ConditionBones, joints & muscles
Precordial Catch Syndrome
Precordial catch syndrome is a harmless cause of sudden, sharp, stabbing chest pain, usually on the left side near the heart, that is worse when breathing in and lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes. It is most common in children, teenagers and young adults, often occurring at rest or while slouching. The pain goes away completely on its own and is not related to the heart or lungs. Chest pain with exertion, fainting, palpitations or breathlessness needs medical assessment.
Also called: Texidor's twinge, precordial catch, stitch in the chest
At a glance
- What it is
- Brief, sharp chest pain from the chest wall, harmless and self-limiting.
- Who gets it
- Children and teens most often, sometimes young adults.
- Pain
- Sudden, sharp, pinpoint, usually left-sided, worse on breathing in, lasting seconds to 3 minutes.
- Cause
- Thought to be irritation of nerves or muscles of the chest wall, often with poor posture.
- Tests
- Usually none needed if the history and examination are typical.
- What helps
- Straightening posture and taking a slow deep breath, or shallow breaths until it passes.
When to get help
Call 911 or go to the ER
- Chest pain with fainting, collapse or a racing or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain during or right after exercise, especially with breathlessness or dizziness
- Severe breathlessness, blue lips, or chest pain after an injury
- Chest pain in someone with a known heart condition, Marfan syndrome, or after a recent viral illness with fever and breathlessness (possible myocarditis)
See a doctor within a day or two
- Chest pain lasting longer than a few minutes, or constant pain
- Chest pain with fever and cough
- Sharp pain with sudden breathlessness in a tall, thin young person (possible collapsed lung)
Book a routine appointment
- Recurring episodes that worry you or your child, for reassurance and confirmation
- Chest pain linked with anxiety or stress
Usually safe to manage at home
- Brief sharp pains at rest that last seconds to a couple of minutes, go away completely, and occur with no other symptoms
What precordial catch syndrome feels like
- Sudden onset, often at rest, while sitting slouched, or during mild activity
- Sharp, stabbing or "catching" pain, often described as being stabbed with a needle
- Small area: usually the left side of the chest, near the lower breastbone or under the left nipple, and the person can often point to it with one finger
- Worse when breathing in, so people take shallow breaths
- Short-lived: from a few seconds up to about 3 minutes
- Goes away completely, with no lingering soreness
- No other symptoms: no breathlessness, sweating, nausea, palpitations or fainting
Episodes may happen once or several times a day, or rarely, and often become less frequent with age.
Why it happens
The exact cause is unknown. It is thought to come from the chest wall rather than the heart or lungs, possibly from pinching or irritation of a nerve or a spasm of the muscles between the ribs. Slouching, a growth spurt and sudden posture changes may contribute. It is not dangerous and does not damage the heart.
Other causes of chest pain in young people
Chest pain in children and teens is very common and is rarely due to heart disease. Other causes include:
| Cause | Clues |
|---|---|
| Costochondritis | Tenderness where the ribs meet the breastbone, longer-lasting pain |
| Muscle strain | After exercise, coughing or lifting |
| Slipping rib syndrome | Pain in the lower ribs with a popping sensation |
| Asthma | Chest tightness, cough, wheeze, especially with exercise |
| Reflux | Burning pain after meals |
| Anxiety or panic attacks | Racing heart, tingling, feeling of fear |
| Pleurisy | Sharp pain on breathing with fever or cough |
| Collapsed lung | Sudden pain with breathlessness |
| Heart causes | Pain with exercise, fainting, palpitations, abnormal heart findings |
Diagnosis
A doctor diagnoses precordial catch syndrome from a typical story and a normal examination. They will ask about timing, triggers, duration, exercise-related symptoms, fainting, family history of heart problems or sudden death, and listen to the heart and lungs. An ECG or other tests are done only if anything is unusual, such as pain with exercise, fainting, palpitations, an abnormal heart sound or a worrying family history.
Treatment
No medical treatment is needed. During an episode:
- Sit or stand up straight, improving posture
- Take one slow, deep breath through the pain, which some people find makes the pain "pop" and stop
- Or take slow, shallow breaths until it passes
Between episodes:
- Practice good posture when sitting, especially at screens
- Stay active
Painkillers are usually not needed because episodes are so brief.
Outlook
Precordial catch syndrome is harmless. Episodes usually become less frequent and often stop by early adulthood, although some adults continue to have them occasionally. Understanding that the pain is benign often relieves the anxiety it causes.
Frequently asked questions
What is precordial catch syndrome?
It is a harmless condition that causes sudden, sharp, stabbing pain in the chest, usually on the left, lasting seconds to a few minutes and worse when breathing in. It comes from the chest wall, not the heart, and is most common in children and teenagers.
Is precordial catch syndrome dangerous?
No. It does not damage the heart or lungs and goes away on its own. However, chest pain with exercise, fainting, palpitations or breathlessness should be checked by a doctor to rule out other causes.
How long does precordial catch syndrome last?
Each episode usually lasts from a few seconds to about 3 minutes and then disappears completely. Episodes may recur over months or years and usually become less frequent with age.
What helps precordial catch syndrome?
Straightening your posture and taking a slow deep breath can end an episode, though it may hurt briefly. Others find shallow breathing until it passes easier. Good posture may reduce how often it happens.
Can adults get precordial catch syndrome?
Yes, although it is most common in children and teens, some adults continue to have episodes. New chest pain in adults, especially with heart risk factors or exertion, should always be assessed to rule out heart disease.
Sources
This guide was written from current patient and clinical guidance, including:
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Chest pain in children
- Cleveland Clinic: Precordial catch syndrome
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Evaluation of chest pain in the pediatric patient
- Nemours KidsHealth: Chest pain
- MedlinePlus: Chest pain