Causes of Lung Pain and Treatment Options- We Heal Clinic

The causes of lung pain are many. Some may involve the lungs themselves (such as with pneumonia or COPD), while others may involve the chest wall or muscles (such as with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis). Conditions affecting adjacent structures like the esophagus or heart might also be the source of pain, as can occur with acid reflux or angina.

Pinpointing the exact cause of lung pain not only ensures the correct treatment but also the timely treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions like a pulmonary embolism, lung cancer, or heart attack.

Pulmonary Issues

Pulmonary issues are those involving the lungs. These include conditions like asthma, COPD, infections, pulmonary embolism, pleuritis, pneumothorax, and, in rare instances, cancer.

Asthma and COPD

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are obstructive respiratory diseases in which the airways of the lung will narrow and spasm, causing tightness across the chest during a flare-up.

Other symptoms of asthma include a cough that gets worse at night, difficulty breathing, and wheezing (a high-pitched whistling sound).

Wheezing can also occur in people with COPD, along with shortness of breath, a chronic cough, and sputum (phlegm) production.

Asthma and COPD are both treated with rescue inhalers, which open the airways and improve breathing during attacks. There are also daily medications, like long-acting bronchodilators and steroids, that can help control asthma and COPD and prevent attacks.

Lung Infections

There are many different types of lung infections that vary by their cause, location, and symptoms. These include:4

• Pneumonia: A viral or bacterial infection that causes the blockage of the air sacs of the lungs
• Acute bronchitis: Inflammation of the larger airways, most often due to a viral infection
• Lung abscess: A pus-filled cavity in the lungs that forms as a result of infection

Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial pneumonia. Viral lung infections may benefit from antiviral drugs or may only require the management of symptoms. Intravenous antibiotics (delivered into a vein) may be needed for a lung abscess.