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451075 tn?1210258648

Concerned

I am a 23 year old male in overall good shape. I had a chest X-Ray in 2006. However, I have been an on and off smoker since I was about 16. I never buy my own cigarettes but have a lot of friends who smoke and for the past 3 years, about 3 times a week I have been going to my music studio and chain smoking cigarettes and smoking pot.

Now I put these habits behind me, but I started getting a pain in my chest. It is right in the middle and it hurts more when I smoked and when I twist my torso to the right.

I am very scared of lung cancer but do not have health insurance at all nor do I have money to get an X-Ray. What should I do.

Thanks for your help.
8 Responses
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618585 tn?1236714644
I gave you a link, but guess I must have violated some terms of use somewhere. lol  In chicago, you can go to CommunityHealth.  I'll send you a private message with the link if you wish.  Sorry to admin if i caused anything terrible to happen.  :)
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Avatar universal
If your chest pain is severe it is probably a good idea to go to the ER. If you are not going there, you should contact your local health dept. for information on free clinics in your area. You don't give a specific city you are located in so it is difficult to steer you in the right direction.
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451075 tn?1210258648
I am in USA, Illinois. Can someone tell me where I can go. My chest pain is pretty bad. I keep coughing like crazy and I have a point on my chest where it hurts a lot.
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451075 tn?1210258648
Thanks for all your help. I will seek medical assistance.
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Avatar universal
Some counties have free health clinics. Contact your local county healthboard to find out the locations and times. I have taken many clients who are uninsured to these types of clinics, and they are free. If you have a concern, it is well worth it to get peace of mind. And like Misterserb said, anxiety can make us feel alot of physical symptoms. (Trust me, I experience this myself!)

But you should check into the free clinics to get peace of mind. You may have to wait awhile to be seen, but worth it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
As u probably are worring about lung cancer, its quite unlikely for host of reasons:

1. u're age chances at your age are somewhere about less that 1% probably

2. smoking may be a leading cause for lung cancer, but even out of those that are chain smokers for many years probably much much less than 50% get lung cancer + some people that never smoked get it (shows its not a clear link)

3. It kindof has other symptoms (check out lung cancer symptoms on the net)


In any way like I said, make efforts to see a physician
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

I've had lots of worries about my health in the past and I do have health insurance, have seen a lot of doctors a lot of them were chest related and apparently have been proven not to be more than paranoia on my side. Of course this is not to say that this is your case as well. But do realise that anxiety over heath can cause u to feel a lot of things that are real and at the same time just in your head. I could not believe it either, but it is true, learned on my on skin.

However u should see a doctor. I dunno exactly what u can do to get the money, but u should do sth. Find a charity or somehting, or borrow money, there must be a way for u to be able to see a doc to listen to your lungs at least. You might not even need an x-ray.

Anyway what u acuse could be just a muscle cram, could be caused by anxiety, could be a simple respiratory infection or perhaps pneumonia (but thats a bit extreme). And a host of other things i can imagine (im not a doctor).

Do see a doctor to be safe, make all efforts possible, it is definetly worth your health.

Let us kno how u turned up.

Kind regards,
misterserb
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451075 tn?1210258648
can someone please help? I am very worried.
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