Burning with Inhalation

[agaelicgirl]

I am 37 and a border line asthmatic. I was a severe asthmatic until I was in my teens. I smoked for 18 years but have not smoked for the past 5 years. I have recently experienced difficulty breathing. I get a burning in my chest / lungs when I inhale. I also have pain in my back from the center of my back to the bottom of my lungs. I can only take shallow intakes of breath because deeper breaths burn and make me cough. I have tried my inhaler but it is only effective for about 10 minutes. To listen to my lungs they would sound clear, but they are painful and it the pain seems toward the bottom of my lungs. No radiation to my neck or arms, no chills, no fever just difficulty breathing. What do you think it could be?

[National Jewish]

People usually do not "lose" their asthma.  It is likely that for any of a number of reasons you are again experiencing some asthma symptoms.  This is not uncommon.  I would suggest seeing your family doctor and having a lung function test to determine if this is the case or not.  On the basis of an examination and lung function test, appropriate therapy can be given to control your symptoms.

Congratulations on being smoke free for 5 years.  You have made a wise decision to stop smoking!  You may want to look at our Quit Smoking Topic Center at http://www.nationaljewish.org/topic/smoking_cessation.html for ways to help you stay smoke free.

[OrthoRN]

Could be pleuritis.... hopefully if your still having the pain, you would have had it checked by now...