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What Causes Constant Pain In Upper Right Chest Area?
Posted on
Mon, 19 Jan 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 19 Jan 2015
Answered on
Mon, 16 Feb 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : I had just sent an inquiry that supposedly was being reviewed by a Dr. Ryne when I lost the connection.
I am reporting a fairly constant deep, dull aching pain in upper right chest with occasional throbbing in the right axilla that began 3 days ago. Does not radiate down the arm. Can become extremely intense and sharp if laying down and rolling to my right, trying to get out of bed, or pushing myself up with my right arm. Can increase the dull pain sensation if I turn my head and neck down to my right. Visiting my daughter's family out of town an will be home on Tuesday. Former medical school professor in gross anatomy and neuroscience. Started a contract research company 7 year ago with research on chronic pain including PHN, fibromyalgia, CRPS etc.
I am not short of breath, and it doesn't hurt to breath. It actually feels better to take a deep breath.
I am reporting a fairly constant deep, dull aching pain in upper right chest with occasional throbbing in the right axilla that began 3 days ago. Does not radiate down the arm. Can become extremely intense and sharp if laying down and rolling to my right, trying to get out of bed, or pushing myself up with my right arm. Can increase the dull pain sensation if I turn my head and neck down to my right. Visiting my daughter's family out of town an will be home on Tuesday. Former medical school professor in gross anatomy and neuroscience. Started a contract research company 7 year ago with research on chronic pain including PHN, fibromyalgia, CRPS etc.
I am not short of breath, and it doesn't hurt to breath. It actually feels better to take a deep breath.
Brief Answer:
Seems more like Esophageal hypersensitivity with Gastroesophageal Reflux Di
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have carefully gone through the details provided by you. Although it would have really helped if I could get a more precise location of the pain (you being a medical person), I would discuss the possibilities that I would consider:
1. Esophageal Hypersensitivity: This condition occurs when your esophagus becomes quite painful when exposed to some acid or when pressure changes (even slightly). You can feel pain in the right side of your chest. I think more in favor of this probability especially because you feel the pain on lying down and turning right. This will happen especially if associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Acid reflux from your stomach to the esophagus. It may or may not be associated with the acid reaching the mouth.
Other possible causes can be::
* Pleural Inflammation: Inflammation of the pleural tissues that surround the lungs can cause pain in the right side of the chest, and in some cases the pain gets worse with deep breathing and coughing.
* Costochondritis: Inflammation in the cartilage often caused due to pull of the chest muscles on the cartilage at the end of the ribs
* Viral Infection: Infection by the viruses that may be responsible for the cold or flu has also been linked to pain on the right of the chest side.
* Aortic Dissection: If these layers of the wall of aorta, the primary artery of the body, separate and break, the blood flows outside the circulatory system, and into other areas of the body. This can be a result of your hypertension.
* Thoracic Tumors: Tumors that develop within the lungs or in the surrounding areas can lead to pain on the right side of the chest.
* Coronary Artery Dissection: A rare condition caused by several factors. It results from the wear and tear of the coronary artery.
Please visit a doctor and get yourself examined thoroughly.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Seems more like Esophageal hypersensitivity with Gastroesophageal Reflux Di
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have carefully gone through the details provided by you. Although it would have really helped if I could get a more precise location of the pain (you being a medical person), I would discuss the possibilities that I would consider:
1. Esophageal Hypersensitivity: This condition occurs when your esophagus becomes quite painful when exposed to some acid or when pressure changes (even slightly). You can feel pain in the right side of your chest. I think more in favor of this probability especially because you feel the pain on lying down and turning right. This will happen especially if associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Acid reflux from your stomach to the esophagus. It may or may not be associated with the acid reaching the mouth.
Other possible causes can be::
* Pleural Inflammation: Inflammation of the pleural tissues that surround the lungs can cause pain in the right side of the chest, and in some cases the pain gets worse with deep breathing and coughing.
* Costochondritis: Inflammation in the cartilage often caused due to pull of the chest muscles on the cartilage at the end of the ribs
* Viral Infection: Infection by the viruses that may be responsible for the cold or flu has also been linked to pain on the right of the chest side.
* Aortic Dissection: If these layers of the wall of aorta, the primary artery of the body, separate and break, the blood flows outside the circulatory system, and into other areas of the body. This can be a result of your hypertension.
* Thoracic Tumors: Tumors that develop within the lungs or in the surrounding areas can lead to pain on the right side of the chest.
* Coronary Artery Dissection: A rare condition caused by several factors. It results from the wear and tear of the coronary artery.
Please visit a doctor and get yourself examined thoroughly.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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