Why are my lungs rubbing against my ribcage?

This doesn't happen all the time, but sometime when I am lying in bed I can kind of feel or hear my lungs against my ribcage when I breathe. It's hard to describe, and I don't know whether I feel it or hear it in my body. It sounds a bit like when someone is breathing really loudly/naselly or a rumbling sound, but it comes from my lungs against my ribcage.

Does this happen to anyone else? Is this bad? It doesn't hurt or anything. It's just annoying and I don't know what it is. I've been to the doctor and he used a stethoscope, but at the time it wasn't happening so he thought it was nothing to worry about. This has been happening for years.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

It is not likely that your lungs are, in fact, rubbing against your ribcage.  Some people with inflammation of the lining of their lungs (pleurisy) can feel like this, but have significant pain when they breathe.  I am not sure why you are experiencing the sensation you describe.  The best chance to find out is to have your physician examine you when you are feeling this sensation and determine the cause of it.  Having no pain, no difficulty breathing, no coughing, it is probably not of major concern.