Chest & Lungs
Rib pain or pain in the chest wall that feels like it comes from a rib may be caused by traumatic injury, muscle strain, joint inflammation, or chronic pain, and ranges in severity. Rib cage pain can be associated with bruising, difficulty taking a deep breath, joint pain, and more. Read more below to learn what may be causing your rib pain and when to seek treatment.
When mucus irritates your airways or lungs, it makes you cough up phlegm. Most of the time, a virus or bacteria has caused the mucus production. Or a history of cigarette smoking. Sometimes it’s contagious.
This article will review the symptoms, causes, and management of atypical chest pain. Atypical chest pain differs from chest pain indicative of a heart attack. Symptoms include sharp or tearing pain, shortness of breath, and back pain.
Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, when climbing a flight of stairs can be caused by a respiratory condition like COPD or asthma. Cardiac conditions can also cause a fast heartbeat with shortness of breath. Read now for more information on causes and treatment options.
A cough and chest pain may be caused by pleurisy—when the tissue lining your lungs and chest is irritated. But pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and other more serious conditions may cause chest pain and cough.
Your cough can be caused by viruses, bacterial infections, COVID-19, allergies, and a number of other conditions. Learn what your cough symptoms mean, how to get the right diagnosis, and what treatments actually help.
During cold and flu season, you may find yourself coughing up phlegm, and it may look yellow or green. That’s your body’s way of dealing with an infection. But you may have a virus that will go away on its own or you may have a bacterial infection that needs medication.
A chest lump or bump is most commonly caused by an allergic reaction which typically look like red bumps on the chest, or a skin condition like a pimple, boil, cyst, or wart. Unusual growths on the chest are nearly non-cancerous, however a painful lump on the chest should be treated by a medical provider. Read below for more causes and treatment options.
Experiencing a bad taste in your mouth after coughing could simply be bad breath. However, it could also point to an underlying condition. Causes for bad taste from coughing range in severity.
Wheezing can be a sign of an asthma attack, pneumonia, or chronic lung condition like COPD. Here’s how to tell when it’s a medical emergency and when to treat it at home.
Pain below your ribs is usually indigestion, stomach ulcer, gallstones, or constipation. It can also be a sign of a disease in an abdominal organ or a fractured rib.
The ribs enclose many organs, so rib pain from coughing, breathing, sneezing or laughing can have a variety of causes, including pulmonary, musculoskeletal and cardiac issues that range in severity. Read more below to learn what may be causing your rib pain from coughing, breathing, sneezing, or laughing, and how your doctor may treat it.
Rib pain on both sides can be caused by inflammation of the cartilage known as acute costochondritis (chest wall syndrome), atypical chest pain, or normal occurrence of chest pain. Read on below for more information on causes and relief options.
Struggling to breathe is a frightening experience. Symptoms of shortness of breath (dyspnea) vary in severity, but it helps to know the top 10 causes.
Shortness of breath when lying down, also known as orthopnea, can affect individuals when sleeping or awake. When experiencing difficulty breathing or wheezing when lying down, you may also have a cough or heart palpitations. Causes of shortness of breath at night when lying down include heart-related conditions like congestive heart failure, lung-related conditions like bronchitis, or mental health issues that can cause hyperventilation. Read below for more information on causes and treatment options.
Is your chest pain serious? Read how a Harvard doctor decides whether tightness in chest is concerning or normal.
Traces of blood in your saliva may be due to minor infection or trauma, like a nosebleed. But if you regularly cough up blood—called hemoptysis—or you’re coughing up large amounts of blood, you may need medical attention.
Some people normally have a slow heart rate, especially young adults and physically fit people. But a slow heart rate along with symptoms such as dizziness and sweating may be a sign of a serious condition.
Coughing up black or brown mucus can occur when from environmental conditions like pollution or smoking. Other causes of brown phlegm include small amounts of blood located in the throat or further down in the airway.
Uncontrollable coughing fits may signify a serious underlying problem, and causes include chronic respiratory disease and infectious, environmental, and mechanical causes.
A persistent dry cough can be caused from a upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. Other common causes for a dry throat cough include asthma, smoking, or viral throat infection. Viral pneumonia and COPD are less common causes of dry cough.
A painless lump on the chest can most commonly be caused by a skin condition like an abscess, wart, or cysts. Rare causes for a painless chest wall lump include non cancerous cell growth known as lipoma, dermatofibroma, or breast cancer. Read below for more information on causes and treatment options.
What causes painful hiccups? Why do I have hiccups for no reason? Learn about the causes of hiccups, hiccup symptoms and why hiccups are common in infants.
Respiratory illnesses, including asthma or a viral infection, can cause pain in the area of your lungs. Lung pain should always be taken seriously because other causes, such as pneumonia or a pulmonary embolism, need to be treated immediately.
Sternum (or chest) pain can come from minor issues like muscle strains, but it can also be from serious conditions like trauma and heart attack.
A racing heartbeat is a natural response to stress, but if you get it often or it lingers, it may be a sign of a serious health problem.