Resolution of Noncardiac Chest Pain With Corrective Exercises for Neck and Upper Thoracic Spine

Abstract

Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is difficult to diagnose and often leads to excessive tests, negatively affecting patients’ lives. This case series presents 3 patients with severe NCCP who had extensive investigations with no definitive diagnosis. They then received a structured assessment using the Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy approach. Through specific corrective exercises for the cervical and upper thoracic spine, all 3 patients experienced complete resolution of NCCP and remained symptom-free for 6 months. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing spinal abnormalities as potential causes of NCCP and highlights the effectiveness of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy in managing this condition.