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Suggest Remedy For Pain And Discomfort On Lower Ribs
Question: Since yesterday morning, I have been having unusual symptoms. When I breathe deep, I have a strange discomfort under the lower portion of my ribs. I feel as though I am getting enough air but my breathing feels different. If I do take a deep breath, I also have a strange quivery feeling in the center of my upper chest. It kind of feels like there is mesh in my throat while I take deep breaths... the air is going in but it just feels strange. There have been some short periods of nausea as well. When I bend forward, the chest/breathing feeling gets worse and I cough. It seems to be the worst when I am sitting up, like on the sofa. When I lay back it is still uncomfortable but laying on my side seems to help me feel more normal. Any idea what could be going on? I just finished a 7 day rx of Macrobid for a UTI but these new symptoms did not start until early yesterday morning.
Brief Answer:
Needs further evaluation including chest x-ray
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. With your symptoms I would be concerned about a primary process going in your lungs. There is an uncommon condition in which a small air bubble ("bleb") in the lungs pops spontaneously and creates an area of collapsed lung (pneumothorax). Years ago I had a young female patient with unusual, difficult to describe symptoms like yours, and it turned out to be a small spontaneous pneumothorax.
The only way to make this diagnosis is by chest x-ray. In any case, you need to have one to look for other conditions such as pneumonia or pleuritis. You may also have some inflammation going on in the windpipe as it descends into the chest and lungs. Or possibly a reactive airways problem (similar to asthma), which might be a reaction to the Macrobid.
Go to Emergency or urgent care and get this evaluated promptly. They can also check your oxygen level to be sure you're getting enough air. It does sound like you are, but minor changes in the oxygen level could also point the way to a specific diagnosis. Other less likely possibilities are a blood clot in the lungs or a localized area of inflammation or infection in a bronchial tube.
In any case, you need to have a specific diagnosis made so appropriate treatment can be started if needed. So get evaluated soon. Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Needs further evaluation including chest x-ray
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. With your symptoms I would be concerned about a primary process going in your lungs. There is an uncommon condition in which a small air bubble ("bleb") in the lungs pops spontaneously and creates an area of collapsed lung (pneumothorax). Years ago I had a young female patient with unusual, difficult to describe symptoms like yours, and it turned out to be a small spontaneous pneumothorax.
The only way to make this diagnosis is by chest x-ray. In any case, you need to have one to look for other conditions such as pneumonia or pleuritis. You may also have some inflammation going on in the windpipe as it descends into the chest and lungs. Or possibly a reactive airways problem (similar to asthma), which might be a reaction to the Macrobid.
Go to Emergency or urgent care and get this evaluated promptly. They can also check your oxygen level to be sure you're getting enough air. It does sound like you are, but minor changes in the oxygen level could also point the way to a specific diagnosis. Other less likely possibilities are a blood clot in the lungs or a localized area of inflammation or infection in a bronchial tube.
In any case, you need to have a specific diagnosis made so appropriate treatment can be started if needed. So get evaluated soon. Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you - could a pneumothorax cause discomfort on both sides?
Brief Answer:
Could possibly cause bilateral discomfort.
Detailed Answer:
Depending on the size of the pneumothorax, changes in the anatomical positioning of the chest organs from a partially collapsed lung might create a sensation on both sides. Again, this is an uncommon condition, and I only thought of it because of the similar case I had. I would want to listen to your lungs, check your oxygen, and possibly do some breathing tests, along with the chest x-ray. Best to rule that and other conditions out with an examination and chest x-ray. Hope this helps.
Could possibly cause bilateral discomfort.
Detailed Answer:
Depending on the size of the pneumothorax, changes in the anatomical positioning of the chest organs from a partially collapsed lung might create a sensation on both sides. Again, this is an uncommon condition, and I only thought of it because of the similar case I had. I would want to listen to your lungs, check your oxygen, and possibly do some breathing tests, along with the chest x-ray. Best to rule that and other conditions out with an examination and chest x-ray. Hope this helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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