WilliamJE
Well-known member
I been getting this stinging sensation in my chest since around noon time. Almost feels like a tiny electric shock. It comes and goes. Never felt anything like it before. Anyone have this?
Weird sensation
- Thread starter WilliamJE
- Start date
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Well.......it could be nerve endings healing. Can you take your finger and pin point where the little "shock" is coming from? If so, it could be little muscles and or nerve endings trying to heal.
I'm NO doctor, but if it becomes troublesome call your doctor and get it checked out.
I'm NO doctor, but if it becomes troublesome call your doctor and get it checked out.
WayneGM
Well-known member
I get "pins and needle" sensations around my incision area sometimes. I'm almost 3 years post-op and this still comes and goes. My doc says its just nerve endings.
JeffM
Well-known member
How deep does it feel? Near what part of the incision? Do you have any other symptoms when this happens? Are you doing anything in particular when it occurs? Have you been using your chest muscles more as of late? I agree with the other comments. Sounds like nerve related pain...but, obviously, if it concerns you , call your cardiologist.
L
Lisa in Katy
I'm 10 years out and still have lots of dead areas around my incision. Occasionally I get twinges, or worse, the itches that can't be scratched. I think this is similar to phantom pain the people who have a limb amputated complain of. The nerves might be healing, or they might just be triggered by who knows what.
PairoDocs
Well-known member
Hi,
Sorry about the pain. I hope it gets better. If this is heart, don't read another word of this, and call the nearest ER as fast as possible. If it's external--incision related, I think I can at least explain this a bit. I had my own occasional odd feelings and such around my incision. Despite my incision having some keloid development, my doctor actually seemed to take care to divide my skin exactly where the dermatomes met (skin pathways of nerves from the backbone meet at the sternum). This means that I have feeling in more or less the correct places all around my incision. Where the keloid grew, the feeling 'spread' out a bit--felt like I was touching the same part of my chest the full width, then more recently I can now localize surface sensation on the scar. If I press more deeply on the left side of the incision, I feel referred sensation as if I was pushing on the right side of the scar rather than on the left side. Itchy areas really are where the skin is rather than referred from crossed nerves. In that respect my scar healed well. I'll pray that your healing will resume.
There is the slight possibility that one of your sternum suture wires has worked loose and is jabbing the inside of your skin. For that reason, especially if you can cause a needle-poke "electric shock" pain by touching a certain spot, you should tell your doctor. Is there a bulge at the painful place, or perhaps a red spot? If so, it may be the wire trying to penetrate your skin from below. It may require a little bit of minor surgery to go in there and snip the protruding wire--or a bit more extensive surgery to get the suture entirely out of your bone as well as the protruding part.
If more general in distribution, maybe it's some kind of allergic reaction, perhaps a delayed one to your internal sutures. My own keloid development didn't start until over a month past my surgery. Its growth started with a prickly sensation of itchiness, sometimes quite intense. Is your incision red, or just look normal? I have to admit I don't know all the possibilities, either. My wife's the doctor (well, so am I, but Ph.D. in chemistry doesn't really count in medical matters), so consider my input to just be the voice of experience, not absolute authority. The only thing I can definitely tell you is if this pain persists for more than a day, you should get seen by medical professionals ASAP. I'm of course assuming this is incision pain, not heart pain. Again, if heart--you shouldn't read another word, and call the closest ER for help fast.
Chris
Sorry about the pain. I hope it gets better. If this is heart, don't read another word of this, and call the nearest ER as fast as possible. If it's external--incision related, I think I can at least explain this a bit. I had my own occasional odd feelings and such around my incision. Despite my incision having some keloid development, my doctor actually seemed to take care to divide my skin exactly where the dermatomes met (skin pathways of nerves from the backbone meet at the sternum). This means that I have feeling in more or less the correct places all around my incision. Where the keloid grew, the feeling 'spread' out a bit--felt like I was touching the same part of my chest the full width, then more recently I can now localize surface sensation on the scar. If I press more deeply on the left side of the incision, I feel referred sensation as if I was pushing on the right side of the scar rather than on the left side. Itchy areas really are where the skin is rather than referred from crossed nerves. In that respect my scar healed well. I'll pray that your healing will resume.
There is the slight possibility that one of your sternum suture wires has worked loose and is jabbing the inside of your skin. For that reason, especially if you can cause a needle-poke "electric shock" pain by touching a certain spot, you should tell your doctor. Is there a bulge at the painful place, or perhaps a red spot? If so, it may be the wire trying to penetrate your skin from below. It may require a little bit of minor surgery to go in there and snip the protruding wire--or a bit more extensive surgery to get the suture entirely out of your bone as well as the protruding part.
If more general in distribution, maybe it's some kind of allergic reaction, perhaps a delayed one to your internal sutures. My own keloid development didn't start until over a month past my surgery. Its growth started with a prickly sensation of itchiness, sometimes quite intense. Is your incision red, or just look normal? I have to admit I don't know all the possibilities, either. My wife's the doctor (well, so am I, but Ph.D. in chemistry doesn't really count in medical matters), so consider my input to just be the voice of experience, not absolute authority. The only thing I can definitely tell you is if this pain persists for more than a day, you should get seen by medical professionals ASAP. I'm of course assuming this is incision pain, not heart pain. Again, if heart--you shouldn't read another word, and call the closest ER for help fast.
Chris
WilliamJE
Well-known member
I called the doctor's office. Told the nurse what was happening, and what little symptoms I have, she says the doctor is at the hospital right now, she'd call him. All while saying I may have to go to the ER.
After spending 16 days in the hospital after my surgery, you'd be right in assuming I'm in no hurry to go back.
On the other hand, the doctor's office which said they would call back, hasn't. The nurse hasn't spoken to the doctor. All that's happened is I missed rehab today. They told me not to come in and to bring a note when I do return.
After spending 16 days in the hospital after my surgery, you'd be right in assuming I'm in no hurry to go back.
On the other hand, the doctor's office which said they would call back, hasn't. The nurse hasn't spoken to the doctor. All that's happened is I missed rehab today. They told me not to come in and to bring a note when I do return.
