Health & Care Information Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS), also known as Texidor’s twinge. The syndrome was first described and named in 1893 by Henri Huchard a French cardiologist, who called it “precordialgie” (from the latin “praecordia” meaning “before the heart”), or “Syndrome de Huchard” (“Huchard syndrome”). The term “precordial” was first coined in 1370 by another French surgeon, Guy de Chauliac. The Huchard syndrome was then studied more deeply by Miller and Texidor, medical practitioners at the Cardiovascular Department and the Department of Medicine at the Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, in 1955.
Precordial catch syndrome (PCS), also known as a “stitch in the side” is a non-threatening condition that causes chest and/or back pain that resembles a heart attack (Cincinnati’s Children Hospital, 2013). In fact, the chest pain is so similar to a heart attack that some people panic and seek emergency treatment. In some cases, PCS causes a feeling of popping and/or cracking in the chest when the individual inhales and exhales. The pain can last from a few seconds to 40 minutes, but it usually only lasts for a few minutes. The pain is located in the precordium, which is the external surface of the body covering the heart and lower chest area.
Sometimes it causes inhaling and exhaling which suddenly occurs which will lead to a sensation of cracking or popping in the person’s chest. However, they are both different conditions. It is a syndrome that is benign and of unknown origin which has characteristics of pain, which last for about thirty minutes or so, in the cardiac apex made upon whenever the person inhales and is mostly relieved through force of deep breathing. In addition to that, it resolves completely and quickly even without treatment given. This kind of syndrome is sometimes under recognized.
This kind of syndrome called as the Precordial Catch syndrome imposes no danger to any child or teenager. Despite the fact that the symptoms manifested appear quickly, it also disappears as quickly as it appears. Hence, there is no life expectancy of this kind of syndrome.
Medications may be ineffective for relieving precordial chest pain because the symptoms only persist for a maximum of 3 to 4 minutes. When the condition is diagnosed correctly, the anxiety subsides and the pain leaves. Precordial chest pain rarely interferes with daily functions.
Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS)
Precordial catch syndrome (Texidor’s Twinge) is common, but under recognized cause of benign chest pain in children and adolescents. It is also known as Texidor’s twinge after Texidor and Miller who described it for the first time in 1955. It is a harmless condition characterized by a sharp needle-like pain in the chest. The ache worsens while breathing heavily but does not last for more than 3 minutes. It is more prevalent among children and young adults. This type of illness is often mistaken for a heart attack due to similar warning signs.
ANGINA Pectoris Pain
Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart disease. It occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get as much blood as it needs. This usually happens because one or more of the heart’s arteries is narrowed or blocked, also called ischemia Angina usually causes uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest. You may also feel the discomfort in your neck, jaw, shoulder, back or arm. Many types of chest discomfort like heartburn, lung infection or inflammation aren‘t related to angina. Angina in women can be different than in men.
Random Chest Pain in left side
PCS manifests as a very intense, sharp pain, typically at the left side of the chest, generally in the cartilage between the bones of the sternum and rib cage, which is worse when taking breaths, or doing physical activity. Chest pain can be caused by many things and it may be a sign of heart attack or angina. Random chest pain in the left side may lead to pericarditis.
Precordial Catch Syndrome Causes
There are no proven causes for PCS. Yet, researchers have found some aspects that might trigger Precordial Catch syndrome in children. They are:
- It is the inflammation of the joint between the sternum and the ribs. In children, it is caused by viruses causing respiratory disease. Hence it is associated with coughing
- Injuries that damage the muscles in the chest may cause PCS
- Though stress and anxiety is rare among children, it is one of the aspect causing the muscle cramps in the intercostal muscles causing PCS
- Unhealthy and inappropriate amount of food is also an aspect causing PCS in children
- Children with lung disease have difficulty in breathing. They sometimes present with PCS
Precordial Catch Syndrome Treatment
Precordial catch syndrome can be treated in the following ways:
- Breathing lightly
- Lying down on a bed face down
- Taking several, rapid deep breaths (This is good if a muscle spasm is causing the chest pain. It is important to note that it will probably be painful to take deep breaths, but this type of breathing may relax muscle spasms).
On another hand no treatment is needed and there is no cure available.
