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What Causes Sharp Pain In The Left Side Of Chest When I Lie On Left Side?

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Posted on Mon, 28 Jul 2014
Question: When I lie on my left side, I get a sharp pain on the left front that feels like my heart is being squeezed. While the pain is there, I cannot take a normal breath. I must take shallow breaths until it subsides. It might take up to 15 + minutes for this to happen. If I take an aspirin, it stops sooner. What is this and what can be done to stop this from happening? The last 2 nights,, it has started happening when I lie in a certain position on my right side.
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Answered by Dr. Shashi Dangwal (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
It looks like musculoskeletal pain.

Detailed Answer:
Hello Dear,

You have not mentioned if you have any other symptoms beside pain like cough, fever or breathlessness. Do you suffer from any other ailment like Diabetes, high BP , chronic bronchitis, etc?

Try and recollect if you hurt yourself anytime or have indulged in some heavy exercise.

The pain could arise from any structure in that area like muscles, bones, cartilage and at times even from lungs and heart and even your stomach and food pipe.

Presuming that you are otherwise in good health, the pain doesn't sound to be of very serious nature, it could be musculoskeletal in nature..

You may continue with the pain killer as and when required. Take a Pan 40 with it to counter the gastritis that pain killer may cause.

If it persists, consult your PCP who may have a complete look at you, put you through some tests and advise you accordingly.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shashi Dangwal

Pulmonologist

Practicing since :1979

Answered : 1157 Questions

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What Causes Sharp Pain In The Left Side Of Chest When I Lie On Left Side?

Brief Answer: It looks like musculoskeletal pain. Detailed Answer: Hello Dear, You have not mentioned if you have any other symptoms beside pain like cough, fever or breathlessness. Do you suffer from any other ailment like Diabetes, high BP , chronic bronchitis, etc? Try and recollect if you hurt yourself anytime or have indulged in some heavy exercise. The pain could arise from any structure in that area like muscles, bones, cartilage and at times even from lungs and heart and even your stomach and food pipe. Presuming that you are otherwise in good health, the pain doesn't sound to be of very serious nature, it could be musculoskeletal in nature.. You may continue with the pain killer as and when required. Take a Pan 40 with it to counter the gastritis that pain killer may cause. If it persists, consult your PCP who may have a complete look at you, put you through some tests and advise you accordingly.