The lungs are responsible for gas exchange and continuously supply the human body with oxygen. Lung pain thereby represents a symptom that can be triggered by different causes. The respective diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are therefore based on the suspected or confirmed underlying disease. Irrespective of the cause, certain breathing techniques can alleviate the symptoms. In principle, a healthy lifestyle with sufficient exercise and a balanced diet should be aimed for. Since tobacco consumption is a massive risk factor for numerous lung diseases, smoking should be avoided.
What is lung pain?
Infographic on the different lung diseases and their characteristics, anatomy and location. Click to enlarge. The lung is an essential organ in the human body responsible for gas exchange. In doing so, it is directly connected to the heart via veins and arteries. The lungs supply both the heart and the rest of the organism with sufficient oxygen. For this purpose, oxygen-poor blood is converted into oxygen-rich blood in the smallest alveoli. The waste product of this gas exchange is carbon monoxide. This is released back into the outside air in regular breaths. Since the lungs come into direct contact with the outside air during this process, many environmental influences, such as particulate matter, can damage the lungs and trigger lung pain. Lung pain is pain of varying severity that occurs in the region of the organ. These can be felt, among other things, as a stabbing or throbbing in the chest. Lung pain can be acutely triggered but can also persist chronically. Depending on the cause, the lung pain can occur in quite different intensity.
Causes
The causes of lung pain are very diverse. There are numerous harmless reasons for lung pain. However, serious underlying diseases can also lead to lung pain. Probably the most harmless cause of lung pain is vigorous physical exertion. Thus, especially long and intensive endurance training can lead to short-term pain in the lung region. Furthermore, flu-like infections in the respiratory region are often responsible for the pain in the lungs. The pathogens can be of different types. Viruses as well as bacteria and fungi can cause infections of the upper or lower respiratory tract. Bronchitis can be a particularly common cause of lung pain. This can occur when a cold has not been completely cured. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, can also cause pain in the lungs. Longtime smokers in particular can be affected. Allergies can also cause lung pain. Contact with allergens causes the bronchial tubes to constrict. As a result, some patients experience lung pain. In addition, asthmatics may suffer from short-term lung pain. Lung cancer must also be ruled out as a cause in cases of long-lasting lung pain. Other diseases and symptoms that can lead to lung pain include tuberculosis, certain metabolic diseases, paralysis of the diaphragm, pulmonary edema, diphtheria, heart failure, inflammation of the larynx or esophagus, pulmonary embolism, cystic fibrosis, SARS, pseudocroup, cough, pleural effusion, and a pneumothorax.
Diseases with this symptom
- Common cold
- Bronchitis
- COPD
- Asthma
- Lung cancer
- Metabolic disorders
- Tuberculosis
- Diaphragmatic paresis
- Pulmonary edema
- Diphtheria
- Laryngitis
- Esophagitis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Cystic fibrosis
- SARS
- Pseudocroup
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumothorax
Complications
Alveoli (alveoli) affected by lung cancer identified in section. Click to enlarge. Because the causes of lung pain are so varied, different complications can also occur. Even when the cause is harmless, such as a respiratory infection, serious sequelae can occur. If the patient is not treated properly or if there is no treatment at all, a harmless flu-like effect can damage the lung tissue in the long term and lead to massive functional limitations. Transitions of infections and inflammations to other organs cannot be ruled out.The possibility of an acute condition turning into a chronic one is another complication. Thus, improper treatment of bronchitis can lead to chronic bronchitis. Also, in the case of serious causes, such as lung cancer, the disease foci can spread to other organs and lead to serious consequences. In particular, severe allergy sufferers are at risk of allergic shock. Under certain circumstances, an allergic shock can be fatal. This is particularly often the case if timely treatment is not given. Many allergy sufferers therefore always have an emergency medication to hand.
When should you go to the doctor?
Since lung pain can also be the cause of illnesses that require treatment, a visit to the doctor is unavoidable in certain cases. If the lung pain occurs after strong physical exertion such as a long-distance run and then subsides promptly, this is a normal physical reaction. In this case, a visit to the doctor is not necessary. However, if lung pain persists over a longer period of time and/or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as breathing difficulties, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. In principle, the first point of contact is the family doctor. If necessary, he or she will refer the patient to a specialist such as an ENT. If the lung pain occurs very suddenly without any apparent cause and in combination with shortness of breath, the affected person should seek emergency medical treatment as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
As a rule, a physical examination is preceded by a medical history interview. Here, the attending physician will inquire whether, in addition to the lung pain, other symptoms have occurred. In addition, it is important to know when, where and in what intensity the pain occurs. Especially the exact localization is difficult to assess. Furthermore, it is relevant whether certain life circumstances have changed or an accident is the possible cause of the lung pain. In the next step, the patient is examined physically. First, the patient is asked to undress around the top so that the physician can determine any external complaints. It is possible that hematomas and/or irritation will be visible, which may provide clues to a particular medical condition. He will also try to determine, at the level of the chest, with gentle regular tapping, whether the sound is altered. An altered sound may indicate an accumulation of fluid in the organ. In addition, the patient will be listened to via a stethoscope. Rattling breath sounds can indicate bronchitis, among other things. Depending on the suspected diagnosis, further tests are then performed. Some of these can be performed in a general practitioner’s office, while more specialized tests usually require consultation with a specialist. Further tests of lung function include spirometry, a measurement of air pressure, lung volume and breathing resistance. In some cases, a blood draw is done to determine the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. If the problem occurs in combination with breathing difficulties, a prick test is often ordered. This is an allergy diagnostic tool to detect hypersensitivity reactions. In addition, medical imaging procedures such as an ultrasound, MRI or CT scan may be ordered. These are performed when pneumonia is suspected, among other things.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment and therapy of lung pain are cause-related. If microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, or fungi are responsible for the lung pain, the patient is treated with virustatics, antibiotics, or fungal agents, respectively. For allergy sufferers, hyposensitization is an option. In addition, for allergy sufferers as well as asthmatics, avoidance of trigger factors is part of the therapy. Furthermore, asthmatics are treated with asthma sprays, in acute cases with cortisone. Basically, inhalations can clear the bronchial tubes and combat the symptom of lung pain. Certain medicinal herbs are particularly helpful for lung pain triggered by flu-like infections. These include sage, onions or horehound. In principle, homeopathic remedies can also be considered. For the treatment of pain in the lungs, Schüssler salts No. 4, 6, and 20 are used. However, depending on the cause of the lung pain, these mentioned naturopathic methods cannot be recommended as the sole therapy.Therapeutic interventions of serious clinical pictures, such as cancer, cannot be presented in a generalized way. Here, an individual concept for treatment and therapy must be worked out in consultation with the attending physician.
Outlook and prognosis
Pulmonary pain that occurs because of physical activity usually passes fairly quickly. Lung pain due to infection may resolve within a few days if treated promptly and appropriately. Once the condition is over, further pain usually does not occur. Asthmatics and allergy sufferers have good prospects for improvement of symptoms, especially if allergens are avoided. The prognosis and outlook for other physical causes such as cystic fibrosis and cancer are sometimes less promising. Basically, many other factors play a role in the prognosis of these diseases. These include the patient’s age, lifestyle factors, and general physical and mental condition. In addition, they are strongly dependent on the respective stage of the diseases and on the possible treatment measures. Generally valid statements can therefore not be made, as the outlook and prognosis vary greatly from individual to individual.
Prevention
Basically, to avoid pain, it is important to pay attention to a healthy lifestyle. Stimulants such as coffee and alcohol should only be consumed in moderation. Smoking in particular is considered a risk factor for lung cancer and COPD. Therefore, an absolute renunciation of nicotine and smoking in general is a promising preventive measure. Furthermore, attention should be paid to a sufficient, regular and varied diet. The amount of food consumed is less important than the individual components such as vitamins and minerals. A balanced diet usually provides the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals that are important for a healthy immune system. People with a good immune system are less susceptible to infections, which are a major cause of lung pain. Since severe obesity can stress the lungs, it should be avoided.
Here’s what you can do yourself
The lungs, in particular, are an organ that is heavily stressed by nicotine and tar. If you yourself suffer from lung pain, they should stop smoking if possible, at least limit it. It is also advisable to spend enough time in the fresh air. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, certain physical activities, such as diving, should not be performed during the pain. Heavy physical exertion can worsen the symptom. As a general rule, sufferers should allow themselves sufficient periods of rest and try to relax. Special breathing techniques, meditation and yoga can be helpful. In addition, it is important to distract oneself. The stiffening on a certain symptom can contribute to the fact that the physical pain is perceived more intensively and the quality of life increasingly suffers from it. For asthmatics and allergy sufferers, there are also special hypoallergenic covers, detergents and the like that can alleviate symptoms. In addition, vacations to regions near the coast can work wonders.
