Introduction
A lung embolism can be accompanied by typical symptoms. However, these do not necessarily have to be present. If pulmonary embolism is suspected, a doctor should be consulted immediately. With the help of a physical examination and imaging procedures, the doctor can determine whether the lung is affected by an embolism.
Physical symptoms
Pulmonary embolism presents with various physical symptoms, but these may not be the same for every person. Consequently, pulmonary embolism cannot always be clinically diagnosed with certainty without further diagnostic measures being taken. It is particularly important to see a doctor as soon as the symptoms of leg vein thrombosis become apparent, so that pulmonary embolism due to detached thrombus components cannot occur in the first place.
Pulmonary embolism itself is characterized by symptoms of varying severity. In the mildest stage, patients usually experience no symptoms at all. More severe symptoms can lead to the typical symptoms of acute shortness of breath and chest pain, which can also be respiratory.
In this case, the pain is particularly acute when breathing in. Other clinical symptoms are a rapid pulse (tachycardia of more than 100 beats per minute), coughing with possibly bloody sputum, a high respiratory rate (tachypnea), cardiac arrhythmia and low blood pressure. These symptoms can be of varying severity and can even lead to shock.
However, they do not necessarily all have to be present. In order to detect a pulmonary embolism, observation of the physical symptoms is groundbreaking. It is also important to pay attention to signs of thrombosis in the legs, which can manifest itself as redness, swelling, overheating and/or pressure pain in one leg.
Back pain is not necessarily a typical symptom of pulmonary embolism, but if sudden severe pain in the area of the thoracic spine occurs, it should be determined whether pulmonary embolism is present. Normally, such a lung embolism is accompanied by chest pain. These can vary depending on the size of the embolism.
Recurring pain can already be present as a precursor of pulmonary embolism. In acute cases, sudden stabbing pain usually occurs. Since the nerve fibers from the back and chest area have a common connection point, pain originating in the chest can also be falsely perceived in the back.
Coughing is one of the many symptoms that can occur with pulmonary embolism. The cough often occurs in conjunction with rattling breathing. Coughing with bloody sputum is also a possible symptom.
Coughing can also be a sign of the precursors of pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is usually caused by a blood clot that has settled in a pulmonary vessel. However, before this entire clot is released and reaches the lung, small parts of the clot can already be washed into the pulmonary vessels. There, they do not immediately manifest themselves with the typical symptoms of pulmonary embolism, but symptoms such as coughing and wheezing do occur.
