Stinging in the lungs – causes, treatment & prevention

Stitches in the lungs

Stinging in the lungs is often harmless, but it can also be an accompanying symptom of other diseases. If the symptoms persist for a long time, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Stinging in the lungs: description

Stinging in the lungs is not an independent disease, but usually a symptom of other underlying diseases or disorders. The stabbing pain occurs on the right side of the chest and is often felt to be razor sharp and unnerving. It can be short-term or persistent pain that intensifies in attacks.

They often radiate to the back. The pain usually gets worse when you cough or strain. Very severe seizures often produce difficulty breathing and fear of death. But despite the symptoms that are sometimes perceived as very frightening, the stinging in the lungs usually has harmless causes.

causes

A typical cause of stinging in the lungs is intercostal neuralgia. Intercostal neuralgia is nerve pain in the area of ​​the intercostal nerves. However, the irritation of the intercostal nerves is only a symptom and can have many reasons.In addition to harmless muscle tension, diseases of the spine, ribs, pleura or lungs can lead to these symptoms. For example, changes in the spine caused by wear and tear can constrict the nerve roots of the intercostal nerves. In this case one speaks of a pinched nerve .

However, diseases of the heart, stomach, esophagus, gallbladder or liver often impair the function of the nerves in this area.

It has been found that shingles can also lead to inflammation of the intercostal nerves. In rare cases, the stinging in the lungs is also caused by diseases of the spinal cord or by tumors in the airways or pleura.

Diseases

When to the doctor?

If the stinging in the lungs occurs while running or brisk walking, it can be triggered by improper breathing technique. The movements should be stopped and the breathing slowly returned to normal. The stinging in the lungs usually disappears after a few minutes. In the future, the breathing technique should be checked and corrected. A doctor can give helpful hints and tips.

If the symptoms persist or increase in intensity, a doctor must be consulted. Further investigations are necessary to help clarify the cause. If you have a stinging in your lungs that develops over a longer period of several days or weeks, you must see a doctor. There may be inflammation that spreads further in the organism. In addition, additional complaints arise that must be treated.

If the stinging in the lungs occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason, consult a doctor. If the symptoms reduce breathing , medical attention is also required. Stinging in the lungs after an accident or fall is often an indication of a bruised rib. A doctor should be consulted, as imaging methods must be used to determine how severe the injury is.

diagnosis and course

If a prolonged stinging in the lungs occurs, the doctor should be consulted to rule out serious illnesses. This is especially true if, in addition to the stabbing pain, there are also other serious symptoms such as shortness of breath , fits of coughing , back pain or a general feeling of illness. The collection of the medical history (anamnesis) is of fundamental importance for the diagnosis.

A thorough physical examination of the patient is also carried out. During the anamnesis, the doctor analyzes the nature of the pain. It is important for the doctor to know the intensity and duration of the pain in order to make a diagnosis. The accompanying symptoms also play a major role in the diagnosis. The doctor will also analyze the sensitivity in the painful area and the mobility of the spine.

Imaging procedures, such as X -rays or magnetic resonance imaging, can provide indications of fractures or misalignments of the spine. In the course of this examination, there are often indications of postural damage. If there is a suspicion of an infectious nerve disease, the pathogen is sought with the help of blood tests . In the case of shingles , the typical skin changes provide valuable clues to herpes zoster . An exclusive occurrence of stinging in the lungs without accompanying symptoms usually indicates orthopedic problems, poor posture or muscle tension.

complications

A stinging in the lungs can of course also have different complications, which may also need to be treated by a doctor. In many cases, there is nerve pain that can cause severe pain. When inhaling and exhaling, there is a very unpleasant stinging sensation.

In addition, there can be complications such as permanent headaches , which can be alleviated very well with the right medication. If pleurisy is responsible for the stinging in the lungs, then there are usually numerous other complications.

It is not uncommon for affected people to complain of general malaise, an elevated temperature, headaches, body aches or even chills. If a corresponding treatment is completely dispensed with, then there is a risk that the individual clinical pictures will worsen considerably. However, if you consult a doctor early on, you can easily treat the listed complications or avoid them at an early stage.

Inflammation in the ribs can also be the cause of an uncomfortable stinging in the lungs. Extreme caution is required at this point, as such an inflammation can get worse very quickly. If an abscess forms , medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. Otherwise there is even a risk of blood poisoning. If you don’t want to let it get that far, you should seek medical treatment in such a case.

treatment and therapy

The treatment of stinging in the lungs depends on the cause. The pain usually goes away on its own after a few days. This is especially the case when it comes to muscle tension. In the case of prolonged pain, it is often necessary to carry out symptomatic treatment in the form of pain therapy. Pain or rheumatism drugs are administered for this. Medication for muscle tension can also be given.

In the case of very extreme pain, centrally acting painkillers may have to be administered. The centrally acting agents directly affect the brain or the spinal cord and can lead to dependencies if administered over a longer period of time.

In many cases, however, it is helpful to use alternative treatment methods to prevent drug dependence. Therapeutic local anesthesia is such an alternative method. Here, an anesthetic is applied to the painful area over a long period of time through the local implantation of a catheter.

Surgical procedures for symptomatic pain treatment are often too risky and are only used in exceptional cases. If the stinging in the lungs is due to infectious or other organic diseases, these must of course be treated primarily causally.

prevention

As already mentioned, there are many causes of a stinging in the lungs. Therefore, no general recommendations for their prevention can be given.Since postural damage and muscle tension are important causes of these complaints, you should pay attention to good posture.

Furthermore, a healthy lifestyle with sufficient physical activity to strengthen the muscles is recommended, because orthopedic problems of the spine are often caused by weak muscles. Lung diseases as a cause of stinging in the lungs can be prevented by giving up smoking.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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