The moment we hear a person say growing pains, our brain instantly equates it with pain in the legs or in the knees of children most of the time. However, at times, even up until adolescence, children may complain of chest pain with growing pains. It’s really a frightening experience for both children and parents because chest pain always has to do with the heart. Fortunately, in most instances, chest pain among children and adolescents is not related to the heart. It’s primarily a growth, muscle, or other harmless cause.
You will learn what growing pains are, why they happen, how you would know whether it’s serious or not, and how you could deal with them better from this blog.
What Are Growing Pains of the Chest?
Growing pains are pains or aches that kids feel as they grow. Growing pains are not a sickness. They’re simply part of growing up.
They’re most often caused inside the chest by:
- Muscles between the ribs
- Cartilage that helps to join the ribs to the breastbone
- Previously unshaped bones of the chest
In contrast to heart-made pain, chest pain experienced during years of growth is not harmful, transient, and dissipates without medicines.
Why Do They Happen?
There are numerous reasons chest pain might happen during years of growth:
- Rapid Growth – Fast muscular and osseous growth that occurs at times has the potential to pull and cause bones and muscles to ache.
- Costochondritis – It is an inflammation of a cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone. It is among the most frequent causes of chest pain in kids and teens.
- Muscle Strain – Heavy backpacks full of books, sports, or repetitive use can lead to chest muscle strain.
- Poor Posture – Slouching forward to work at a desk or phone could be a chest pain.
- Stress and Worry – Stress can lead to stinging pain or tightness all over the chest.
- Infections of the respiratory tract – Cold and cough or flu with cough can lead to the pain in the muscle in the chest.
The majority are not dangerous and resolve with time, rest, and normal care.
Symptoms of Growing Pains in the Chest
Growing pains in the chest will differ from individual to individual. The most frequent symptom is:
- Chest pain, dull ache, or pressure
- Sharp pain on sudden hard breathing
- Occasional pain and not constant
- Worsening of pain by motion or pressure over the area
- Tenderness upon exercising or lifting something heavy
The important thing is, these pains do not usually hinder breathing, make anyone dizzy, or radiate to the arm or jaw. If those are occurring, it may not be growing pains and needs to be evaluated by a doctor.
How to Know if It’s Serious
Most child and adolescent chest pain is not serious, but parents can’t be too cautious. Call a doctor if:
- The pain hurts a lot or is strange
- The child is struggling for air
- The pain radiates to the arm, neck, or jaw
- The child is dizzy or fainting
- Family history of heart condition
- The child has fever, a productive cough, or is very weak
These could be signs of some serious underlying illness like heart disease, asthma, or pneumonia.
Diagnosis: How Doctors Evaluate Chest Pain
When you see your doctor, he/she will question you about the pain—when you developed it, how it is, and what makes it better or worse. Then they may:
- Listen with a stethoscope to the lungs and heart
- Touch the rib muscles and chest for soreness
- If they think it may be something in the bones, get an X-ray
- If needed, obtain an ECG (electrocardiogram) to check heart rhythm
Most of the time, the doctor will determine that the pain is not cardiac but stress, bone, or muscle.
Chest Growing Pains Treatment
Treatment starts after diagnosing the pain. Most of them get better with innocent home self-care. Some of the best practices are:
- Rest – Let the body rest. Steer clear of contact sports or heavy lifting until the pain decreases.
- Warm Compress – A heat pad or a warm washcloth will relax tight chest muscles.
- Pain Relievers – For more severe pain, use over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Good Posture – Sit up straight, do not slouch, and stretch frequently.
- Breathing Exercises – Deep slow breathing will relax the chest.
- Physical Therapy – A physical therapist will prescribe strengthening exercises for the chest if the cause is muscle strain or posture.
Rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, and avoidance of offending activities might be prescribed by physicians when costochondritis is the cause.
Also Read: Wake Forest Dermatology: The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Skin
Life with Chest Growing Pains
The chest pain may be alarming to teenagers and children despite being benign. Parents can do the following:
- Informing them that it is normal and not generally dangerous
- Encouraging light exercise like walking or yoga
- Providing healthy food for bones and muscle
- Helping them cope with tension in the mode of relaxation, hobby, or talk over their feelings
With time, the pains would stop as the body adapts to stretching.
Prevention Tips
Even though you cannot completely prevent growing pains, you can lessen the chance of pain in the chest by:
- Being healthy at a weight to avoid muscles pulling
- Not having heavy backpacks on one shoulder
- Warming up and cooling down before sport
- Slept well in correct posture with a good pillow
- Break regularly away from hours sitting in front of screens
FAQs
Are growing pains in the chest normal?
Yes, in young people and children, they are normal and not usually linked to heart problems.
Do growing pains happen in adults’ chests?
No, growing pains most characteristically occur in children and adolescents. Chest pain in adults always must be investigated by a doctor.
How long do growing pains of the chest last?
They can recur weeks or months but tend to improve as growth slows.
Can worry and stress result in chest pain among teenagers?
Yes, anxiety and stress can produce stab pain or tightening of the chest that is impossible to distinguish from growing pains.
When do I need to worry about chest pain?
If severe, persistent, accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, or radiating to other parts of the body, seek medical help immediately.
Last Thoughts
Developmental chest pains are frightening, but for the most part, a benign phase of the developing body. Probably due to muscle tension, poor posture, or inflamed cartilage, not the heart.
Parents and adolescents need to look out for signs. They should practice simple home care, and see a doctor if there is abnormal or bad pain. With proper care, growing pains in the chest that occur resolve by themselves, and children can grow up and live normally.
