When coughing hurts the chest. After a strong cough, the chest hurts. The destruction of the frame of the ribs

In diseases of the respiratory tract, a person has many different symptoms. Many of them are very unpleasant, and some of them are very painful. These symptoms include chest pain when coughing. This unpleasant sensation is often a sign of a serious illness. But sometimes everything is much simpler and there is no cause for concern. Many people with respiratory problems ask themselves the question: why does my chest hurt when I cough? In this article we will try to answer this question.

Since ancient times, in folk medicine, there have been many ways to determine what causes chest pain when coughing. Healers and healers diagnosed all kinds of diseases, but did not always hit the mark. By trying to treat the wrong disease, based on the symptom that there is pain in the chest after coughing, they brought people to a serious condition.

In the modern world, things are much better with diagnostics. By contacting your doctor, you will undoubtedly find out the cause of chest pain when you cough and get a full treatment.

Causes of chest pain when coughing

There are many causes for cough and chest pain. The main ones are diseases of organs located in this part of the body. It can also be complications and consequences of some ailments.

The main causes of chest pain during a reflex act:


Complications after respiratory diseases.

Sometimes when you have chest pain, there is one very simple explanation for this. The cough reflex that accompanies respiratory diseases is carried out by contracting the diaphragm. And when there are a lot of such attacks and they are repeated quite often, the intercostal muscles and other parts of the chest are overworked, and aching pain appears, which is aggravated by a deep breath. Fever, runny nose, and weakness may also be present with chest pain during coughing. A small examination will help to establish this reason, and then, as they say, you can breathe easy. This pain is usually preceded by a dry cough. It passes quickly and almost never bears any consequences.

Dry pleurisy

This disease occurs due to inflammation of the pleura - the membrane that protects the lungs from the chest. It can be caused by complications from respiratory diseases and pneumonia. This disease is accompanied by fever, wheezing in the lungs in the region of the diaphragm, pain in the chest when coughing.

This disease is treated exclusively in a medical institution under the supervision of a pulmonologist. By running it, or by trying to be treated on your own, you threaten not only to complicate a severe cough and chest pain, but also to earn serious complications.

Fractures and violations of the integrity of the chest

If you feel a sharp pain in your chest when you cough, and not only, then you may have fractures and other injuries. They differ from diseases of the internal organs in specific acute pain localized at the site of the injury. Moreover, the chest hurts not only from coughing, but also from movements.

A traumatologist diagnoses the cause with a chest examination. For this, fluoroscopy and other methods are used.

Intercostal neuralgia

A characteristic symptom of this disease is pain in the sternum when coughing. Sometimes it extends to the ribs and has a girdle character. It appears due to a pinched nerve, prolonged exposure to a draft and injuries. The pain is severe, shooting, aggravated by movement and transition to a certain position. It is very similar to heart disease, so many people confuse them. With neuralgia, it is uncomfortable to breathe, with movements and coughing, severe shooting pains appear. If you have these symptoms, warmth is the best way to relieve pain. Warming ointments and wool bandages will come in handy more than ever and will help you relieve chest pain when you cough.

A neurologist will help you in the treatment of this ailment. He will accurately determine what your chest hurts after coughing.

Short interpleural ligament

Each person has an interpleural ligament in the region of the bronchi, which stabilizes some of the work of the respiratory system. It is vital to maintain the normal location of the lungs. When it is shortened due to inflammation of the pleura, or an anatomically small dyne, a person begins to suffer from a dry cough, which tickles in the chest, burning and pain appear.

If you experience these symptoms, contact your doctor. He will prescribe an examination, make a diagnosis and determine the necessary treatment.

Renal colic

This violation is characterized by unpleasant sensations that are observed mainly on the right side. The hypochondrium, scapula, the area in the region of the gallbladder are the places where the pain is localized in renal colic. When coughing, it intensifies and gives to the chest. This disease is caused by the movement of stones and sand through the kidney and ureters. Accompanied by very unpleasant sensations and brings a lot of discomfort to the patient. If the pain intensifies when coughing, urgently rush to the hospital.

If you find symptoms of such colic, you need to contact a urologist and do an ultrasound of the kidneys.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine

Everyone knows such a painful disease as osteochondrosis. It is accompanied by discomfort, movement restrictions, pain and heaviness in the chest when coughing and moving. It occurs with injuries, permanent incorrect position, stoop and other violations of posture. As you know, this is a disease that cannot be cured. And once you earn it, you'll have to live with it and chest pains. Don't neglect advice about your sitting and standing position, and keep an eye on your children.

Turning to a traumatologist or neurologist with a similar problem, do not hope that you will be cured. Until they can. And there is not a single drug, procedure or technique that will save you from this disease. Doctors can only relieve an acute condition and heal the disease. When the condition stabilizes, chest pains, aggravated by coughing and movement, discomfort and a feeling of stiffness go away.

Acute tracheitis

This is a respiratory disease characterized by constant bouts of dry and painful cough, fever and runny nose. It appears as an independent disease or a complication of infections of the upper respiratory tract. With it, there is pain in the trachea when coughing, a feeling that something itches in the chest, burns and bakes. The condition stabilizes when taking expectorant and anti-cold drugs. If you start this disease, a strong dry cough, chest pains and fever will be added to the symptoms.

The therapist will help with this disease. He will prescribe the necessary treatment and help get rid of annoying symptoms.

This disease appears due to the accumulation of air under the lungs behind the pleura. This disease occurs as a complication and as an independent disorder. With him there are severe pains in the chest, aggravated by coughing, reaching very strong and painful. If this disease occurs spontaneously, you may not notice pain.

Cardiovascular diseases

Feelings in some cardiovascular diseases resemble neuralgia, but still the symptoms are slightly different. These diseases are characterized by a deterioration in well-being, shortness of breath, heaviness and pain behind the sternum when coughing.

If you feel that your bronchial tubes hurt, but there is no cough, this is probably a disease of the musculoskeletal or cardiovascular system and you need to urgently contact a cardiologist.

Tumors and foreign bodies in the lungs

If you have chest pains and a severe cough, then the worst reason for this may be an oncological disease or other formations. Signs of this are often heaviness in the chest, pain with a strong cough, congestion of the respiratory tract. All this is accompanied by a stable deterioration in well-being, a sharp weight loss and a negative reaction to medications.

Certain forms of the disease in the early stages can be cured. To do this, when the first symptoms appear, you need to urgently go to the hospital. After the diagnostics, you will receive the result.

Treating chest pain when coughing

When such a symptom appears, it is first necessary to establish its cause. After detailed consultations with a doctor, you should start a course of taking medications. Since this problem is directly related to the respiratory system, it causes a lot of inconvenience. Therefore, at first it would not hurt to get rid of cough, as the main cause of discomfort. To do this, you can use both pharmacy drugs and folk remedies. The most important thing is to always follow the doctor's recommendations not to start treatment. Take care of your health and don't get sick.

Pain that accompanies coughing is a common discomfort. In addition to physical discomfort, the patient is worried about whether this is a sign of a serious complication. In part, the experiences are justified, since chest pains have a different character, intensity, are explained by many factors, and are treated in different ways.

Possible causes of pain

More often, when coughing, it hurts in the chest due to overwork of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm. Cough shocks strain the respiratory muscles, excessive load irritates the muscle fibers, lactic acid accumulates, and pain occurs. Similar symptoms are manifested by intercostal neuralgia, bruises and injuries of the chest. The cause of the pain syndrome can be colds, complicated by inflammation of the trachea, bronchi.

Significant pain occurs with pneumonia, involvement in the inflammatory process of the pleura or mediastinum aggravates the patient's condition. Cough with chest pain may indicate specific (tuberculosis, lung sarcoidosis) and neoplastic diseases. The cause of pain is often bronchospasm (asthmatic bronchitis, bronchial asthma). Pain syndrome, aggravated by coughing, is accompanied by cardiac pathology (pericarditis, myocarditis, angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction).

Intercostal neuralgia

The symptoms of the disease are varied, manifested by severe pain, tingling, burning sensation in the chest, areas of numbness or increased sensitivity of the skin are possible. Unpleasant sensations are sharply enhanced by deep breathing, coughing. Thoracic neuralgia often resembles the symptoms of angina pectoris, gastritis, bronchitis. Provoke the disease can:

  • hard labour;
  • weight lifting;
  • a sharp turn of the body;
  • long stay in an uncomfortable position;
  • injury;
  • cold;
  • hypothermia;
  • stress;
  • osteocondritis of the spine.

Neuralgic syndrome develops as a result of muscle spasm and subsequent irritation of the intercostal nerves. There are two signs that help recognize this disease. First: you can find the position of the body in which pain is not felt. Second: gentle pressure with your fingertips along the intercostal spaces reveals a site of sharp pain along the lower edge of the rib, where the nerve passes.

Colds

Cough that accompanies respiratory infections provokes pain in the chest in the middle, according to the projection of the trachea. Coughing movements irritate the respiratory muscles, resulting in pain in the lower chest cavity, where the diaphragm is attached, pain in the intercostal spaces. The pain is often so severe that it makes breathing difficult.

Pleurisy

Inflammation of the pleura is manifested by tingling, pulling pains, greatly aggravated by coughing. Dry pleurisy creates a feeling of friction under the ribs, soreness increases with an inclination to the healthy side. Exudative pleurisy may be asymptomatic for some time, but the accumulation of effusion presses the lung, leading to shortness of breath. A characteristic sign is heaviness, lagging of the diseased half of the chest during breathing.

Pneumonia

Inflammation of the lung tissue is accompanied by a temperature reaction, coughing, sputum production. With a dry cough, it hurts in the chest closer to the sternum, because the bronchi covered with drying sputum suffer. The development of the wet component somewhat facilitates the discharge of sputum, but there are stabbing sensations on the side of the focus of inflammation. Symptoms significantly depend on the extent of damage to the respiratory system (segmental, lobar, total pneumonia).

chest injury

The situation, when even with a slight cough it hurts in the chest, requires the exclusion of traumatic damage to the ribs, sternum, pleura. The patient could forget about the bruise, while cracks, fractures of the bone tissue for a long time are manifested by pain symptoms. Careful examination will reveal changes in the soft tissues, careful pressing will reveal the source of damage. Bone fragments can injure the lung, possibly developing pneumothorax.

Heart disease

Cough may be accompanied by pain when there is concomitant cardiac pathology. Painful coughing movements provokes pericarditis, myocarditis. The sensations are aggravated by physical exertion, shortness of breath occurs, the patient cannot take a deep breath. Pressing pain behind the sternum, burning sensation is a dangerous symptom, often indicating the development of an angina attack. If the pain gives under the scapula, supraclavicular region, left arm, emergency care is required, since this is how acute myocardial infarction manifests itself.

Lungs' cancer

Oncological pulmonary pathology proceeds for a long time with subtle symptoms, manifesting itself as gradually increasing weakness and fatigue. Only the involvement of the bronchial structures and the pleura causes coughing, pain in the chest. Compression of the bronchus by the tumor leads to atelectasis below the level of obstruction, breathing is disturbed, and hypoxia of the internal organs begins. Tumor intoxication is manifested by nausea, vomiting, dizziness. Development of pulmonary bleedings, acute anemia is possible.

Why does my chest hurt when I cough

Localization of pain often helps to determine the source, cause. There are many causes of pain syndrome:

  • overwork of the respiratory muscles from frequent coughing movements;
  • inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, drying of the respiratory epithelium;
  • irritation or inflammation of the pleura;
  • intercostal neuralgia;
  • germination, compression of the bronchus by a tumor;
  • traumatic injuries of the chest and organs of the chest cavity;
  • inflammatory or ischemic diseases of the cardiac system.

in the middle

Painful sensations in the center of the chest when coughing are more often caused by catarrhal tracheitis or bronchitis. Another reason is the inflammatory process of the mediastinum - mediastinitis, including tuberculous genesis. Dull pulling pains behind the sternum, radiating to the back, causes esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), similar symptoms manifest neurasthenia.

Behind the sternum

Acute burning behind the sternum more often indicates cardiac pathology, although esophagitis and heartburn can manifest with the same sensations. A distinctive feature of pain in angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia is a sharp weakness, rapid pulse, the presence of reflex fear. Aching pains in the center of the chest when coughing are more likely to speak of tracheitis, spreading them to nearby departments is about bronchitis.

On right

A common cause is intercostal neuralgia. The cough becomes excruciating, the patient takes a forced position, allowing at least partly alleviate the condition. Widespread soreness of the right half of the chest requires the exclusion of pleurisy, tuberculous process. Pain when coughing will be accompanied by a right-sided focus of pneumonia. The stabbing, “shooting” nature of pain sensations is accompanied by traumatic damage to the ribs.

Left

In addition to intercostal neuralgia, pleurisy, pneumonia, left-sided pains are caused by pericarditis, myocarditis, angina pectoris. Alertness should cause a burning sensation, squeezing in the region of the heart, lack of air, palpitations, tachycardia. Such symptoms are characteristic of ischemic lesions of the heart muscle, may indicate a developing myocardial infarction.

Which doctor to contact

The main task with a painful cough is to establish and eliminate the cause. With respiratory infections, tracheitis, bronchitis, you should contact a general practitioner (a child - a pediatrician). Suspicion of damage to the chest requires examination by a traumatologist, surgeon. The neurologist will find out the source of intercostal neuralgia. With pain behind the sternum, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heart, you need to call emergency care or visit a cardiologist. Further X-ray and laboratory examination will clarify the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

What to take if your chest hurts when you cough

Treatment should be prescribed by a doctor, since the pain syndrome when coughing has a different origin. Having established the respiratory nature of the disease, the specialist will advise antiviral drugs, more often these are derivatives of interferon. You may need antipyretic, anti-inflammatory (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen) and antihistamines. With bronchitis, the attending physician takes into account the nature of the inflammation. Dry, unproductive cough requires the use of expectorants, sputum thinners: ACC, Lazolvan, Bromhexine, Ambroxol.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia involves a set of measures, the purpose of which is to eliminate irritation of the intercostal nerves. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, more often the non-steroidal group "Indomethacin", "Phenacetin", "Phenylbutazone". Vitamin therapy is indicated, massage, acupuncture may be needed. Drug treatment of pneumonia, chest injuries, oncological diseases, cardiac pathology is carried out strictly individually, taking into account all the characteristics of the disease and the patient.

Video: Intercostal neuralgia and chest pain

The pain felt in the middle of the chest at the time of coughing indicates the presence of an acute inflammatory process in the central segment of the lungs, provoked by infection with pathogenic microorganisms, or as a result of prolonged hypothermia of the body. Only in some cases, the presence of other pathologies not related to the functioning of the respiratory system is possible. Let's try to understand in more detail all the possible reasons for the appearance of such unpleasant sensations, as well as ways to eliminate pain in the chest during a cough.

The main causes of pain in the middle of the chest during a cough in most cases are precisely the presence of diseases of the bronchopulmonary system. But at the same time, the pathologies of the digestive organs, the heart muscle and nerve endings, which are in close proximity to the respiratory receptors, cannot be discarded. In general, the following causes of these chest pains can be distinguished, namely:

Chest pain when coughing, no fever

Dry cough followed by chest pain in the middle

  1. Angina. This is one of the few diseases of the cardiovascular system, which is always accompanied by a dry choking cough and a sharp pain in the middle of the chest. At the same time, the patient feels a lack of air, which is most acute during physical exertion. This state of the body is justified by a lack of oxygen and the inability of the heart to pump a sufficient volume of blood.
  2. Mitral valve prolapse. In this case, the pain begins to occur first in the center of the chest, and then spreads evenly over its entire surface. A person experiences an attack of suffocation, which turns into a dry cough. These sensations are provoked by the deflection of the walls of the mitral valve into the inside of the heart muscle.
  3. Thromboembolism. In patients with an increased concentration of platelets in the blood, there is a risk of blood clots that clog large and medium great vessels. If there is a blockage of the pulmonary artery, then the person experiences severe burning pain in the middle of the chest. Dry cough occurs already as a result of a lack of oxygen, because due to the lack of movement of the bloodstream through the pulmonary artery, natural gas exchange and oxygen saturation of all body cells are disrupted.
  4. Ulcer disease. When this disease of the digestive organ is in the acute phase of its development, not only the mucous membrane of the stomach, but also the esophagus is irritated. Then a aching pain is felt in the chest, which lasts 5-10 minutes, and then subsides for a while to resume as the peptic ulcer worsens.
  5. Pleurisy. In most cases, with inflammation of the pleural sheets, severe pain during coughing is more felt from the back. But it happens that the patient feels absolutely no discomfort in the back of the chest, but at the slightest urge to cough in the middle of the chest, a strong pain syndrome begins.
  6. Tumor. The presence of an oncological process in the central part of the lungs is always a 90% guarantee that, starting from the 2nd stage of the development of a malignant formation, the patient will experience not only a strong dry cough, but also spasmodic attacks inside the chest. As the disease progresses, these symptoms only get worse.

This list of pathologies of the human body is not exhaustive. The factor of individuality of each organism should never be discarded. It is possible that the pain in the middle of the chest that is present during a cough is a symptom of another disease, or a consequence of a spasm of the muscle fibers of the chest on a nervous basis.

Do I need to see a doctor and which one?

No matter how severe the pain in the middle of the chest is when coughing, you should still seek medical help from a healthcare facility. The patient will need to visit a pulmonologist. If this specialized specialist is not available in the clinic, then you need to get an appointment with a therapist. The urgent need for examination by doctors of this specialty is due to the fact that a variety of pathologies can be hidden under the pain syndrome in the middle of the chest. At the same time, diseases of a pulmonological nature are not always the cause of the painful condition of the chest.

Timely examination and finding out the cause of the presence of these symptoms will help not only to quickly get rid of chest pain associated with coughing, but also to prevent the onset of serious complications, especially when it comes to the presence of an oncological process.

How to remove pain?

In order to prevent pain in the middle of the chest at home, measures should be taken to organize additional blood flow to the chest. In order to achieve these therapeutic manipulations, it is recommended to perform the following actions, namely:

  1. Lie on your back, remove the pillow from under your head and expose your torso. In this case, the coating should be firm so that the chest does not fall into the inside of the bed.
  2. Make a warming massage of the outer part of the chest. It is enough to perform smooth circular movements for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Apply a warming ointment to the surface of the chest. Doctor Mom or Asterisk is perfect.
  4. Wrap the chest with a thick terry towel or woolen scarf. If necessary, you can additionally cover yourself with a blanket.

As the warming effect sets in, more blood flows to the lungs. This allows you to reduce the inflammatory effect, improve blood circulation and temporarily stop pain in the middle of the chest during coughing fits. Similar manipulations can be done not only with the help of warming ointments, but also by installing a water-alcohol compress or mustard plasters on the chest.

Very often, coughing attacks are accompanied by pain in the chest area. Some patients simply do not pay attention to such a condition, and do not even think about why there is chest pain when coughing. At the same time, there can be many reasons for such manifestations, and in most cases they indicate the course of any diseases in the human body. In such cases, the main task of the patient and doctors is to timely determine the presence of violations in the functioning of certain organs and systems, and to conduct appropriate treatment.

Why are coughing attacks accompanied by pain?

Chest pain when coughing is not considered normal and inevitably indicates certain disorders. Pain can occur in such cases:

It is impossible to let the disease take its course, since often chest pain that appears on the background of a cold may indicate damage to the mucous membrane, lung tissue or pleura.

Diagnosis of emerging pain

With a deterioration in health, which is manifested by coughing and chest pains, it is necessary to visit such doctors as a pulmonologist, therapist, neurologist. In the case when the cause of the pain cannot be established, doctors can use a detailed x-ray of the lungs, a complete blood count, sputum culture, a tuberculin test, a blood test for the presence of a viral or bacterial infection for diagnosis.

To exclude the presence of a tumor in the lungs, it is necessary to make a puncture of the lung tissue for histological examination. If you suspect such diseases as tracheitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, SARS, x-ray of the lungs and sputum analysis are prescribed.

Having studied the indicators of a detailed blood test, it is possible to determine the depth of the inflammatory process in the organs of the respiratory system.

What measures to take?

If coughing attacks occur that cause pain in the sternum, you can slightly alleviate the patient's condition. But it is worth abandoning self-treatment in cases where the cause of such a process is unknown. If the patient knows that the pain in the chest when coughing is due to stretching of the muscles, a warming ointment can be used. You need to buy an ointment as prescribed by a doctor, apply it to a sore spot and rub it well so that the affected area is hot. Such actions must be done for 3 days, during which time the inflammatory process will be removed.

It is also recommended to take drugs that suppress coughing attacks or drugs that increase the amount of sputum and promote its discharge. Chest pain when coughing, in any case, is an indicator of disorders occurring in the functioning of the body, which is why it is important to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

Chest pain when coughing

Squeezing, stabbing and other discomfort in the chest area, as a rule, indicate respiratory diseases, especially in the presence of a cough. However, this symptom is not always a sign of bronchitis, pneumonia or tuberculosis. It happens that when coughing, it hurts in the chest due to pathologies of the heart, digestive, nervous system and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Why does my chest hurt when I cough?

The main causes of the condition under consideration are the pathologies of the respiratory tract:

  • acute, chronic bronchitis;
  • SARS;
  • pulmonary embolism;
  • tracheitis;
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
  • pleurisy (inflammation of the lung membrane);
  • bronchial asthma;
  • pneumothorax;
  • pharyngitis;
  • bronchiectasis;
  • emphysema.

With these diseases, a strong dry or wet cough develops and the chest hurts. These clinical manifestations can occur in the form of seizures, often observed at night and in the morning.

In addition, the following diseases and conditions become the causes of pain in the chest area:

  • destruction, injury of the rib cage;
  • osteocondritis of the spine;
  • tumors in the chest;
  • cardiovascular diseases;
  • intercostal neuralgia;
  • hernia of the esophagus;
  • reflux esophagitis;
  • allergic reaction;
  • heart failure;
  • the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract;
  • epiglottitis;
  • shortening of the intervertebral ligament;
  • renal colic.

It is worth noting that the above list of pathologies is rarely accompanied by a cough. If this symptom is present, there are likely comorbidities.

What should I do if my chest hurts from coughing?

To start treatment, it is important to establish the cause of the described clinical manifestations. Therefore, you should contact several specialists:

  • therapist;
  • otolaryngologist;
  • pulmonologist;
  • neuropathologist;
  • surgeon;
  • oncologist.

When the factor provoking the problem is clarified, you need to pay attention to the nature of the cough and the presence of concomitant symptoms.

If the cause of the pain syndrome is a neurological disease or osteochondrosis, it is necessary to reduce the load on the spine, perform warm-ups and take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

With a dry painful cough, the use of antitussive drugs is required. They contribute to the suppression of seizures, provide a normal night's sleep. Additionally, you can take NSAIDs to relieve pain.

A wet cough involves thinning and facilitating the excretion of sputum. For these purposes, mucolytics, bronchodilators are prescribed. It is important to observe the drinking regimen, which includes a plentiful amount of warm liquid.

It is important to note that coughing and chest pain are just signs of an underlying disease. Without his therapy, it is pointless to deal with such manifestations.

Chest hurts during coughing - how to treat such symptoms?

Of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended:

  • ibuprofen;
  • Ortofen;
  • Paracetamol;
  • Diclofenac;
  • Aspirin.

Antitussive drugs:

  • Codterpin;
  • Bluecode;
  • Terpincode;
  • Codelac;
  • Libeksin;
  • Stoptussin.

Expectorant drugs that facilitate the excretion of bronchopulmonary secretion:

  • Ambroxol;
  • Lazolvan;
  • Mukaltin;
  • Bromhexine;
  • liquorice root.

If necessary, the doctor may also prescribe antiallergic medications:

  • Diazolin;
  • Zodak;
  • Claritin;
  • Tavegil;
  • Zyrtec.

Antibiotics for bacterial cough:

  • Ceftriaxone;
  • Amoxiclav;
  • Sumamed;
  • Unidox Solutab.

Sometimes antivirals are needed:

  • Interferon;
  • Oscillococcinum;
  • Amizon;
  • Remantadin.

Chest pain when coughing

Causes of chest pain when coughing can be diseases that a person is not even aware of. The most common causes are diseases of the area near or around the heart, or in its middle wall, which manifests itself in the form of pain. Pain during breathing and coughing can be signs of diseases of the respiratory system, although they can be easily confused with heart disease. Such pains are most often localized on the side of the chest - on the right or left. They can be sharp, stabbing or, conversely, blunt, pulling. What specific diseases are indicated by chest pain when coughing?

Learn more about causes of chest pain when coughing

The causes of chest pain when coughing, in addition to diseases of the heart, blood vessels and respiratory system, can be infections. They cause coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath and other symptoms that are not very pleasant for a person and prompt him to immediately consult a doctor. Here is a partial list of the most common causes of chest pain when coughing.

  • Colds, seasonal flu (flu), swine flu, SARS (acute respiratory viral infection).
  • Epiglottitis (bloated epiglottis), tracheitis, acute or chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and diphtheria
  • Tuberculosis
  • Respiratory tract infection
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema.
  • Smoke inhalation
  • Allergy
  • foreign body
  • Tumors
  • Pleurisy, which can cause chest pain and cough when breathing deeply
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Heart failure.
  • Pulmonary embolism

What diseases cause chest pain when coughing?

Let's take a closer look at the diseases that can cause chest pain when coughing.

Inflammation of the membrane (pleurisy)

In the chest cavity and lungs there is a special membrane that acts as a kind of bedding. If this membrane becomes inflamed, a person may develop a cough that is dull and barking or dry and does not go away. Such a disease is most often diagnosed as pleurisy or dry pleurisy. Most often it is a consequence of pneumonia.

Symptoms

If a person is affected by dry pleurisy, he may experience the following symptoms.

  • Rolling over on the side that hurts can reduce pain.
  • It is difficult to breathe, especially one side of the chest suffers, in which pain appears.
  • Breathing may be weakened, especially if the person tries not to strain the sore side of the chest.
  • When listening to breathing, the doctor can determine the noise in the chest and lungs - this is due to friction of the pleural membranes.
  • Subfebrile body temperature may occur (37.5 - 38 degrees Celsius)
  • Chills and night sweats, as well as rapid breathing and fatigue.

The destruction of the frame of the ribs

With this disease, a person can also experience chest pain when coughing.

Symptoms

The rib cage or thoracic spine can be destroyed or damaged as a result of trauma, causing it to become less mobile than before. In this case, a person may also suffer from tumors of the pleura or a disease called pericarditis. Chest pain in such cases becomes stronger during coughing, elementary movements, running, even walking. There is shortness of breath, and the pain of shortness of breath can be either severe or weaken at times.

Too short interpleural ligament

If the interpleural ligament is shorter than physiologically necessary, the person may cough and have chest pain. The ligament is called interpleural because it is located between the two parts of the pleura - parietal and visceral, which are located near the so-called roots of the lungs. This ligament provides resistance to the lungs when the diaphragm moves with any effort. The fact that there are problems with the lungs can be judged by the displacement of the interpleural ligaments. For example, they shorten with the development of pneumonia.

Symptoms

Cough and chest pain is aggravated when a person talks, takes a deep breath, breathes actively, gives himself more physical activity than usual. He may experience chest pains in the form of tingling when running or walking.

Intercostal neuralgia

This disease is characterized by severe pain in the chest in the form of shots. They disturb the person so much that he can scream in pain. It is important not to confuse intercostal neuralgia with attacks of heart pain, because the symptoms are similar.

Symptoms

Chest pain with intercostal neuralgia increases dramatically as soon as a person coughs or if he simply inhales sharply.

Renal colic

From this disease, pain can occur not only in the back, where the kidneys are located, but also chest pain when coughing. Renal colic can occur due to a violation of the outflow of urine, which develops due to poor functioning of the urinary tract and kidneys.

Symptoms

Pain under the ribs on the right in the chest increases with coughing and movement. Pain in renal colic can also bother in the pit of the stomach (a common symptom) and a person also has pain in the entire abdomen. Pain in renal colic can be given under the scapula on the right side or in the right forearm. If the doctor examines the patient and checks the work of the gallbladder by palpation, the pain may also bother there. The tenth and twelfth vertebrae of the chest can especially signal pain.

chest injury

They can also cause chest pain that gets worse when you cough. Chest injuries may include fractures or bruises of the ribs, as well as dislocations and subluxations of the shoulder joint.

Symptoms

Pain in chest injuries is usually sharp, shooting, intensifying with each movement. It is important not to confuse such pain with osteochondrosis. In this disease, chest pain also increases with coughing, but is treated in a completely different way.

Chest pain when coughing due to a cold

Causes of chest pain when coughing can be colds that occur due to viruses or bacteria. The diseases themselves are influenza, SARS, whooping cough, inflammation of the trachea (tracheitis) and other cold-related diseases.

Symptoms

  • Dry cough that doesn't go away
  • Chills
  • Sore throat
  • Heat
  • Fast fatiguability
  • Sensation as if someone is scratching the inside of the chest

As a rule, such pains disappear immediately as soon as a person eliminates the source of the disease - the bacteria or viruses that caused the pain and cough.

Lungs' cancer

Lung cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells in the tissues of the lungs. If the cancer is left untreated, this growth can spread outside the lungs (metastasize) to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. It is important to know that non-smokers account for 10-15% of lung cancer cases, and doctors often attribute these cases to a combination of genetic factors. The remaining 80-85% of lung cancer cases are the consequences of smoking.

Symptoms

The nature of chest pains when coughing, which occur due to lung cancer, is sharp, tingling, encircling the entire chest. Pain can disturb a person in only one part of the chest or give it to the arm, stomach or neck. If metastases penetrate into the ribs or spine, a person experiences very strong, unbearable pain in the chest, which is aggravated by the slightest movement.

Pneumothorax

A collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, is an air cushion in the space around the lungs. This accumulation of air puts pressure on the lungs so they cannot expand as much as they need to breathe normally. A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lungs and fills the space outside the lungs, inside the chest. This condition can be caused by a gunshot or knife wound to the chest, broken ribs, or medical procedures. In some cases, a collapsed lung occurs for no reason. This condition is called spontaneous pneumothorax.

Symptoms

Unbearable chest pain, which sometimes goes away on its own, and sometimes requires surgery. Chest pain can be moderate, but worsen with coughing or sudden movements.

Diagnosis of chest pain when coughing

To completely exclude serious damage to the lung tissue or to find out that the causes of chest pain when coughing are diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the doctor may prescribe the following diagnostic methods

  • detailed x-ray of the lungs in several projections;
  • general blood analysis
  • sputum culture
  • tuberculin test
  • a blood test to check for a bacterial or viral infection

If a cancer is suspected, a lung tissue puncture is needed for a histological examination. Only after that it will be possible to talk about what kind of disease bothers you.

In the presence of obvious symptoms of bronchitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis and SARS, an x-ray of the lungs, a tuberculin test and sputum analysis are performed. The doctor may also prescribe a detailed complete blood count. According to its indicators, it will be possible to judge the depth of the inflammatory process in the respiratory organs.

Chest pain when coughing, as you already understood, can occur due to various diseases. Therefore, the treatment in each case is different. The method of treating chest pain when coughing depends entirely on the qualifications of the doctor, so it is important to find a specialist whom you can completely trust.

Many people pay attention to a cough only if it is accompanied by a fever. In other cases, they do not take the symptom seriously, they expect the unpleasant phenomenon to pass by itself. They do not even think about visiting the hospital, and a long cough without fever haunts them for months.

A frivolous attitude to the signal of the body in most cases ends rather badly:

The severe consequences of ignoring a prolonged cough without fever are explained by the fact that it is often a companion of quite serious and dangerous processes occurring in the body. They can affect various organs, as well as worsen the state of the immune system as a whole.

Prolonged cough, chest pain without fever due to chronic bronchitis

Reflex spasms of the airways are often a sign of ailments that do not necessarily have an acute form. A prolonged cough (more than a month) without fever is very often observed with bronchitis in the chronic stage. Its main features are:

  • Parallel occurrence of pain in the chest.
  • Strengthening in windy and wet weather.
  • Excretion of copious sputum.

Prolonged ignoring of the symptom and the lack of adequate treatment of the underlying disease can lead to the occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Long cough without fever with tuberculosis

In addition to protracted bronchitis, there is a more serious respiratory disease, which may be indicated by bronchospasm, which does not give rest for a long time. A prolonged cough (3 weeks) without fever can be a sign of such a terrible disease as tuberculosis. The symptom accompanying this disease has the following characteristics:

The danger of ignoring a prolonged cough without fever caused by tuberculosis lies in the fact that during reflex spasms, which become more and more intense, the respiratory organs can be injured and pulmonary hemorrhages occur. The main disease, in the absence of adequate treatment, will progress, developing into a more severe form.

Persistent cough without fever in smokers

Reflex spastic exhalations lasting for a long time can be caused not only directly by diseases of the bronchi or lungs. Often they develop due to the presence of a bad habit - nicotine addiction, which provokes the onset of the development of various pathological processes in the respiratory system.

If the cough continues for 3 weeks (there is no temperature), and the person has a long smoking experience, then you should pay attention to the following symptoms:

  • Are there signs of any infectious diseases?
  • Does cough appear most often in the morning, after physical exertion (even brisk walking), with sharp breaths.
  • Are bronchospasms accompanied by the release of dense clots of mucus.

If a long cough without fever in a smoker is accompanied by similar symptoms, then there is a high probability that the unpleasant phenomenon is caused precisely by the constant inhalation of tobacco smoke.

The only way to get rid of a prolonged cough without fever in this case is to stop smoking. All other methods (inhalations, mint or eucalyptus sweets, soothing gargles) can slightly weaken the intensity of reflex spasms, but they cannot completely get rid of them.

Just as it is impossible to stop the pathological processes that have begun in the respiratory system without giving up a bad habit. After all, very often a long-term cough in smokers develops into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which threatens with serious health consequences.

Protracted cough without fever in heart disease

Reflex spasms of the diaphragm that do not stop for a long time can be caused not only by pathological processes that occur directly in the respiratory organs. If, for example, a cough continues for 2 weeks without fever, then you should pay attention to other sensations and signs:

Prolonged cough without fever with allergic reactions

Hypersensitivity of the body to various stimuli can also cause reflex spasms of the airways. The unpleasant symptom that has arisen from exposure to allergens can be quite long. He pursues a person until contact of the patient with the provocateur is excluded. If the cough continues for two weeks (without fever), then it will not be superfluous to visit the hospital and take tests to identify various intolerances.

For an unpleasant symptom caused by an allergy, the following course is characteristic:

  • Occurs after contact with a specific stimulus.
  • The absence of such signs of disease states as: temperature, fever, pain, weakness.
  • Possible itching, runny nose, sneezing.
  • Absence of mucus.

A prolonged cough without fever may be evidence of an allergic reaction of the body to such everyday things as:

  • Plant pollen.
  • Wool.
  • Freezing.
  • Sun.
  • Cosmetics.
  • Household chemicals.

The reasons for the development of allergies and the occurrence of a prolonged cough without fever may be:

  • Excessive hygiene, which reduces the protective functions of the immune system.
  • Antibiotics.
  • Foods rich in chemicals.

Unfortunately, there are no drugs that treat allergies. Therefore, the only way to get rid of a prolonged cough without fever is to completely eliminate contact with the irritant that causes intolerance.

Of course, general knowledge about the causes of reflex spasms of the airways is not enough to independently diagnose and prescribe treatment. Only a doctor can correctly understand why an unpleasant symptom arose, analyze the entire clinical picture and determine the disease that causes an unpleasant long-term cough without fever. Only after that, the specialist prescribes the optimal treatment regimen, which will help the patient to get rid of the unpleasant symptom and the underlying ailment as soon as possible.

What do chest pains indicate when you inhale?


The pleural membrane of the chest contains many nerve endings, so pain when inhaling can occur with many diseases and injuries.

Not always chest pain felt when breathing indicates lung disease. Pain can be felt in the respiratory muscles after an excessive load on it - this happens, for example, after severe repeated vomiting.

If the onset of pain was preceded by a fall or blow to the chest (for example, in a traffic accident), then the cause of the pain is a bruise or fracture of the ribs. In this case, the victim must be urgently taken to the hospital. It should be transported in a semi-sitting position, applying cold to the chest.

lung disease

Chest pain when breathing is a characteristic symptom of pneumonia (pneumonia). Other manifestations of this disease are high fever, cough with sputum, hard, wheezing breathing.

An equally serious danger is a pulmonary embolism - blockage by a blood clot of one or more arteries that feed the lungs. Along with sudden pain during breathing, there is shortness of breath, sweating, blue skin, coughing up blood.

Pain when inhaling, as well as when coughing, is characterized by pleurisy - inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the lungs. The pain may be dull or sharp, like a burning sensation. Other symptoms of pleurisy are dry cough, chills, fever, and difficulty breathing.

All these diseases are quite serious and can be life-threatening, therefore, if such symptoms appear, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor without resorting to self-medication.

Diseases of other organs

Pain when breathing can occur with an exacerbation of osteochondrosis that has affected the thoracic spine. In this case, there is a stabbing pain in the chest, "forcing" the patient to take a certain position and hold his breath. Pain can occur not only when inhaling, but also when exhaling. You can remove this condition only with the help of an injection of an anesthetic - this will be done by an ambulance doctor, after which you should contact a therapist.

Dull pain when breathing and coughing, combined with high fever, indicates costal chondritis - inflammation of the cartilage at the junction of the ribs with the sternum. The deeper the breath, the stronger the pain. When you press your fingers on the chest, the pain intensifies.

Pain in the chest area during breathing also occurs with heart disease - for example, with an attack of angina pectoris, which is popularly called "angina pectoris". Pain occurs suddenly during physical or emotional stress, accompanied by shortness of breath, a feeling of fullness in the chest, the attack lasts up to 15 minutes.

If the pain is felt in the middle of the chest or on the left, accompanied by shortness of breath in the supine position, malaise, temperature 37-37.5, we are talking about pericarditis - inflammation of the serous membrane that surrounds the heart.

The causes of chest pain when coughing, in addition to diseases of the heart, blood vessels and respiratory system, can be infections. They cause coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath and other symptoms that are not very pleasant for a person and prompt him to immediately consult a doctor. Here is a partial list of the most common causes of chest pain when coughing.

  • Colds, seasonal flu (flu), swine flu, SARS (acute respiratory viral infection).
  • Epiglottitis (bloated epiglottis), tracheitis, acute or chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and diphtheria
  • Tuberculosis
  • Respiratory tract infection
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema.
  • Smoke inhalation
  • Allergy
  • foreign body
  • Tumors
  • Pleurisy, which can cause chest pain and cough when breathing deeply
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Heart failure.
  • Pulmonary embolism

What diseases cause chest pain when coughing?

Let's take a closer look at the diseases that can cause chest pain when coughing.

Inflammation of the membrane (pleurisy)

In the chest cavity and lungs there is a special membrane that acts as a kind of bedding. If this membrane becomes inflamed, a person may develop a cough that is dull and barking or dry and does not go away. Such a disease is most often diagnosed as pleurisy or dry pleurisy. Most often it is a consequence of pneumonia.

Symptoms

If a person is affected by dry pleurisy, he may experience the following symptoms.

  • Rolling over on the side that hurts can reduce pain.
  • It is difficult to breathe, especially one side of the chest suffers, in which pain appears.
  • Breathing may be weakened, especially if the person tries not to strain the sore side of the chest.
  • When listening to breathing, the doctor can determine the noise in the chest and lungs - this is due to friction of the pleural membranes.
  • Subfebrile body temperature may occur (37.5 - 38 degrees Celsius)
  • Chills and night sweats, as well as rapid breathing and fatigue.

The destruction of the frame of the ribs

With this disease, a person can also experience chest pain when coughing.

Symptoms

The rib cage or thoracic spine can be destroyed or damaged as a result of trauma, causing it to become less mobile than before. In this case, a person may also suffer from tumors of the pleura or a disease called pericarditis. Chest pain in such cases becomes stronger during coughing, elementary movements, running, even walking. There is shortness of breath, and the pain of shortness of breath can be either severe or weaken at times.

Too short interpleural ligament

If the interpleural ligament is shorter than physiologically necessary, the person may cough and have chest pain. The ligament is called interpleural because it is located between the two parts of the pleura - parietal and visceral, which are located near the so-called roots of the lungs. This ligament provides resistance to the lungs when the diaphragm moves with any effort. The fact that there are problems with the lungs can be judged by the displacement of the interpleural ligaments. For example, they shorten with the development of pneumonia.

Symptoms

Cough and chest pain is aggravated when a person talks, takes a deep breath, breathes actively, gives himself more physical activity than usual. He may experience chest pains in the form of tingling when running or walking.

Intercostal neuralgia

This disease is characterized by severe pain in the chest in the form of shots. They disturb the person so much that he can scream in pain. It is important not to confuse intercostal neuralgia with attacks of heart pain, because the symptoms are similar.

Symptoms

Chest pain with intercostal neuralgia increases dramatically as soon as a person coughs or if he simply inhales sharply.

Renal colic

From this disease, pain can occur not only in the back, where the kidneys are located, but also chest pain when coughing. Renal colic can occur due to a violation of the outflow of urine, which develops due to poor functioning of the urinary tract and kidneys.

Symptoms

Pain under the ribs on the right in the chest increases with coughing and movement. Pain in renal colic can also bother in the pit of the stomach (a common symptom) and a person also has pain in the entire abdomen. Pain in renal colic can be given under the scapula on the right side or in the right forearm. If the doctor examines the patient and checks the work of the gallbladder by palpation, the pain may also bother there. The tenth and twelfth vertebrae of the chest can especially signal pain.

chest injury

They can also cause chest pain that gets worse when you cough. Chest injuries may include fractures or bruises of the ribs, as well as dislocations and subluxations of the shoulder joint.

Symptoms

Pain in chest injuries is usually sharp, shooting, intensifying with each movement. It is important not to confuse such pain with osteochondrosis. In this disease, chest pain also increases with coughing, but is treated in a completely different way.

Chest pain when coughing due to a cold

Causes of chest pain when coughing can be colds that occur due to viruses or bacteria. The diseases themselves are influenza, SARS, whooping cough, inflammation of the trachea (tracheitis) and other cold-related diseases.

Symptoms

  • Dry cough that doesn't go away
  • Chills
  • Sore throat
  • Heat
  • Fast fatiguability
  • Sensation as if someone is scratching the inside of the chest

As a rule, such pains disappear immediately as soon as a person eliminates the source of the disease - the bacteria or viruses that caused the pain and cough.

Lungs' cancer

Lung cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells in the tissues of the lungs. If the cancer is left untreated, this growth can spread outside the lungs (metastasize) to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. It is important to know that non-smokers account for 10-15% of lung cancer cases, and doctors often attribute these cases to a combination of genetic factors. The remaining 80-85% of lung cancer cases are the consequences of smoking.

Symptoms

The nature of chest pains when coughing, which occur due to lung cancer, is sharp, tingling, encircling the entire chest. Pain can disturb a person in only one part of the chest or give it to the arm, stomach or neck. If metastases penetrate into the ribs or spine, a person experiences very strong, unbearable pain in the chest, which is aggravated by the slightest movement.

Pneumothorax

A collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, is an air cushion in the space around the lungs. This accumulation of air puts pressure on the lungs so they cannot expand as much as they need to breathe normally. A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lungs and fills the space outside the lungs, inside the chest. This condition can be caused by a gunshot or knife wound to the chest, broken ribs, or medical procedures. In some cases, a collapsed lung occurs for no reason. This condition is called spontaneous pneumothorax.

Symptoms

Unbearable chest pain, which sometimes goes away on its own, and sometimes requires surgery. Chest pain can be moderate, but worsen with coughing or sudden movements.

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