{"id":686,"date":"2009-01-16T14:10:31","date_gmt":"2009-01-16T19:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2009\/01\/16\/deep-breathing-pain-after-open-heart-surgery-asks-bruce\/"},"modified":"2025-07-15T13:43:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T18:43:39","slug":"deep-breathing-pain-after-open-heart-surgery-asks-bruce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2009\/01\/16\/deep-breathing-pain-after-open-heart-surgery-asks-bruce\/","title":{"rendered":"“Deep Breathing Pain After Open Heart Surgery?” Asks Bruce"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bruce just sent me\u00a0an interesting\u00a0question about chest pain related to deep breathing after\u00a0heart valve surgery.<\/p>\n

His email reads, “Hi Adam, I’m\u00a0ten weeks into recovery and\u00a0getting a little nervous – hopefully,\u00a0for no reason. My surgeon tells me my mitral valve surgery went perfect and that my mitral prolapse<\/a> is fixed.\u00a0 But, I’m having\u00a0a lot of chest pain.\u00a0Specifically, it hurts to take deep breaths. As an active 62-year old, I notice it most during walks\u00a0as my heart rate increases and I start to breathe heavier. Any thoughts? Thanks, Bruce”<\/p>\n

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\"Deep<\/p>\n

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Bruce’s question brings back a distinct memory from my early recovery. In fact, deep breathing pain was one of my biggest complaints during cardiac rehab classes<\/a>. I would be peddling away on the exercise bike when a sharp, cramp-like pain would flare-up across my sternum and rib cage.<\/p>\n

I’d say to Debbie, my cardiac rehab nurse, “Is something wrong with my sternum? I’m feeling a lot of pain when I take deep breaths during exercise?” Debbie reassured me that everything was fine and that it might take some more time for the inside of my upper body to heal and adjust given the trauma of open heart surgery.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/div>\n
Me at Cardiac Rehab<\/div>\n

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Ultimately, Debbie was 100% right.<\/p>\n

So you know, I’m just getting back from a 30-minute swim… It been nearly twenty years now since my surgery. Guess what? No chest pain during exercise!<\/p>\n

That said, I would suggest to\u00a0Bruce that breathing pain after surgery can be common among patients. However, should the pain persist or remain uncomfortable, please visit your surgeon to confirm there are no other issues with your recovery from open heart surgery.<\/p>\n

Related Links:<\/p>\n