Pain in the chest with a cough: possible causes

A cough attack is often accompanied by pain in the chest. There are many reasons for this state. Pain in the chest when coughing can be a sign of a severe inflammatory process that occurs in the lungs or in the pleura. But respiratory system diseases are not the only cause of possible pain in this area. Also such a symptom may indicate problems in the cardiovascular system, etc.

Causes

Let's consider the most widespread reasons at which there is a pain in a breast at a cough:

• SARS, seasonal flu, etc.
• Bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia.
• Pleurisy.
• Emphysema of the lungs.
• Diphtheria.
• Epiglottitis.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Allergic reactions.
• Foreign body.
• Pulmonary embolism.
• Fractures of the ribs.
• Intercostal neuralgia.
• Tumors of various origins (benign and malignant).
• Tuberculosis.
• Cardiovascular diseases.

Consider some diseases in which this symptom arises, in more detail.

Pleurisy

Pleura is a serous membrane that covers the surface of the lungs and the inner wall of the chest. Thus, there is a pleural cavity between them. With pleural inflammation, pleural disease occurs. It can be exudative, with fluid accumulation in the pleural space, and dry.

The pleuritis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Dry cough, chest pain, shortness of breath.
• Weakness and excessive sweating, usually at night.
• The temperature is subfebrile, rising to high figures rarely.
• If the patient lays down on the affected side, then the pain decreases slightly, because the respiratory movements are limited.

Dyspnoea exudative (in case of fluid accumulation) increases dyspnea. And if the pleurisy passes into a purulent form, the temperature rises sharply.

To treat this disease, antibacterial therapy is used, and in the case of purulent contents of the pleural cavity, it is recommended to remove fluid by pleural puncture.

Pneumonia

With this disease, chest pain with coughing is also characteristic. Especially if there is a croupous pneumonia with a lesion of the lobe or segment of the lung. The disease usually begins with a sudden rise in temperature. It can reach up to 40 degrees. Painful sensations in the chest appear and with a deep inspiration. Dyspnea occurs in the patient already from the first days.

The patient's condition worsens. In addition to the described symptoms - chest pain, cough, temperature - there may appear red spots that are noticeable on the face from the side of the lesion, as well as cyanosis (cyanosis) of the lips, in case of involvement in the pathological process of the cardiovascular system. Serious heartbeats and heart rhythm disturbances may occur.

After a few days, sputum begins to clear, at first clear, then it becomes the color of rust.

Symptoms may increase within two weeks. Then, with proper treatment, the crisis passes, and gradually the patient becomes easier. Croupous pneumonia is a very serious disease. Treat it only with the use of antibiotics. Sometimes several antibacterial drugs are used at once. Before the appearance of antibiotics, this disease often ended in a fatal outcome.

Colds

Pain in the chest when coughing can be caused by colds caused by viruses or bacteria. Such diseases include:

• ARVI.
• Flu.
• Whooping cough.
• Tracheitis.
• Bronchitis et al.

These diseases are characterized by the following symptoms: cough, chest pain, runny nose (with bronchitis and tracheitis, it may not be). In addition, the patient is concerned about weakness, chills, there is a temperature increase, sometimes up to 38-39 degrees and above. Often patients say that they have a sensation, as if someone is scratching their chest from the inside. With the beginning of treatment, these feelings gradually disappear. With bronchitis the patient often suffers a severe cough, and the pain in the chest becomes worse.

Antiviral therapy is used for influenza and ARVI. In the presence of a cold, vasoconstrictive drugs (drops, sprays) are used. Antibiotics can be used to treat bronchitis and tracheitis.

Intercostal neuralgia

This disease is characterized by pain in the chest, which can occur as sharp exacerbations in the form of shots. They intensify with a deep breath and can be intolerable, as the patients state.

With intercostal neuralgia, it is important not to confuse this disease with attacks of angina or other heart diseases.

Breast Injury

These include bruises and fractures of the ribs. Pain sensations in this case are pronounced, with any movement intensified. It is important not to confuse them with pain during osteochondrosis. For this, chest X-ray is done. Similar symptoms sometimes give and injuries of the shoulder joint (subluxations, dislocations, fractures).

In fractures of the lungs or other injuries (knife or gunshot wound, etc.) of the chest, pneumothorax can sometimes occur - it is a penetration into the pleural space around the lungs, which compresses the lung and does not allow it to decompress when inhaled. Such a condition, as a rule, requires surgical intervention.

Sometimes there may be a small spontaneous pneumothorax, it passes by itself and does not require treatment.

Lungs' cancer

In this tumor process, uncontrolled growth of pathological cells occurs in the lung tissues. The process can also affect nearby organs. It is important to identify the pathology as soon as possible and take urgent measures. Therefore, all citizens are advised to undergo a fluorography or X-ray examination of the lungs at least once a year.

Statistics show that of all cases of lung cancer, 85% of patients are smokers. The remaining 15% are patients with hereditary heredity, living in ecologically unfavorable areas, working in hazardous industries, etc.

Pain sensations in the chest in case of lung cancer pricking, acute. They can encircle the whole thorax or be only on one side, give to the neck, arm, shoulder blade. If the process has gone far and the metastases penetrate the spine or ribs, the patient suffers from very strong, literally unbearable pains in the chest area, which are amplified in any movement.

If such symptoms occur, you need to identify the cause of discomfort and pain. To do this, you need to seek medical help. Only an expert will determine their true cause and prescribe the right treatment.