Chest Pain When Breathing

Since chest pain is a warning sign of serious cardiac problems such as coronary artery disease or a heart attack, people often feel anxious and apprehensive on experiencing chest pain. Well, one must not assume chest pain to be an indicator of heart diseases always. There are many non-cardiac causes of chest pain as well. Let's find out about the medical conditions that could give rise to chest pain when breathing.

Causes of Chest Pain When Breathing

The symptoms of a heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases include pressure or fullness in the chest and acute pain in the chest. Pain may even radiate to the jaw, neck, arm and back. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, sweating, etc. However, pain in chest when breathing could be a symptom of other medical conditions. Let's take a look at some of the common causes of chest pain while breathing.

Pleurisy: Pleurisy refers to the inflammation of the lining of the cavity surrounding the lungs. It is also known as pleuritis. A viral infection is one of the most common causes of pleurisy, but it can also be caused due to a rib injury, formation of blood clot in the lungs, lung cancer, mesothelioma or autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. The primary symptoms of this condition include acute chest pains when breathing and coughing. A person suffering from pleurisy is most likely to experience chest pain when deep breathing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, fever, chills and dry cough. Though one may experience a sharp stabbing pain in the chest region, pleurisy could even cause a dull chest pain that may be accompanied by a burning sensation.

Pneumonia: Pneumonia is a respiratory condition that is caused due to an infection in the lungs. It occurs when one breathes in disease-causing agents such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. When these pathogens move into the lungs and multiply, these may cause an infection in lungs. The immune system may then respond by sending immune cells to the air sacs present in the lungs. Labored breathing, cough or sharp chest pain when breathing deeply could result from the accumulation of fluid and pus in the lungs. Other symptoms of pneumonia include high fever, shaking chills, productive cough, shortness of breath, sweating and muscle pain. Pneumonia can be life-threatening, hence it is important to go to a doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. If pneumonia is caused by a bacterial infection, the treatment would involve the use of antibiotics.

Pneumothorax: Pneumothorax refers to a collapsed lung. The lungs are lined by a two-layered serous membrane called pleura. The space between the inner layer and the outer layer is filled with a fluid. When air accumulates within this pleural space, pressure starts building up over the lungs. Under such circumstances, the lungs are unable to expand during inhalation. The pressure exerted by air can cause the lungs to collapse. A strong blow to the chest, puncture wounds or lung infections could make one susceptible to pneumothorax. A collapsed lung could even cause a buildup of fluid in lungs thereby causing a dip in the levels of oxygen in the blood. This could give rise to distressing symptoms such as a feeling of pressure in chest, fatigue, shortness of breath or chest pain while breathing in. Mild cases of pneumothorax may resolve on their own, but severe cases need immediate medical attention.

Pulmonary Embolism: This is a condition where one or more arteries that supply blood to the lungs get clogged. This happens due to the presence of a blood clot in the artery. The symptoms of this condition include sudden chest pain when breathing in, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, skin turning blue, sweating, etc. Pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening if not treated promptly with anticoagulants.

Costochondritis: Costochondritis, which is commonly referred to as chest wall pain, refers to the inflammation of costal cartilage at the junction of a rib and the sternum. Trauma to the rib cage during a motor vehicle accident, a forceful blow to the chest or repeated minor injuries to the chest region are the common reasons behind the inflammation. Inflammation in the costosternal joint could also be caused due to pathogenic respiratory infections. The main symptom of this condition is dull gnawing chest pain when breathing and coughing. The intercostal muscles help the ribcage to expand and drop during inhalation and exhalation which is why inflammation of the costal cartilage often causes painful breathing. The intensity of pain is most likely to increase when one takes deep breaths. Pain may also increase while coughing and sneezing. The treatment often involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.

Pericarditis: Pericarditis refers to the inflammation of the pericardium, which is a thin serous membrane that surrounds the heart. Trauma to the chest region or systemic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus could be responsible for causing pericarditis. Low-grade fever, malaise, sharp pain in the left side or the center of the chest, shortness of breath in a reclining position and cough are some of the symptoms that may be caused by pericarditis. The treatment usually involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers and corticosteroids.

Rib Injuries: Another obvious cause of chest pain is a bruised or a broken rib. Blunt trauma to the chest, rib injury during a motor vehicle accident or a fall from a great height could cause the ribs to fracture. Such injuries are most likely to cause pain in the chest while breathing. In severe cases, treatment would require a surgery whereas application of heat pads or use of painkillers, steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs may be suggested for treating bruised ribs.

These were some of the causes of chest pain when breathing. It is better to visit the doctor if you are experiencing a dull or a sharp pain in the chest, especially acute chest pain. Severe chest pain which develops suddenly could be life-threatening which is why one must immediately seek medical help on experiencing chest pain.