What is this pain I am feeling?

[hemispheredancer]

Every time I inhale deeply, I get a pain in my right lung area. I felt this all night, too. I am not in any other pain and not having a hard time breathing or wheezing. It is very annoying. If it isn't better come Monday, I will get into the MD office. Anybody ever experience this?

 

[lyeag]

Have you had a chest cold recently? I once had such a bad cough I strained the muscles in my chest and it was painful to take a deep breath.

 

[perdidobay]

Pleurisy?


Pleurisy, also called pleuritis, is an inflammation of the pleura, which is the moist, double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the rib cage. The condition can make breathing extremely painful, and sometimes it is associated with another condition called pleural effusion where excess fluid fills the area between the membrane's layers.



The double-layered pleura protects and lubricates the surface of the lungs as they inflate and deflate within the rib cage. Normally, a thin, fluid-filled gap -- the pleural space -- allows the two layers of the pleural membrane to slide gently past each other. But when these layers become inflamed, their roughened surfaces rub painfully together like two pieces of sandpaper with every breath, sneeze, and cough.

In some cases of pleurisy, excess fluid seeps into the pleural space, resulting in pleural effusion. This fluid buildup usually has a lubricating effect, relieving the pain associated with pleurisy as it reduces friction between the membrane's layers. But at the same time, the added fluid puts tremendous pressure on the lungs, reducing their ability to move freely and causing shortness of breath. In some cases of pleural effusion, this excess liquid can become infected.

What Causes It?

Viral infection is probably the most common cause of pleurisy. Other diseases that can cause pleurisy are lung infections, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and other diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, liver and kidney disease, heart failure and pulmonary embolism. Other causes include chest injuries and drug reactions.

Pleurisy and pleural effusion are generally only as serious as the underlying disease causing it. If you have either of these conditions, you may already be undergoing treatment for the underlying disease; if not, seek medical attention immediately.

A pleural effusion can occur without pleurisy, as is the case in heart failure.

Medically reviewed by Paul Enright, MD, July 2005.

SOURCES: WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with Healthwise: "Pleurisy." National Library of Medicine. The Mayo Clinic.


© 2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

 

[hemispheredancer]

Well, it is 11:57 and after all the hubbub of the Eve, I am still feeling it. I came home and did a breathing treatment and that may have helped a tad but I still feel it when taking a deep breath. I can especially feel it when leaning to the left or bending over. I don't want to make a big deal about it and get the kids and family worried on Christmas day. If it is still really bad tomorrow night I can go to the after hours clinic. I just took DD albuterol inhaler and it has done nada. Yes, I am coming off a cold but it seemed to be milder than others. I didn't seem to have as much phlegm as other times. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight and not worry about it. Thanks for listening!

 

[Bashful2]

What you're describing is the way I felt when I had pleurisy. The pain was pretty severe so I went to the ED. Because mine was viral, there wasn't much they could do about it. They did prescribe pain meds, though, and that helped a lot. It only lasted 2-3 days and then I started feeling better. Sorry you're having to go through this on Christmas Eve.

 

[lemondog]

Sounds like pleurisy to me. I have had it before and it's VERY painful. It also sent me to the ER and pain meds really helped. I also suffer from anxiety attacks with shortness of breath and sometimes when I am struggling to breathe properly a very similar pain to what you describe pops up -- one side of the lung, worse when I take a very deep breath, worse when I bend a certain way. I have had tests, chest x-rays, the works, and they can find nothing physically wrong with me. Could you perhaps be extremely stressed right now? I sometimes will take a very low-dose xanax and that helps me loosen up enough for the pain to go away.

 

[hemispheredancer]

Ya know, DH reminded me that on Friday I cleared our sidewalk and approach of that melting, slushy snow. He is thinking maybe it is a muscle issue? Last night I took a good dose of NyQuil before bed and when I woke up I was feeling pretty good. By about 2 pm today I was feeling it again. Could it possibly be a muscle pull or strain? I took a Naprosyn pill today and didn't feel much of a difference.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Could be gas or heartburn. (gross, sorry!) Also, the other night I was drinking water so fast, I double swallowed? Don't know how else to describe it, but the pain was so bad I thought I burst a lung or was having a heart attack!!! It still bothered me for a day or so. Especially if I moved a certain way while I was taking a breath.

Scared me!! Hope you are feeling better soon!!

 

[Aidensmom]

I get that pain if I am coming down with bronchitis.

 

[luvwinnie]

Just saw this post. How are you now?

 

[WDWAurora]

I had something like that once, and it was Costraconchitis (I think-likely spelled wrong). That's when you pull the muscles between the ribs if memory serves me right. I was on a bus and leaned over the stairs part from the front seat and picked up a water cooler. It was painful!

Hope you're feeling better by now!!

 

[hemispheredancer]

I am all better now, thanks. I was feeling better a few days after Christmas. I truly believe it was a pulled muscle from shoveling that wet, heavy snow. From now on, DH or the kids can do it!!