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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Spot on Chest X-ray, pain where the spot is
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Spot on Chest X-ray, pain where the spot is
by darling35, Dec 02, 2004 12:00AM
Hi,
My husband is 39 and is not a smoker. This past Sunday he told me it has felt like there is a brick on his chest for 1 1/2 weeks. I sent to the Primary Care by our house, because it was Sunday. They did a Chest X-ray and it revelaed a spot. The Dr at the Primary Care Center thought it may be scar tissue, but wasn't sure. So they had to send it to the hospital to be read by the radiloigist. They also did an ekg, which was normal but showed signs of hypetension. His blood pressure has been going up and done for over 6 months. He does have a family history of hypertension. Anyway, his doctor put him on Avapro for the hypertension and gave him an order to have a Ct scan done. Which he is getting done Tommorrow. I wasn't there when he went. But he doctor said the spot is small. It is on the left lung, close to the heart. I am very concerned. He does have pain where the spot is located. The pain starts from the middle of the chest and goes left. He does not have any trouble breathing. He states the pain is just there and uncomfortable. He was told to take aleve for the pain. But it realy doesn't do much. There has been no change in the pain, it's the same.
Could this be a nodule. Are nodules painful? Do you have any ideas what may be causing the pain. Thank you!
My husband is 39 and is not a smoker. This past Sunday he told me it has felt like there is a brick on his chest for 1 1/2 weeks. I sent to the Primary Care by our house, because it was Sunday. They did a Chest X-ray and it revelaed a spot. The Dr at the Primary Care Center thought it may be scar tissue, but wasn't sure. So they had to send it to the hospital to be read by the radiloigist. They also did an ekg, which was normal but showed signs of hypetension. His blood pressure has been going up and done for over 6 months. He does have a family history of hypertension. Anyway, his doctor put him on Avapro for the hypertension and gave him an order to have a Ct scan done. Which he is getting done Tommorrow. I wasn't there when he went. But he doctor said the spot is small. It is on the left lung, close to the heart. I am very concerned. He does have pain where the spot is located. The pain starts from the middle of the chest and goes left. He does not have any trouble breathing. He states the pain is just there and uncomfortable. He was told to take aleve for the pain. But it realy doesn't do much. There has been no change in the pain, it's the same.
Could this be a nodule. Are nodules painful? Do you have any ideas what may be causing the pain. Thank you!
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Dec 08, 2004 12:00AM
, Dec 08, 2004 12:00AM
A nodule is a small, round spot seen on chest x-ray anywhere in the lungs. So what has been found on your husband’s chest x-ray would be considered a nodule. It is doubtful that this nodule has anything to do with your husband’s chest pain and his feeling that there is a brick on his chest. A chest CT scan is usually the next test that is done because it is more sensitive and shows more detail than a chest x-ray. The shape, smoothness, and density of the nodule will be seen on the CT scan. This will help in determining what this could be. If your husband has had previous chest x-rays or CT scans it would be helpful to locate them. Then his doctor could compare them with his most recent chest x-ray and CT scan. The comparison could be most helpful to his doctor, in interpreting these findings and the significance of the nodule. Nodules are due to infections, inflammation, or tumors. Nodules that are 1 centimeter in size or smaller are very unlikely to be cancer.
Chest pain that remains in the same area of the chest, can be due to either a problem in the:
· muscles, including the ribs, the cartilage, or the nerves that go to the muscles; or
· pleura, that is the lining of the inner chest wall and the lungs.
If your husband’s chest is sore when touched at the area where he feels the pain, it is almost certainly muscular. If your husband’s chest is not sore when touched at the area where he feels the pain, it is probably coming from irritation of the pleura or a nerve that runs along the lower edge of the ribs, called the intercostal nerve. The chest x-ray will be fine with any of these problems.
Another possible cause of the pain could be pleurodynia. This is an infection of the chest caused by a Coxsackie virus. The virus causes inflammation of the sac that holds the heart. Although this would cause chest pain usually there is also fever. When the chest pain is severe it is called the devil’s grip. Since this is a viral infection, antibiotics would not help.
Your husband’s chest pain along with his feeling that there is a brick on his chest, and his high blood pressure suggests coronary artery disease (CAD). A normal electrocardiogram (EKG) is not enough testing to be sure that this is not the problem. Your husband should have a comprehensive evaluation of his heart by a cardiologist.
Chest pain that remains in the same area of the chest, can be due to either a problem in the:
· muscles, including the ribs, the cartilage, or the nerves that go to the muscles; or
· pleura, that is the lining of the inner chest wall and the lungs.
If your husband’s chest is sore when touched at the area where he feels the pain, it is almost certainly muscular. If your husband’s chest is not sore when touched at the area where he feels the pain, it is probably coming from irritation of the pleura or a nerve that runs along the lower edge of the ribs, called the intercostal nerve. The chest x-ray will be fine with any of these problems.
Another possible cause of the pain could be pleurodynia. This is an infection of the chest caused by a Coxsackie virus. The virus causes inflammation of the sac that holds the heart. Although this would cause chest pain usually there is also fever. When the chest pain is severe it is called the devil’s grip. Since this is a viral infection, antibiotics would not help.
Your husband’s chest pain along with his feeling that there is a brick on his chest, and his high blood pressure suggests coronary artery disease (CAD). A normal electrocardiogram (EKG) is not enough testing to be sure that this is not the problem. Your husband should have a comprehensive evaluation of his heart by a cardiologist.
