What Are Reasons For Chest And Back Pain While Breathing?

Posted on Fri, 29 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 29 Nov 2013 Answered on

Fri, 27 Dec 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I went to bed last night, after a normal Th. Gv. dinner, then I noticed that it was painful to inhale, painful on the chest and on my back (where the lungs are?) as if someone had hit me across my chest w a baseball bat :( I shallow breathed all night, grunting w each breath for hours! I took advi/alevel every 3 -4 hours and rested most of the day today in bed, the pain is not as sharp as it was last night, but my chest and back still hurt as I breathe. What could have caused and what can I do? I don't have any other symptoms, no fever, no cough, no headahce, no congestion, just pain when breathing. I'd appreciate your opinion. thanks.

Answered by Dr. Kerry Pottinger (29 minutes later)

Brief Answer: May be a bone stuck in esophagus or indigestion. Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for using Healthcare Magic. You have described your symptoms in helpful detail. I have a number of thoughts as to what the problem could be. You may have got a bone stuck in your esophagus or food pipe. This can happen even though you may not have noticed it at the time of eating. This would cause a sharp pain that continues for the length of time you describe. Another possibility is that you have a severe attack of indigestion. This could be related to a degree of over-indulgence with eating and drinking. Alternatively and less likely is the possibility of a clot in your lung or pulmonary embolus. This would also cause sharp pain related to breathing. However, this is relatively rare in someone who is otherwise fit and healthy. I am confident this is not a heart attack as the pain has lasted too long and you have no other symptoms. In the first instance, try an antacid or indigestion preparation available from the chemist over the counter. If this provides no relief then I suggest you visit the ER for examination and investigation. A chest X-ray may be able to identify a bone that has got stuck. I hope this is of help. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards, Dr K A Pottinger, MBChB FRCA

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar