After being sick for a month, can someone answer a question for me?

I have been sick for a month now. It always starts out as colds and then turns into bronchitis. This time was a bit different. I had asmatic bronchitis, and am having trouble breathing. I am starting to get over it but! I am having bad lung pain. It feels as if I have broken ribs. I am also having bad pain under my left breast to around lower and under my arm. What could this be??

[National Jewish]

Viral infections like a cold or bronchitis can cause inflammation of the airways of the lungs.  This inflammation can cause you to cough when you are active or laugh.  After the cold and bronchitis are gone, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.  This inflammation can last for several weeks.  Sometimes this inflammation may linger for 3 to 6 months.  Eventually the inflammation will go away, and then the trouble breathing will stop.  This is called reactive airways disease (RAD) and behaves a lot like asthma.  When this inflammation is treated with an inhaled steroid, which is used to treat asthma, it often clears more quickly.  Check with your doctor to get the best treatment for your problem.

You will need to see your doctor to find out the nature of the problem that is causing your bad pain.  To know for sure if this is due to a lung problem you will need to have testing done.  A good place to start is with a chest x-ray and possibly a simple breathing test called spirometry.  Spirometry provides detailed information about how your lungs are working.  If your symptoms are due to a lung problem, this testing should identify the cause.  A pulmonologist would be the type of specialist to identify a lung problem and the best treatment.

[AndyRRT]

It sounds like you could have some plueritis. Or inflamation (inflammation) of the pleura. The pluera is the area (or potential space) between the chest wall and the lung it self. During breathing, the lung slides nicely along the chest wall. Well, sometimes, the pleura can get infected and inflamed. Usually from lung infctions like pnuemonia (pneumonia) and yep, you guessed it....bronchitis. this inflamation (inflammation) causes a less than desireable rubbing which results in a sharp pain. Treatment ususlaly depends on the cause of the pleuracy. sometimes an antibiotic or even more simply, tylenol  or advil for the pain.

Another possible cause of your pain could be muscle strain. I know as an asthmatic, when I get all huffy and puffy....I really strain my chest and ribs. After my attack has cleared, I sometimes feel like I was punched in the chest for working it so hard. This usually subsides in a day or so after my muscles have relaxed and "healed".

Suffice to say, and as I ALWAYS recommend....talk to your doctor.

Andy, RRT,CPFT

[poodlezeke]

I have been sick now for two months and cannot get rid of this asmatic bronchitis.  I feel like I am going to die.

[amethyst2667]

i can totally sympathize, I have been sick now for four weeks, first started out with a cough, after the 2nd week I was waking up coughing and having difficulty catching my breath, went to dr said I had a cold virus, was out of work for 2 weeks, went back again on Monday, I now have bronchitis, they prescribed prednisone, Zithromax and a an albuterol inhaler. Tonight I was laying in bed and literally felt as if my airway was blocked, started coughing and couldnt get air thru my nose. Used my inhaler and that seemed to help some but then had this scratchy feeling in my throat and that made it worse. been up now for 2 hours because woke up having coughing fit and unable to breathe properly. Is this normal for bronchitis? The feeling of havign a trapped airway? I was told the prednisone would help this. But it has got me worried I am afraid I have Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive disorder, Although I have not smoked for three years and previous to that had stopped for 10. Maybe started again for about 6 months. I have never had asthma and am pretty healthy. I was laying in bed trying to sleep and kept having that feelign in my throat and feeling like my airway was blocked. Been sleeping upright but notice that when I start to breath thru my mouth feel this air in my throat. I am really freaked out by this. I am terrified I have something more going on then the drs say. I did a peak flow meter and blew a 350, the dr said I should blow a 440 so it wasn't too bad. Am I just having major anxiety because of this? Do I just need to be more patient? Or should I go back to the doctor. Please help
Lisa

[JoeSock]

A related discussion, TO ALL... was started.

[Wooty]

A related discussion, Asmatic Bronchitis was started.