what is this pain in my lung?

Question

Today while i was at work i suddenly got a pain, i thought it was my heart at first, a rather sharp pain when breathing in, very uncomfortable and alarming to me. after some time i decided it was my lung, but this is not certain. i am a light smoker, i have about 5-7 a day, what could this be? is it possibly lung cancer? that is the worst thing i can think of, but please someone re-asure me it is something else. thanks

Answer 1

My friend had that.

I'd ask him, but he died.

:)

Answer 2

It could be something, could be nothing.

Possible causes: Pulmonary embolism, muscle spasm in the ribs, cancer.

I had a smimilar thing. It turned out to be inflamation of the pleura (the lining of the lungs). I had to have strong anti inflammatorys from the doctor for a week.

Dont hide your head in the sand. Take the bull by the horns - go see the doctor!!

Go to the docor ASAP to exclude anything sinister. Has this made you reconsider your smoking habit?

As for the cr4p answers that say 'you have to have had a chest infection; of course its not cancer; and dont worry' They are mad! You can get cancer of the throat, nose, lungs and many other organs from smoking. Cancer is not brought on by infection. The smoke you inhail mutates the DNA in your cells. Give it time you will develop respiratory diseases, cancer and smell bad and have brown fingers. Never mind once you are attached to a oxygen tank, sucking air via a tube and looking like a skeleton because you are being eaten alive by cancer i am sure the 5-7 cigs a day will all seem worth while.

Answer 3

Oh my god, don't over react without visiting the doctors! Lung cancer? I think that could be a very distant extreme that to be honest, you probably wouldn't even feel. You probably have a cold and little mucus on your lungs, keep coughing to clear it and see a doctor. I have a question for you though, why, if you are now panicing that it could be lung cancer, are you smoking anyway? You know it's a risk. I smoked, I gave up years ago and I know that reformed smokers are apparently the worst but I think you should give up now. Let this be a sign!!!

Answer 4

I also have experienced this b4 and it isdefinatly concerning. Also i smoked about 5/7 ciggies a day and when i first had this pain i felt like i was having a heart attack. Mind you im 25yrs old. I went to emergency and they did tests and ultrasounds and found nothing. Then after about 6mths it happened again and lasted 2 days. I was told it could be asthma. I decided that even 5-7 ciggies a day was not worth risking my health as it poses the exacct same health issues as a heavy smoker.. so i quit. Since then i am less worried about cancer and heart problems and have not had the pain since. I honestly think however that it could be stress related. If your pain lasts longer than two days or gets worse get it checkedd. or even get it checked to ease your mind. Good luck!

Answer 5

I get this from time to time, and it is alarming. I do not think it's asthma, that's problems breathing, not pain. And it probably isn't lung cancer either, which generally doesn't hurt in the early stages.

I've always assumed it's some type of spasm in that area. However, it's probably sensible to get checked by your GP. Better safe than sorry, always. But, I would think that anything sinister happening with your lungs would affect your breathing.

Answer 6

For the person who said your lungs do not feel pain is wrong. You could have the start of pleurisy, which you can have dry or wet. The dry kind is a sharp pain on taking a breath, the wet is the worst as it can lead to pneumonia. Stop smoking, let your lungs breathe air instead of smoke, you'll feel better and live longer.

Answer 7

I had something similar a few years ago - a sharp pain when breathing in, to the point where it actually stopped me from taking in the whole breath. It turned out to be a blood clot on my lung but apparently its usually brought on by your body going thru some kind of trauma - i had just had a baby!
So altho its doubtful that's what it is, if it keeps coming back i would go see your GP.

Answer 8

No it is not lung cancer, and you cannot have a pain in your lung, lungs do not have any nerve endings, what you probably experienced was air trapped in your plura between your rib cage and your lung when you breath in you get a sharp stabbing pain, it is unnerving but does go away in a couple of hours, if it persits get it checked out because it is possible you have a spontanious pneumothorax, (collapsed lung). but it is not life threatening at the moment if you managed to get home it may only be partially collapsed , a very common ailment and only takes two minutes to put right.

Answer 9

I agree with Stone 100%, i have had this very problem myself in the past and still get it on occasion now. It turned out i had a small collapse of the lung very scary i know but its not as bad as it sounds. i recomend that you go see your doc and demand an xray to check this will also take away your fears for the dreaded Cancer. good luck i hope you are feeling better soon

Answer 10

don,t panick, i don,t think it could be lung cancer. 2yrs ago , christmas night i suppose all the build up fo xmas shopping and the christmas stress that comes with it , i had a siily argument with my partner. all i done was shout, 1 hour later i felt discomfort in my back, then it travaled in my neck. at first it felt like i had tension and aches in my back and neck, i felt very stiff. that night temperture got very high and my body was in pain. boxing day i got myself to a and e , doctor see me told me i pulled muchel in my chest. next 4/5 days i sufferd pain discomfort , all i remember of that xmas was xmas morning . anyway, by new years eve condition no better this time i see my own gp, told me to visit back after a week if breathing diffaculties continued. on the 2nd of jan i felt as if i was dieing, back to a and e andi was told i had flu! no way, please take a blood test i no somethink is wrong. 1 blood test later i was back home, an hour later the hospital called back. i was losing blood so could i go back as i,l need a blood transfusion. 3 hours later i was in the heart hospital, in intencive care. at my local hospital, the scan showed my left lung ad collasped and i had over aliter of blood on my chest. 5th january i under went an operation, the surgeon drained 3 litres of blood from my chest and i had a tube inserted from my lung and a bucket for any remaining fluid to be drained. i was not a heavey smoker and months after i returned to hospital for results,i was told my collasped lung was due to smiking and the pollution.

Answer 11

Not being a magician it is little difficult to diagnose you from where i am sitting..but rest assure it is not lung cancer ..cancer on the lungs would have started off with a infection on the lungs and that would have shown up long before now..it doesn't just happen like this ..
I think you got a chest cold