Pain in the chest area-not severe, not sure if i should call a doctor?

Question

I am almost 17 years old, and an occasional smoker. On average, I smoke about 1-2 cigarettes a day. Recently, I've had strange pains in my chest area, especially when I smoke. It is like a stinging sensation, and also a slight ache towards the left and right of my chest. My breathing is fine (mostly), but I do feel slightly out of breath. The pain does not get worse when I take a breath. I am not sure if this is a cold, pleurisy, pneumonia, or lung cancer and I'm not sure if I should call my doctor or wait a while. Thanks.

Edit: I've smoked since last summer, and I have never had this pain before. sometimes i feel a stab when i move, and it does kind of feel like heartburn, except all over my chest. im also not sure if its muscle pain, i work out fairly often and lift weights.

Answer 1

I think you should call your doctor to be sure, but it might just be acid reflux - try taking some otc Zantac or Pepcid and see if that helps. Hope you feel better.
You might want to try and give up the ciggy's too.

Answer 2

You need to tell your Dr that the medication he has prescribed does not work for your type of pain. The better thing about the morphine is that it is a longer lasting pain relief, the extended relief tabs that you are on slowly go into your system to keep the pain at a tolerable level. The vicodin or percocet are quick acting meaning they hit a level failrly quickly and then drop off leaving you with the need to reach for more and more of it and giving you a roller coaster pain relief ride rather than a steady dose of medication that the extended release ones do. You could ask your Dr if he was comfortable with maybe trying the 30 mg. morphine tabs before you go to a quick acting opioid. It really is much better for you in the long run and know that no medication will ever take ALL of the pain away - it is just there to make the pain tolerable. Good luck with your pain level and do talk frankly with your Dr about it. He and you should be able to find a happy medium that you are both comfortable with.

Answer 3

I know I sound like your mom, but if it hurts when you smoke, than stop smoking. Since you are young, it could just be your lungs way of signalling that it doesn't like the smoke. Of course, it could be asthma, so I would check with your doctor, but he is going to advise you to stop smoking, even if it is nothing. I worked for a doctor, and it was rare to see an old smoker.

Answer 4

Time to go to the doctor. Best to get checked out than drop over of a heart attack. Could be any of the above.

Answer 5

You don’t have to get worried about it. It could be because there is not enough blood circulation due to perhaps disuse atrophy or perhaps due to the fact that part of your body was at rest for two or three hours. It could even be because of muscle fatigue or dehydration. You can find good home remedies for this. I did find some at http://ailments.in/peripheralneuropathy.html

Answer 6

I would recommend calling a doctor to make sure. If it is a cold or something then the doctor can run tests or provide medication.

Answer 7

Even though you are young you could have a heart problem caused or made worse by smoking.Get checked out.

Answer 8

My chest hurts when I smoke

Here's your Sign "Bill Engvall"

Duh quit smoking