Ribs / Chest Wall
Precordial Catch Syndrome
흉부 포착통 (Texidor's twinge)
Benign, brief, stabbing left-sided chest pain — self-limiting
- How common
- Common in adolescents/young adults (up to 45%)
- Typical age
- Teens to 20s
What is it?
Transient nerve/pleural pinch causing seconds-minutes of sharp localized pain — completely benign.
Commonly affected: Typically left parasternal near cardiac apex (single focal point)
How it develops
- Slouched PostureChest-wall compression posture
- Nerve/Pleural PinchTransient intercostal nerve irritation
- Brief Sharp PainSeconds to minutes of sharp pain
- Resolves with PositionStraightening/deep breath ends episode
Symptoms
- Sudden sharp painNeedle-like sharp sensation
- Brief durationResolves within 3 sec–3 min
- Single focal pointCoin-sized focal area
- Breath-holdingPatient tends to hold breath, breathe shallowly
- Posture-relatedOften during sitting/slouching
How it is examined
- Normal physical examCompletely normal between episodes
- Normal cardiopulmonary examNormal heart and lung sounds
- No tendernessNo chest wall tenderness
- Normal ECGPerformed to exclude cardiac cause
Imaging
Imaging is normal; diagnosis is clinical by exclusion.
- Completely normal
- Normal heart/lungs
- No structural abnormality
Not routinely needed; clinical diagnosis.
- Normal if performed
- To exclude alternatives
- No structural lesion
Non-surgical care
- ReassuranceThorough reassurance — benign condition
- Posture correctionSit upright; avoid slouching
- Deep breathingSingle deep breath often terminates episode
- No specific therapyNo medication or surgery required
Conservative options are generally tried first. Medications listed here can have side effects — discuss them with your prescriber.
When surgery is considered
Not applicable
Procedures that may be discussed
- No surgical role
Outlook
Completely benign; spontaneously resolves by adulthood.