Unexplained body pains...?

[SammiiLynn]

I have been experiencing a feeling of chest tightness with slight pain for a month or so now. It's very frustrating and causes me a lot of worry. I've been to the ER and urgent care for this and they have done a ct scan to rule out a blood clot, an X-ray, and ekg. All normal. The symptoms have only gotten worse.
Since then, I've also started to have left arm pain, on the outer part of my arm, from my shoulder down to my hand. It's almost like a burning pain. This started about four days ago and really bothers me.
Yesterday, which may be completely unrelated, I started having horrific leg pain, mostly located around my knee.

All of these pains feel better once I either crack my knuckles on that hand that hurts, crack my chest which constantly happens without me trying to, moving my arm around when it's painful, or lightly massaging it where I can.

I'm 23 years old, healthy as far as I know, no family history of anything related, weigh 110 lbs, 5'3", nothing obvious to cause these pains.
I have not been working out as I used to, but am running around and carrying my 30 lb son all the time. He's also breastfeeding and sleeps directly on top of me 80% of every night.

If anyone has any idea what could be causing these pains, it would be greatly appreciated. My doctor won't see me when I mention chest pain and just sends me to the ER who never finds out anything serious and sends me home...

[Tuckamore]

Hi Sammi,

Welcome to our Pain Management Community. As always Phil has offered some great suggestions - I agree.

It's a big strain to breath - moving our ribs - with 30lbs laying on our chest. imagine all the structure involved in breathing. Between your ribs  breastbone, n sternum there is cartridge.Sometimes this cartridge can become inflamed and painful. When it become severe it's called Costochondritis which is an inflammatory process. It usually has no definite cause. However repeated minor trauma to the chest wall, overuse of the arms, or viral respiratory infections can commonly cause chest pain due to costochondritis. I'm not telling you that you have this condition - but I'm guessing there is at least some minor inflammation in the area.  Add the stress and between the two that may be causing your symptoms.

Babies enjoy laying on our chest as they can hear our heart beats - which they have become accustomed to during the months they spent in our womb. The gentle rise and fall of our breathing is also comforting to a baby. However at 30 lbs it's time to have other sleeping arrangements.

Sometimes the noise of a wind up clock as it ticks will help replace the sound of our heartbeat for baby. You might try placing that near the new area that he will sleep.

If changing his sleeping habits do not decrease your pain - or it becomes worse - it's time to return to your medical provider.  

I wish you the best and hope you'll keep in touch.

Take Care,
~Tuck

[philnoir]

SammiLynn, I have never been pregnant, nor am I your obstetrician, so I'm going to be very frank with my answer.
A 30 pound baby is equivalent to the weight of two bowling balls. Anyone sleeping with two bowling balls on their chest and shoulder will experience numbness in the extremities, and upper body pains.

Imagine carrying 2 bowling balls around on your hip all day. This is the weight you are placing on your lower back, hip, knee, ankle, and feet joints.
Your "baby" weighs 1/4 of your total body weight.
I know babies are demanding, but you're either going to have to grow 20 or 30 pounds of muscle, or you're going to have to change the body mechanics around your house regarding your son's care.
This has nothing to do with love, or being a good mother. Your child has grown too large for you to carry all the time, and to sleep with all night. You will continue to have pain, and suffer the effects of disturbed sleep if you continue like this.
Please problem solve with your spouse or a friend about how you can change your child care habits to avoid these unpleasant consequences as your son gets larger. (What are you feeding that boy? :-)

[SammiiLynn]

I forgot to add that I experience heart palpitations often, a result from pregnancy apparently and have a lot of stress In my life at the moment. I know these could play a role in pains so I wanted to mention both.