Constant twitching & spasms in chest area
 

Hello, everyone! I'm so glad I found this site. I'll try to make this short:

For the past month I have been feeling what seems like fluttering or twitching sensations in my chest. I finally went to the doc complaining of these symptoms...which I really believed were not heart related. However, once I did go to the doc with complaints of fluttering or twitching in chest, the first thing she did was order an ekg, which was normal. She also gave me a holter moniter, which did show pvc's. However, the cardio doc that reviewed them said the pvc's were within normal limits. The cardio doc also ordered an echocardiogram, which I should have the results of tomorrow. Cardio doc was pretty confident that the spasming/twitching feeling I was experiencing is not heart-related, and ordered an echocardiogram for peace of mind.

So now, God willing, the results will be in tomorrow with no abnormalities or concerns. Oh, I forgot to mention that when I presented to my doc the first time I went in to her with my spasming/twitching complaints in the chest, she did a little exam and probing and found that I had costochondritis....she barely touched a rib and the pain was just about unbearable! (Could there be a correlation between costochondritis and twitching/spasming in the chest area/upper abdomen???)

Anyway, my question is: Has anyone ever experienced or heard of such a thing of constant twitching or spasming in the chest/upper abdomen? Also, if I press right under my rib cage when I am experiencing these symptoms, it seems as thought the spasming stops...I believe.

I have no other symptoms of abdominal problems at all. As a matter of fact, I did have a CAT scan as a result of an elevated liver ensyme and then a subsequent MRI because radiologist found a hemangioma on the liver and wanted a better picture. Hemangioma turned out to be benign.

Again, I'm a healthy person, I exercise four to five times a week, and I am very happy and not stressed out or depressed or anything. However, this constant twitching in chest is kind of stressing me out a bit. It is uncomfortable and annoying.

Thank you for any response if anyone has an idea of what I am experiencing.

Aloha

Chest Pain from Myofascial Trigger Points
 

Hi,
If there are no symptoms of heart disease, check muscles!
Your Chest symtoms may be coming from Myofascial Trigger Points.
Myo = Muscle
Fascial= Connective tissue
I treat trigger points for a living and have had presentations the same as yours.
Take a look at this web page and see if any of the pain/sensation patterns match yours.
http://www.triggerpoints.net/_sgg/m1m3_1.htm

Look under "Front of Chest Pain"

If so, a Body Worker - Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist, Massage Therapist may be able to help you.
You should look at any perpetuating factors like diet, how do you work out, do you stretch out, drink enough water ect..?
Feel free to contact me for more information.
Best Wishes

electrolytes...
 

Sometimes when your calcium/magnesium ratio is off, you can get twitching.

I get one in my diaphram that feels like a fish flopping in my chest.

If you are low in calcium intake, or very low in magnesium, the muscles do a dance of sorts. So you could try to balance that out.

The Calcium channel antagonists used for blood pressure can make this worse, as the calcium metabolism gets screwed up a bit.

I have a magnesium thread on the Vitamin forum, with food suggestions and the best way to take supplements. Check it out...sometimes it is a simple thing to correct.

PVC's
 

I had flip flops nearly all the time when I was much younger.
Here's how mine got "fixed"...was a Magnesuim deficiency!...can google search PVC's Mag deficiency.
I found this out from Mayo Clinic Cardiologist.
If its muscle twitching...I'd look into B12 deficiency as well...check out all this on the vit/min forum here...read what Rose writes on this.
Is great stuff you find here!
Blessings, cheryl
Here's a link to my story:

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/...ad.php?t=10710

chest spasms.......mini volcanoes.
 

Interesting stuff...my endo looked at me like I'm a crazy man when I told him about this. It wakes me up most nights about 3.30 am and sometimes it's so strong it feels like my chest will burst....other nights it's OK.

I recently had a sleep study (polysomnography test) and true to form, woke at 3.15. The PC tower at the bedside to which I was connected was ticking away slowly and then the 'volcano' started in......I thought the computer was going to blow a fuse....sounded like a geiger counter at Nagasaki.

Should be interesting to see what shows up on the sleep studt report.
I'll keep y'all posted.

Bricey- Hope your tests were fine.

As weird as this sounds, do you live near train tracks?

Baring that- ask your Endo. if there's ever been any research into the timing (in relation to time of day) of chemical activity in the body. I can't recall what but there is a chemical that is most active in the early morning hours. Perhaps a clue.

I just started feeling of twitching of the left side of my chest. I am 31 years old and think I'm too old to get a heart attack, but also have heard and seen some crazy things. I am kind of worried. I think I will go to my family doctor tomorow morning. Did anything happen to you Alohamom? What were your results?

hi i have been having twitching for the last few days can i ask what u ment when u asked about train tracks as i have lived directly beside one for the last 10 yrs thanx worried and curious

Hi Christi, Welcome to NeuroTalk.

This is a pretty old thread... some of the comments earlier are from years ago. So Candela may not answer you.

i still want to know of the results of the echo.

but anyways, ya magnesium can help, but it can only do so much if you happen to have actual heart problems. i prefer the IV magnesium chloride. cause it seems that some people have troublig taking the supplements and absorbing them.

ive had these types of spasms as well. although not at night. i think it can also be related to maybe your mattress or maybe if you sleep with too many pillows, maybe your neck muscles are out of whack, creating a domino of whackness down to your chest where you can have it.

Hi there,
 

upper abdominal twitching
 

Hello all-
I'm here looking for some insight or suggestions. I am a 32 year old female. For the past few weeks, I have been having constant twitching in my upper right abdominal area....right below my right breast. I do not have pain associated with the twitching, and the twitching is constant throughout the day. In the past year, I have had neck/spine problems. I had surgery for a bad disc and had a laminectomy in 9/10. I did not recover as well from the surgery and a lot of swelling occurred, so I have been doing physical therapy and also taking spinal shots every 3 weeks in hopes of making the inflammation and pain go away. I had the first shot the second week of march, and the 2nd shot the 2nd week of april...and I am due for the 3rd shot next week. I do not have any idea if my neck or disc problems are associated with the twitching in the abdomen. I am not pregnant, and am otherwise in good health and shape. I do not smoke, abuse alcohol or drugs, and I get adequate rest and have a decent diet. I do not notice any other issues other than the twitching and pain and swelling in my neck area. I dont know if I should see a doctor because I am not sure what to say or how to explain the issue. It's really more annoying than anything. I had EMG and Nerve tests done before my surgery, to rule out other issues...so at this point, not sure what to do. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Pitter ;)

Same Chest symptoms
 

Unbelievable, I have the SAME EXACT symptoms. I used to describe it as a bag of flour falling over, but your description fits even better. It makes me gasp when it happens. You seem sure that it is not your heart, how come? I've always been thinking it is my heart, but I would be happy if it wasn't! Feel free to friend or mail me, I'd like to talk some more about our symptoms. You're the first person I've found that describes my feeling to the T. ;)

Hi there. I had what sounds just as you described at 29 years of age. Also, the spine, neck problems and a nagging muscle pain under my right "wing". Radiated up to my neck and all throughout my body. Please, don't dismiss this.... have your gallbladder checked. Had no idea, but turned out to be a cause of a lot of my spine pain and muscle pain. I created this profile just to tell you this. I even had nerve blocks done to try to relieve the pain in my back. didn't touch the pain. I had to even quit my job for the pain. My idea is my gallbladder was so faulty, it was screwing with my muscles/ nerves. Anyway, felt much better a couple months after having my gallbladder removed. I did not have gallstones, my gallbladder was just not functioning. It was so bad i just felt like I was dying. I hope you get this message. It would twitch a lot under my right ribs.

However, now, I found this site after searching for "chest muscle twitching". I have been having the flopping fish feeling under my skin, right above my sternum. Very very unnerving. different from the gallbladder twitch. But I also live right next to a railroad. Love that mournful sound at 3 in the morning! but what does that have to do with the twitch? btw.... i have a serious scoliosis and i'm nervous that it might be a cause of the pain/twitch. Or else another one of my body parts is malfunctioning and needs removed. Hope it's just a magnesium deficiency.

me too!
 

A month ago, I got really stresses at work and the left-side os my chest an upper abs twitch, Rolph and quiver. I get light- headed briefly and shortf breath sometimes. Never any pain. I too, went to the cardiograph doc and had the same tests and couldn't find anything. I have it all day and night long. Sometimes I feel my pulse and it skips a beat or two on occasion. I work out all the time,play tennis, ride my horse and work-out at the gym. I eat very little fast or processed food. I want if to stop. Any ideas who I can talk to? Or what kid of health professional to visit. I am so glad I found this web site. :)

curious
 

Do any of you that are experiencing these problems with spasms take blood pressure medications? I am 31 and have exactly the same symptoms. My chest is spasming, and I feel like my heart skips beats.

I take Bystollic 20mg

I have having the same symptoms as you, I have been to the doctor and was given a ekg which came back normal. The fluttering seems to be gone when i wake up and comes back about 2-3 hours into my day, I am having no chest pain just the constant flutter in my chest. I used a blood pressure cuff to check my BP and the symbol for irregular heartbeat showed up. The book says this symbol can be caused by movement during the test and I believe that the muscles might be twitching during these tests giving somewhat of a false positive on the heartbeat. The doctor put me on 5 mg of Lisinopril to control minor hypertension and also 81 mg of aspirin. After taking these medications for about 2-3 days now the flutter has not changed, if anyone has been given any advice regarding this subject please pass it on. I would love to know exactly what is causing this and how to get rid of it, thanks in advance. :)

OK, me too, I am a very healthy and active 50 year old man that has had chest "flip-flops" off and on since I was 20 years old. I thought it was heart related since is was right near my heart (just under). Once in a while it will flip flop for about 5 minutes!! really disturbing. I had a heart monitor attached when I was 20 but nothing showed up. Last week I had it attached again since the flip-flops were increasing - I recorded at least 20 of these events but the results came back that I had a very strong and regular heart. So something else is going on. It feels just below my heart. I will try the magnesium suggestion.
TJ

low iron, anemic
 

I recently had this feeling for 3 days on and off. Twitching in middle of chest, right below ribs. Even woke me up one night, if I put my hand there I could feel it for a second, then it would stop. It felt just like it does when my eye muscle twitches, but much, much stronger because it was a chest area muscle, very strange feeling. I already had an appointment to see my doctor for another symptom of feeling fatigued. The twitching in my chest had gone away, but I told my doctor about it anyways.
She ran tests for thyroid and anemia. Turns out I'm very anemic, so now I'm taking iron pills. I'm assuming the twitching was a side effect of this. It is NOT a heart condition, so don't freak yourself out. Make sure you are taking plenty of vitamins, it will go away.

My Story
 

I have many of the same symptoms as described here. I am a 31 Year old Male, Im in okay shape, maybe 25lbs over weight about 5'8. Been having issues with the symptoms , tingling, itching, twitching feelings in my left pectoral area, more or less to the top right of my heart. I have been in and out of the Emergency Room, 4 times in the last 5 months and to my family doctor 2 times, all with the results negative on anything to do with my heart.

I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder, that Im pretty sure I have because I do show all the symptoms that are witnessed during an episode, however, twitching feeling is not a normal feeling. I know that panic or anxiety attacks come on with no warning, but I feel like I am misdiagnosed, many times over because these feelings come and go for a few days to a matter of weeks I wont feel a thing.

Thinking it is something wrong with my heart only sets me off on a Panic attack, and not knowing if the different doctors are all brushing it off as panic attacks is very frustrating to me. I have had 3 EKG done, Blood work 4 times, And an Ultrasound done on my liver as they noticed I am Jaundiced as well.

Not too sure what they make of me, but generally I feel completely fine during the days I don't feel the fluttering in my chest. I eat healthy, no take out foods, no deep fried foods, not a soda drinker, no drugs, never smoked and so I am not a candidate for heart disease besides by being over weight a bit. Just plain scary sometimes to be laying still and feeling a twitch like your skin physically moves or your heart bumps a bit.

My Doctor thinks it is a muscle issue in myLeft Pectoral muscle that triggers my panic attakcs, and causes my heart to jump and cause me to go into a fit. I have been able to calm down these episodes greatly because I have been dealing with them for 12 years. However the twitching seems like a new thing.

Im planning to visit the doctor again this week and seeing what the chances are Im misdiagnosed with soemthing and with the hope I can have a heart catheter test done so I can really just be assured it is not my heart and it is only anxiety caused by this muscle issue. I must ad as well, I am not overly muscular, if anything Im weak.. I wonder if I worked on building muscle on my chest and arms if this issue will heal itsself.

Anyone have something like this more or less.. Thanks. Feel a lot better knowing others have issues as I am. Id love to chat to someone more about this. Add me.

-Keagen

Chest/Sternum spasms
 

I started having these "spasms" at 45 yrs old. I am female. They started out once a year, then more frequent. I thought it was my heart. It seemed like it was "fluttering". It would last seconds. When it happened, it would take away my breath, meaning I couldn't breathe. Today at age 52, these events are random and more often. Sometimes more powerful than others. Very scary. Sometimes I feel adrenaline or tingling up to my earlobes and throughout my body. Sometimes it is just scary and I have to sit and be still. I have been to the cardiologists twice for a full stress test two times and holter monitors as well as pulmonary testing and sleep testing and all came out normal.

Since I went to a naturopath that suggested magnesium supplement which I believed helped, but too much and I get diarrhea. So I am now taking a liquid pico-ionic form that I add to water. Does not have the diarrhea effect. However, I do not notice any change. Possibly I need to up my dose, but this stuff is very pricey. These events are completely random. They can happen after I eat, if I get excited, anytime. So I live my live in a constant unexcitable state. I have no pain with these events, just fluttering that can be faint or strong with tingling or not and no breath. Any ideas? Could it be that caffeine is a culprit? I love tea, and chocolate but I don't overindulge.

norepinephrine is the active chemical in the morning :)

hi,

although i know that this post was way back 2007, was hoping that i can discuss with you further on the topic. I referred on the link you provided and was able to identify where the slight spasm i get once in a while in my chest area. The spasms are really not much but i get paranoid at times due to this. i am just wondering if it has something to do with pulling a muscle...which happened to me a year ago...while trying to reach for something to the right using my left arm.

btw, the spasms are experienced when in a cold temperature environment...like when aircondition is on.

hope to hear from you.

thanks

Caffeine?
 

Hi Dcofas,

Could you do a simple test and not use any products that contain caffeine for a period and see whether the symptoms disappear? Your condition sounds quite scary and if it were me I would be willing to go without caffeine to be rid of it. I certainly would be willing to give it up for a period and see.

Good luck, CS

Fluttering spasm in chest
 

I've had the same thing for two days. Way more today and lasted all day. I'm really worried now.