Why does my lung hurt when i breathe in deeply

The most common symptom of pleurisy is a sharp chest pain when breathing deeply. Sometimes the pain is also felt in the shoulder.

Table of Contents Show

Seeing your GP
What causes pleurisy?
How is pleurisy treated?
When to see a GP
Treating pleurisy
Treating chest pain
Treating the underlying cause
Treating pleural effusion
Why does my lung hurt when I take a deep breath?
How do you fix lung pain when breathing in?
Should I be worried if my lung hurts?

The pain may be worse when you cough, sneeze or move around, and it may be relieved by taking shallow breaths.

Other symptoms can include shortness of breath and a dry cough.

Visit your GP if you experience the above symptoms. Seek immediate medical help if your chest pain is severe, particularly if you also have other symptoms, such as coughing up blood, nausea or sweating.

Seeing your GP

Pleurisy can usually be diagnosed by studying your symptoms. Your GP can listen to your chest to check for the distinctive dry, crunching sound that suggests you may have pleurisy.

Further tests may be needed to identify the underlying cause of your pleurisy and to assess how severe it is. These can include:

What causes pleurisy?

Most cases are the result of a viral infection (such as the flu) or a bacterial infection (such as pneumonia).

In rarer cases, pleurisy can be caused by conditions such as a blood clot blocking the flow of blood into the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or lung cancer.

Pleurisy can affect people of all ages, but people of 65 years and over are most at risk, because they're more likely to develop a chest infection.

How is pleurisy treated?

Treatment for pleurisy depends on the underlying cause.

For example, pleurisy caused by a viral infection will often resolve itself without treatment. However, pleurisy caused by a bacterial infection is usually treated with antibiotics, and people who are frail or already in poor health may be admitted to hospital.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often used to relieve the chest pain associated with pleurisy.

If excess fluid builds up between the pleural layers, it may be necessary to drain the fluid to prevent breathing difficulties.

The most common symptom of pleurisy is a sharp chest pain when you breathe. You sometimes also feel pain in your shoulder.

The pain may be worse when you cough, sneeze or move around. It may be relieved by taking shallow breaths.

Other symptoms include shortness of breath and a dry cough.

When to see a GP

See a GP if you have sharp stabbing chest pains when you breathe or other symptoms of pleurisy.

Pleurisy can usually be diagnosed based on your symptoms.

The GP will listen to your chest. A distinctive dry, crunching sound may suggest you have pleurisy.

Further tests may be needed to find out what's causing pleurisy and how severe it is.

These tests include:

blood tests
chest X-rays
an ultrasound scan
a CT scan
a biopsy – where a small sample of pleural tissue or lung tissue is removed for further testing

Get immediate medical help if you have severe chest pain, particularly if you also have other symptoms, such as coughing up blood, feeling sick or sweating.

Treating pleurisy

Treatment for pleurisy usually involves relieving the pain and, in some cases, treating the underlying cause.

If treated promptly, pleurisy often gets better without causing any lasting lung damage.

Treating chest pain

Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, often eases the pain.

If NSAIDs are unsuitable for you or do not work, your doctor may prescribe another painkiller.

Try different positions when resting to see which one is most comfortable for you. It may seem strange, but often lying on the side of your chest that hurts helps reduce the pain.

Treating the underlying cause

If your pleurisy is caused by a viral infection, it'll usually get better on its own after a few days.

If it's caused by a bacterial infection, you'll need antibiotics. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, this may be either tablets or injections.

If your symptoms are particularly severe or you're already in poor health, you may need to be admitted to hospital.

Treating pleural effusion

Sometimes pleurisy causes a build-up of excess fluid around the lungs called pleural effusion.

Pleural effusion can lead to shortness of breath that gets progressively worse.

This is more likely if pleurisy is caused by pulmonary embolism or a bacterial infection.

If pleural effusion does not clear up as your pleurisy is treated or you're very short of breath, the fluid may need to be drained by inserting a needle or tube through the chest wall.

Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is swelling of the thin lining around the chest cavity and lungs, also known as the pleura. This lining creates a smooth surface so the lungs glide easily in the chest while breathing. When the lining swells, the lungs rub painfully against the chest, causing swelling and chest pain.

In some cases, fluid can collect between the pleura. This is called pleural effusion. When there is no fluid, the condition is called dry pleurisy.

Symptoms

Usually the first sign of pleurisy is a sudden chest pain. The pain may be very mild or very severe. Sometimes the pain is only felt while breathing deeply or coughing. Other times, the pain may be felt all the time and get worse with deep breathing or coughing. Usually the pain is felt in the chest wall over the area that’s inflamed. You might also feel pain in the upper abdominal area, neck, back, and shoulders.

Because inhaling deeply hurts, a person with pleurisy tends to breathe quickly and shallowly. On the side where the pain is, the muscles of the chest move less than those on the other side. If fluid builds up between the layers of the pleura, the chest pain may go away. Large quantities of fluid can make expanding one or both lungs difficult.

Other symptoms may include:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Rapid breathing

Causes and Risk Factors

Irritation of the pleura can be caused by:

Viruses
Bacterial infections
Cancer
Inhaling asbestos or other toxic substances
The use of certain medications
Some types of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of pleurisy usually starts with a physical exam. Because the pain tied to pleurisy is distinct, it is often easy for the physician to diagnose. Using a stethoscope, the doctor may hear a squeaky, rubbing sound.

Chest X-rays and CT scans are often used to see an image of what is going on inside the lungs and chest. These tests help show if fluid is building up in the lungs. They will also show if the lungs are filling up with air as much as possible.

Other imaging tests may be used, such as an ultrasound or electrocardiogram, to rule out heart disease.

If fluid has begun to build up in the chest or lungs, the doctor may take a test sample of it. This will help determine the cause of the pleurisy and rule out the possibility of cancer.

A biopsy of a small sample of tissue may also be done to rule out the possibility of cancer. To do this, a needle will be used to remove a small tissue sample to be examined under a microscope.

A blood test to detect lupus or rheumatoid arthritis may also be performed.

Treatment

Treatment for pleurisy depends on what caused the condition. The experts at Cedars-Sinai’s Advanced Lung Disease Program can help you find the best treatment plan.

Antibiotics may be prescribed for infections caused by bacteria. If a virus causes the pleurisy, no treatment will be given. If the cause is lupus or an autoimmune disease, corticosteroids often quickly cure the pleurisy. These drugs suppress the immune system, which stops the swelling in the lining.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, help relieve the chest pain. Codeine and other stronger pain relievers should not be used. These medicines can stop you from coughing. Coughing is important because it stops the lungs from collapsing and helps prevent pneumonia.

Holding a pillow against the part of the chest that hurts while coughing or breathing deeply can be helpful. Wrapping the chest in wide, elastic bandages can help relieve severe pain. Wrapping the chest also makes it harder to breathe and increases the risk of a collapsed lung or pneumonia.

Why does my lung hurt when I take a deep breath?

Some illnesses that can cause painful breathing include: pneumonia, a lung infection caused by a virus, fungus, or bacteria. tuberculosis, a serious bacterial lung infection. pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of your lungs or chest cavity, often due to infection.

How do you fix lung pain when breathing in?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often used to relieve the chest pain associated with pleurisy. If excess fluid builds up between the pleural layers, it may be necessary to drain the fluid to prevent breathing difficulties.