked out first. I went to the doctors for it a few times but I felt tightness and it gave me anxiety. They usually run test like an EKG to rule anything serious out. Mine ended up just being tight muscles from bad posture and using the phone a lot and working out without stretching it. Took a while but I’ve got rid of it by stretches and active release therapy.
    The anxiety would make it ten times worse. Maybe you concentrate on it more at night?

    Thanks man, it’s just tricky to go to the walk in right now with all that’s going on out there. So I’m trying to see how I can fix this at home through deep breathing and what not. I definitely focus more on it at night because I’m less busy and it’s really all I think about, which really makes me think it’s anxiety.
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    Try taking a tennis ball and rolling on it. Look up ‘ lacross ball pecs.’
    If it is a shortened muscle it would definitely help.
    I know exactly what you mean!
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    Try taking a tennis ball and rolling on it. Look up ‘ lacross ball pecs.’
    If it is a shortened muscle it would definitely help.
    I know exactly what you mean!

    I’m going to check this out! Thanks so much man
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    No problem, hopefully it works! You can usually do it on a wall.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    No problem, hopefully it works! You can usually do it on a wall.

    Did this help with your shortness of breath?
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    Yeah, it did. It’s because mine was due to a shortened pec muscle. I use a lacross ball daily because it helps me stay loose and takes out knots! Anything that’s tight or strained in that area will make breathing harder. Stretching helps a lot too. Just the fact it came right after those push ups is weird and sounds like a strained/tight pec. Especially since you feel tenderness pressing down on it.
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    Yeah, it did. It’s because mine was due to a shortened pec muscle. I use a lacross ball daily because it helps me stay loose and takes out knots! Anything that’s tight or strained in that area will make breathing harder. Stretching helps a lot too. Just the fact it came right after those push ups is weird and sounds like a strained/tight pec. Especially since you feel tenderness pressing down on it.

    Yeah I literally haven’t done a push up in 2 years, I’m overweight and suddenly did 10 hard push ups with my daughter on my back. No stretch whatsoever, I’m assuming this HAS to be related to my shortness of breath, all to relative especially when I press on it, feels like a bruise.

    You’re a tremendous help by the way, just talking to someone about this has been comforting!
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    Yep! It definitely sounds muscular!
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    Yep! It definitely sounds muscular!

    Thank You, hoping this gets better soon! Sorry to disturb so much!
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    No problem! Let me know how it goes.
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    Do you have Instagram?
  • jaysanchez4
    jaysanchez4 Posts: 199 Member
    vmaharaj348 wrote: »
    Do you have Instagram?

    I do!

    @jsanchezzz

    Brown coat in profile pic lol
  • vmaharaj348
    vmaharaj348 Posts: 10 Member
    There’s too many lol
    Add me
    Vimsfitness87
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Costochondritis can cause those symptoms. It's basically a rib cage injury. Treatment for it is NSAIDs.. assuming your kidneys are healthy. Avoid eating before bed.

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