How to tell the difference between muscle tension and lung pain

Consider the length of the pain and the pattern of the pain. Myalgia often has a very different onset than lung pain. Moderate to severe strain pain is usually felt immediately, while mild strain takes about a day to feel. Muscle strains are often caused by overuse or injury, so the cause of the pain is often obvious. A person with a muscle strain may experience sharp pain and an electric shock with every movement. In contrast, disease-induced lung pain usually progresses slowly and is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, fever, or malaise (general fatigue). ^[1] Furthermore, lung pain is often difficult to pinpoint exactly when it hurts and tends to be constant.

• Car accidents, falls, sports injuries (football, rugby, hockey) and excessive weight lifting at the gym are all causes of muscle strain.
• Lung cancer, infections, and pneumonia will gradually get worse (within days or months) and lead to more symptoms. Pneumothorax is a lung disease that can worsen day by day and be life-threatening.
• If you feel pain when you inhale, breathe shallowly, have a cold, or have a history of cough or bronchitis, you may have lung pain. In addition, costochondritis can also cause pain when you press on your body and with movement.

Watch for signs of a cough. Many lung problems can cause chest pain such as lung cancer, lung infections (bacterial and viral pneumonia, bronchitis), pulmonary embolism (thrombosis), pleurisy (pleurisy) inflammation), perforated lungs, and pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary hypertension). ^[2] Almost all of the above diseases and conditions result in coughing and/or wheezing. Conversely, muscle tension in the chest and trunk can cause discomfort when taking a deep breath and touching the ribs, but it will not cause coughing.

• Coughing up blood is a sign of lung cancer, later-stage pneumonia, and a punctured lung due to trauma. You should see a doctor immediately if you see blood in the sputum when coughing.
• The rib muscles include the muscles between the ribs, intercostals, abdomen, and neck. ^[3] These muscles all lead to the respiratory system, so tension from deep breathing can cause pain but not coughing.

Try to locate the pain. Muscle strains in the chest or upper body often occur when working out at the gym or playing sports. The sensation of muscle tension is often described as pain, stiffness, and soreness. Myalgia usually occurs on one side of the body and is easy to locate. ^[4] So you can feel your breasts and feel where the pain is. When injured, the muscle can spasm and appear to be twisted. If you can identify the location of the discomfort, then you have a muscle strain, not a lung disease. Most lung problems cause radiating pain (often described as throbbing) and the pain cannot be located outside of the chest.

• Carefully palpate the rib area because the rib muscles are often strained by flexion or excessive twisting on one side of the body. If you can identify severe pain near your breastbone (sternum), you most likely have damaged rib cartilage, not simply a muscle strain.
• Muscle tension usually only occurs when you move your body or take a deep breath. Meanwhile, lung disease (especially cancer and infections) can cause ongoing pain.
• The pectoral muscles (large and small) are the muscles directly related to the lungs. This muscle group can be tense when expanding or pressing against the chest during the “Pec Deck” exercise.

Look closely for bruises. Take off your shirt and see if your breasts or/or torso are bruised or red. Moderate-to-severe muscle pain can tear muscle fibers and lead to bleeding into surrounding tissues. ^[5] As a result you will see bruising/redness that fades to yellow over time. You may also experience redness in your upper body if you have an injury during sports or a fall. In contrast, lung disease does not cause noticeable bruising, unless you have a punctured lung from a severe rib fracture.

• Mild muscle strains rarely leave bruising or redness but can cause some local swelling.
• In addition to bruising, muscle injuries can cause convulsions or tremors for several hours (or even days) during the healing process. This “local muscle vibration” phenomenon further proves that you are suffering from muscle tension, not lung disease.

Measure body temperature. Many common causes of lung pain are caused by pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) or environmental irritants (asbestos, sharp filaments, dust, irritants). allergy). Therefore, in addition to chest pain and cough, hyperthermia (fever) is common in most lung diseases. In contrast, muscle tension never affects body temperature, unless it is too severe and causes hyperventilation (hyperventilation). Therefore, you should put a digital thermometer under your tongue to measure your body temperature. The average temperature in the mouth is usually around 36.8°C. ^[6]

• A low-grade fever is often beneficial because it is a sign that the body is trying to fight the infection.
• However, a high fever (above 39°C in adults) is often potentially dangerous and requires close monitoring.
• Chronic and long-term lung disease (cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis) can also cause low-grade fever.