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What Causes Pain In The Rib Cage And Shoulder Blade While Breathing?

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Posted on Sun, 25 Sep 2016
Twitter Sun, 25 Sep 2016 Answered on
Twitter Sat, 22 Oct 2016 Last reviewed on
Question : My wife has trouble breathing pain on both side of rib cage and across the back at the shoulder blade
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Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
investigation is required

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

breathing pain (pleuritic pain) requires urgent investigation. Important causes of such pain include pulmonary embolism (with shortness of breath and fast heart rate), pericarditis (usually with fast heart rate), various infectious causes (with fever usually), etc.

Minor causes include injuries and viral infections.

In any case the cause has to be approached diagnostically. The most serious causes like the ones I've mentioned have to be excluded. She'd better visit the ER...

I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3817 Questions

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What Causes Pain In The Rib Cage And Shoulder Blade While Breathing?

Brief Answer: investigation is required Detailed Answer: Hello, breathing pain (pleuritic pain) requires urgent investigation. Important causes of such pain include pulmonary embolism (with shortness of breath and fast heart rate), pericarditis (usually with fast heart rate), various infectious causes (with fever usually), etc. Minor causes include injuries and viral infections. In any case the cause has to be approached diagnostically. The most serious causes like the ones I've mentioned have to be excluded. She'd better visit the ER... I hope it helps! Kind Regards!