Definition
A stinging pain in the chest that occurs when breathing is understood to be a stabbing pain that is either triggered or intensified by inhaling or exhaling. A sudden stabbing pain is often perceived as very disturbing. Under certain circumstances, the pain can cause the breathing to become shallower.
This is intended to achieve pain relief. The lung itself is not sensitive to pain. Pain in the lung area is only caused by irritation of the pleura surrounding the lung, or the pleura lining the inside of the chest.
The difference between respiration-dependent pricking in the chest and respiration-independent pricking is the respiration-independent pricking. In this case other clinical pictures must be considered. In general, persistent chest pain should always be clarified by a doctor.
Causes of breast stitches
The causes for stabbing pain when breathing are manifold. On the one hand, the pain can originate from organs located in the thorax. Mainly the heart, lungs and esophagus are to be mentioned here.
Another possible cause is pneumonia. Among other symptoms, pneumonia can also cause a stabbing pain if it is located close to the lung. The lung is surrounded by the lung membrane.
If a tear occurs in the lung membrane, air from the lung reaches the chest. This clinical picture is called pneumothorax and is an acute emergency that requires urgent treatment. The lung skin, the so-called visceral pleura, can also be inflamed.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as inflammation or damage to the esophagus or stomach, can also manifest themselves as breath-dependent pain in the lower thorax or upper abdomen. However, stinging can also be triggered by mechanical irritation of nerves in the chest area. In a healthy person, breathing is associated with a strong movement of the ribs.
In the course of this movement, nerve roots, in this case the nerve exits the spinal cord, can be squeezed and irritated even further, for example by bulging of the intervertebral discs. The nerves that run along the lower edge of the ribs can also be damaged further away from the spinal cord. Pressure on these nerves during breathing can also cause respiration-related stinging. Injuries to the thorax, such as bruises or fractures of the ribs, also cause severe pain, which is particularly acute when breathing deeply.
