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What Casues Chest Pain With Coughing?
Question: Hi Doctor,
For the last couple days I have been experiencing sharp chest pains. It started Tuesday night with pains in the upper abdomens. Wednesday I experienced chest pains and pains that were coming from the back, which felt like it may have been my lungs. Thursday was probably the worst one. I had severe stabbing pains on the right side of my chest that would last a few second and then come back every 30 seconds to a minute. That lasted about 5 hours. Since Thursday I have had random pains in my chest, arms, and shoulders that come and go and now my chest is just feeling very tight and bruised. Also, I don't know if this is connected at all but I have also been coughing up green phlegm for the last six months. The pains are starting to worry me and I was wondering what it might be related too?
For the last couple days I have been experiencing sharp chest pains. It started Tuesday night with pains in the upper abdomens. Wednesday I experienced chest pains and pains that were coming from the back, which felt like it may have been my lungs. Thursday was probably the worst one. I had severe stabbing pains on the right side of my chest that would last a few second and then come back every 30 seconds to a minute. That lasted about 5 hours. Since Thursday I have had random pains in my chest, arms, and shoulders that come and go and now my chest is just feeling very tight and bruised. Also, I don't know if this is connected at all but I have also been coughing up green phlegm for the last six months. The pains are starting to worry me and I was wondering what it might be related too?
Brief Answer:
How much phlegm do you cough up daily?
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear of all these symptoms that you have reported. It must have been difficult dealing with all these symptoms with some being more than 6months.
Your symptoms do not point to any specific diagnosis. It would take a good clinical examination to pick of clues suggestive of a chest condition that would orient further exploration. Phlegms suggest a lung condition but, you have just no breathing difficulties, and this makes it difficult. However, green phlegm is never normal and highly suggestive of a bacterial infection. If this phlegm is in huge quantities, it may suggest chronic bronchitis but, this is not a condition that is common in 20years old.
For now, I will suggest that take pain medications to help control your pains. Set an appointment with a general internist for full evaluation and diagnosis of your illness. This pain may represent inflammation of the muscles and structures of the chest wall but the inconstant nature, is not typical.
In all, your symptoms do not give us the chance to significantly narrow down the list of possible causes without a good clinical evaluation. Take pain medications for relief now. Get an appointment at your earliest convenience for thorough evaluation.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
How much phlegm do you cough up daily?
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear of all these symptoms that you have reported. It must have been difficult dealing with all these symptoms with some being more than 6months.
Your symptoms do not point to any specific diagnosis. It would take a good clinical examination to pick of clues suggestive of a chest condition that would orient further exploration. Phlegms suggest a lung condition but, you have just no breathing difficulties, and this makes it difficult. However, green phlegm is never normal and highly suggestive of a bacterial infection. If this phlegm is in huge quantities, it may suggest chronic bronchitis but, this is not a condition that is common in 20years old.
For now, I will suggest that take pain medications to help control your pains. Set an appointment with a general internist for full evaluation and diagnosis of your illness. This pain may represent inflammation of the muscles and structures of the chest wall but the inconstant nature, is not typical.
In all, your symptoms do not give us the chance to significantly narrow down the list of possible causes without a good clinical evaluation. Take pain medications for relief now. Get an appointment at your earliest convenience for thorough evaluation.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Doctor,
Thank you very much for the response. I will make an appointment as soon as possible. The phlegm started about 6 months ago. I had a very bad dry cough in April with green phlegm and went to the doctors a couple times and they said it could be a number of things such as: whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, etc. They tried treating me for everything but when nothing seemed to work they said it was most likely whopping couch. Recently, in the past month my cough has gone away. However, I wake up every day with what feels like a hair ball in my throat and I cough/choke up a green, very thick, ball of phlegm (about the size of a nickel) about 2-3 times throughout the day, everyday. Like I said, the cough is gone though.
Do you think that the phlegm could be related at all to my severe chest pains I've been having?
Thank you,
XXXXXXX
Thank you very much for the response. I will make an appointment as soon as possible. The phlegm started about 6 months ago. I had a very bad dry cough in April with green phlegm and went to the doctors a couple times and they said it could be a number of things such as: whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, etc. They tried treating me for everything but when nothing seemed to work they said it was most likely whopping couch. Recently, in the past month my cough has gone away. However, I wake up every day with what feels like a hair ball in my throat and I cough/choke up a green, very thick, ball of phlegm (about the size of a nickel) about 2-3 times throughout the day, everyday. Like I said, the cough is gone though.
Do you think that the phlegm could be related at all to my severe chest pains I've been having?
Thank you,
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Unlikely that phlegm is related to this!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this follow up information.
This cough sound more like a postnasal drip. Though you say it is greenish, the absence of signs and symptoms of an ongoing infection makes it unlikely. This is no whooping cough. It is no asthma and it is no bronchitis(chronic). It could be related to an allergy, maybe.
With this phlegm mostly in the early hours of the morning, I will rather suggest you see an ENT specialist. He should examine the various sinus and the drainage orifices to make sure this is not the origin of your cough symptoms.
What about the chest pain? Do you still have chest pains? For sure, this cough is not the cause of these pains. The nature, periodicity and volumes are not suggestive of such.
I hope this helps. Take your time and accept no aggressive immediate approach. Progressive and careful elimination of possible cases would narrow down the possibility.
I hope this helps. I wish you well.
Unlikely that phlegm is related to this!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this follow up information.
This cough sound more like a postnasal drip. Though you say it is greenish, the absence of signs and symptoms of an ongoing infection makes it unlikely. This is no whooping cough. It is no asthma and it is no bronchitis(chronic). It could be related to an allergy, maybe.
With this phlegm mostly in the early hours of the morning, I will rather suggest you see an ENT specialist. He should examine the various sinus and the drainage orifices to make sure this is not the origin of your cough symptoms.
What about the chest pain? Do you still have chest pains? For sure, this cough is not the cause of these pains. The nature, periodicity and volumes are not suggestive of such.
I hope this helps. Take your time and accept no aggressive immediate approach. Progressive and careful elimination of possible cases would narrow down the possibility.
I hope this helps. I wish you well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Doctor,
Thank you very much for the advice. I will begin my search for an ENT in my area.
As far as the chest pains go I am still continuing to get them on random occasions. They are not nearly as bad as they were on Thursday when they lasted five hours straight, however, I still have sharp pains that will come randomly throughout the day on both my left and right side of my chest. I also have had sharp pains that run through my neck, shoulders, and arms. Other than that my chest has just been feeling very tight and I've been feeling exhausted.
Do you think this could have anything to do with the heart at all? Also, do you reccomed I begin at just a regular family physician?
Thank you again,
XXXXXXX
Thank you very much for the advice. I will begin my search for an ENT in my area.
As far as the chest pains go I am still continuing to get them on random occasions. They are not nearly as bad as they were on Thursday when they lasted five hours straight, however, I still have sharp pains that will come randomly throughout the day on both my left and right side of my chest. I also have had sharp pains that run through my neck, shoulders, and arms. Other than that my chest has just been feeling very tight and I've been feeling exhausted.
Do you think this could have anything to do with the heart at all? Also, do you reccomed I begin at just a regular family physician?
Thank you again,
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Unlikely to be heart related!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for following up.
A family physician is fine and the best person to start with. This will give room for a thorough evaluation and depending on he findings, he may would determine whether you need a referral or not and if yes, to which of the specialists. This is the best person to start with.
This is unlikely to be a pain related to the heart. However, we would be able to answer this answer for sure when some basic evaluation has been done.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information if needed.
Unlikely to be heart related!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for following up.
A family physician is fine and the best person to start with. This will give room for a thorough evaluation and depending on he findings, he may would determine whether you need a referral or not and if yes, to which of the specialists. This is the best person to start with.
This is unlikely to be a pain related to the heart. However, we would be able to answer this answer for sure when some basic evaluation has been done.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information if needed.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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