Internet star says he has 'never been in so much pain' as he talks of health issue that could happen to anyone

The Therapuss podcast host, aged 24, posted a screenshot of a conversation he had with friends to his Instagram page to warn this 832K followers about what had happened to him - after he did an involuntary action we all do. In the message, he explained: "You guys I know this sounds crazy but I fully pulled my chest muscle from sneezing and I've never been in so much pain in my life. I think it's called the Intercostal muscle. I don't know what to do."

Alongside the message, Jake posted a selfie where he looked very uncomfortable and was also holding his chest. He scrunched up his face in pain as he grimaced at the camera. The social media star wrote in the caption: "This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me."

Fans were quick to offer some advice and their own experiences in the comments section. One person said: “No this is totally a thing and I’ve done it in my neck and it HURTS.” Another said: “This happened to me but from gagging while brushing my teeth.” A third said: “One time I got whiplash from sneezing.” A fourth said: “Jake I get it it hurts so bad I cracked my rib from coughing so much.”

As it turns out, pulling your chest muscles is commonly caused by coughing or sneezing. According to Very Well Health, intercosta lmuscle strains are the most common type of musculoskeletal chest pain. The intercostal muscles can become strained with sudden or repetitive force, causing pain, tightness, and difficulty with everyday activities.

Intercostal muscle strains can result from a sudden increase in activity or increased exertion and physical demands of the chest and upper body that can result from:

• Heavy lifting with twisting of the upper body
• Exercises that involve repetitive twisting or stretching, especially if performed quickly
• Sports like rowing, golfing, and tennis that require repetitive upper body force
• Activities like painting a ceiling, chopping wood, or shoveling snow
• Forceful and repeated coughing
• Injury to the chest

Intercostal muscle strains are generally not very serious, but if the chest pain lasts more than three days, Very Well Health suggests it is best to schedule an appointment with a doctor.

There are a variety of treatments for the strain, depending on the severity of the strain, including epsom salts, breathing execises, hot and cold therapy, physical therapy, muscle relaxants and other medication. A medical professional will be able to advise which course of treatment is best.

While intercostal muscle strains are generally mild and will mostly heal on their own with time, chest pain can result from a variety of different causes. It is always best to have a trained medical professional assess your health and wellbeing.