Q:

I have been having chest pains ever since I got in a car accident last year.

It feels like my ribs are digging into my chest. It only happens a once every couple weeks. What could it be?

 

A:

This depends a great deal about the type of accident, the force and injuries you experienced at the time and the nature of the chest pains--when they happen, what precipitates them, whether breathing makes it worse, etc.
It is possible you have rib joint inflammation (costochondritis) but if it is happening only occasionally, then there needs to be other diagnoses considered that aren't just chest wall or rib related.

If you are an enrolled student, it certainly makes sense to be checked out at the Student Health Center.  There is no cost for an appointment, but if testing and x-rays are needed, there would be charges associated with those.

~The Doc