Chest wall pain
Chest wall pain may cause more rapid, shallow breathing, but it does not cause true shortness of breath. True shortness of breath is a feeling that you can't get enough air or that you are being smothered.
Minor chest wall pain
Chest pain is not always serious. Minor chest wall pain is commonly caused by overusing your chest muscles, which can strain the muscles, ligaments, and cartilage in your chest wall. When this happens, even normal breathing can cause mild chest pain. The chest wall may even become tender to the touch. The entire chest wall may ache all the time, and pain may increase with movement or lying on the injured area. When you stop moving, the chest wall pain will often decrease or go away.
Chest wall pain is often caused by coughing. Coughing is your body's way to clear mucus from the lungs and to keep your lungs expanded. People with weakened bones or cancer can fracture a rib with minor physical activity or coughing. This often causes sharp, severe pain that gets worse when you inhale, cough, or press on the affected area.
Many times the exact cause of chest wall pain cannot be determined. Activities that may not have caused pain in the past, such as using a weed-eater, may be the cause of new chest wall pain. A slight bump to the chest may be the cause of chest wall pain hours to days later. Muscle tension, arthritis, or inflammation in the rib cage (costochondritis) can also cause chest wall pain.
If chest wall pain is caused by recent physical activity, rest and home treatment may be all that is needed to relieve the pain.
Serious chest wall pain
Chest wall pain is more serious when the pain:
- Is severe.
- Is in one area and is sharp or stabbing when you take a deep breath.
- Makes you feel like you can't get enough air or that you are smothering (true shortness of breath).
Call your doctor for an evaluation if you have serious chest wall pain.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: April 27, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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