Question
QUESTION:   I was redoing my floors a month ago, on my hands and knees srapping and laying tile.  Immediatlty after my chest felt very tight, like someone was squeezing me from behind.  Anyways I have had xray, bloodwork, ekg and a stress test.  Besides a heart murmor from birth everything looks good.  The pain was in my sternum, it felt bruised to the touch.  Now it is localized pain on my left side, and when I move my neck down and to the right it intensifys.  
  I have taken 4 different anti inflammitory meds, with no help.  It feels like my chest needs to be cracked if that makes sense.  Can lower back or neck misalignment cause such pain?  I am getting very annoyed with the pain, and the doctors just give you things to try and mask the pain.  What do you think?

ANSWER: Hi mathew,

I've had a lot of this trouble personally.  It has to do with the ribs and the articulation with the sternum and probably the upper back vertebrae.

Needing to be 'cracked' actually sounds more reasonable than you might think.  If my evaluation is correct, a chiropractic doctor can check and mobilize these joints immediately.  

You should feel some relief fast.  Stabilization can take a little while.

You can find a local doc at the site below.

Hope this helps.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:   I went to the chiropractor the other day, he adjusted me and said I should feel better...however I am not.  Everytime I turn my head to the right it hurts my rib in the same spot.  I had cracked cartalidge in my rib area 4 years ago, could it be re-injured?  Thanks for your help!

Answer
There are times when initially the problem is aggravated.  This means we are getting to the problem.  The next visit nearly always gets through that "kink".  But ask the doc directly.

It's a lot like going to aerobics for the first time in a long while.  The next day you get up and say, "Are you sure this stuff is good for you?"  You know that it is but that first morning...ouch!

Cracked cartilage will heal with fibrotic (scar) tissue.  This is stiff and will sprain easier that the original.  

Hang in there.  Thanks for the follow up.