I am a 36 year old male. I had pain in my upper left chest beginning about three years ago. There was also a slightly hard and raised area. It was dull and perhaps a 2 on the pain scale. It was relatively constant throughout the day. I had many tests, revealing nothing. I received a diagnosis several times of chostocondritis but of course the timeline was supposed to be a few weeks. I finally paid for a private MRI of the area. The MRI showed one rib that was elevated slightly off of the sternum rather than flush (hope that made sense). They said it would not necessarily even be reported but it was exactly in the spot we were examining. I tried to forget about it and the chronic dull pain continued with no more than a 2 week hiatus at any time over the past 3 years. I did go to a chiropractor for six months about a year ago with no results. The pain sometimes spread to my lower left ribs and just under them as well. Sometimes that portion of my abdomen would feel "full" when it hurt but when I touched it, it was not distended. The abdominal pain has become more regular and now very occasionally occurs under the right ribs as well. Palpation has never revealed any masses or irregularities to me other than the one rib. The pain in my chest and abdomen is now slightly worse (perhaps a 3 or 4 at times). Pressure and ice both sometimes seem to help the pain and it is typically though not always worse in the evening than the morning. In addition, it is usually worse when I am lying down but does not disturb my sleep.
The only condition I currently have is that I take synthroid for an overactive thyroid that was taken completely out of commission 5 years ago by the use of radioactive iodine. My TSH has been very stable.
I have not gone to the doctor as I do not really want to go through a battery of tests again with no results. Does anyone have any ideas as to what this could be or what to do? I certainly can live with it but chronic pain is not fun. Please help. Thanks in advance.