New chest pain with a respiratory problem

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New chest pain with a respiratory problem

Prolonged or violent coughing can strain or pull the muscles or ligaments of the chest wall. In some older adults, severe coughing may even cause a rib fracture.

When the muscles, ligaments, or bones in the chest wall are strained or damaged, even normal breathing may cause mild to moderate chest pain. The chest wall may even become tender to the touch or painful when lying down. The entire chest wall may ache continuously and pain may increase with coughing or movement.

Chest wall pain may cause rapid, shallow breathing but does not cause true shortness of breath. The pain will subside as your cough improves. True shortness of breath is a feeling that you can't get enough air or that you are smothering.

Chest pain may be serious when it:

• Occurs with a sense that you aren't getting enough air (shortness of breath).
• Is localized and sharp or stabbing when you take a deep breath.
• Occurs with other symptoms of a heart attack.
• Occurs with a high fever.
• Occurs with shaking chills (rigors).
• Occurs with production of yellow or brown sputum.

Chest pain that occurs with other respiratory symptoms may indicate an infection or inflammation of the lungs or the tissues surrounding the lungs. Occasionally, chest pain that occurs with true shortness of breath may be a sign of a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).

Unexplained chest pain with coughing up blood or with pain deep in the leg or calf, especially if there is also swelling in one leg, may indicate a blood clot that has moved from the leg to the lung (pulmonary embolus).

Heartburn or spasms of the esophagus may also cause chest pain. In both of these cases, other respiratory symptoms are not usually present.

Credits

Last updated:	February 25, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer