Random Lung Question.

[RobbyR]

Random question..A couple weeks ago I started waking up with this faint gurgling/bubbling sensation on my lower left back. I thought it was muscle spasms. No shortness of breath or anything, but last week after a singing lesson I noticed shortness of breath & soreness at the top of my collarbone on the left side when I would take a deep breath, and this feeling of heaviness/pressure there. It was worse when I would wake up in the morning, like someone was sitting on my left chest or something. And for a couple days, I had a sharp pain my tooth/left lower jaw when I would take a deep breath. Last weekend, I still had the shortness of breath (only mild) & soreness/pain on that side. I also had the gurgling sensation if I moved a certain way. I went to the doctor a week or so ago & they did chest x-ray, said it was NOT a pneumothorax (which I had on that side many years ago) so that eased my mind.

But after my singing lesson seemed to make the symptoms a bit worse, I went back to the doctor two days ago. He said my lungs sounded fine, and did another chest x-ray. It came back fine. So basically they are thinking I have chostrodintidis? Which is basically soreness in the muscles in the chest. I also had an ekg done two weeks back, it came back fine, they said no sign of pneumothorax or any fluid. But would even a small one show up on x-ray? Do they come and go or once you have them you have them until they heal?

But to this day I am still waking up in the morning with heaviness/pressure on my left side like there is something sitting on my chest. I also notice a bit of gurgling sensation if I move a certain way. So would the chest x-rays 100% rule out it being even a small pneumothorax? I had one 13 years ago which healed itself on the same side, but they assured me based on the x-rays it was not.

But Im just wondering if this chostrodinditis or whatever could make one feel short of breath and heaviness there? And why is it worse when I wake up in the morning? The last few nights when I wake up I feel gurgling in my left chest. But they all said it was not my lung. So am I crazy?

I am thinking about going to a different ER and asking for another x-ray or ct-scan? What should I do? It's probably nothing and I trust my doctors but I wonder why I am having this if it is only muscular?

[Valmont]

Well, if after these examens your docs say it is not a pneumothorax, it is hightly probably not...

I had one few years ago and believe me, it is really easy to detect it, it comes clear on the RX.  In my case, I didnīt have spasm but shortness of breath and permanent but quite heavy pain.

I also had the pain you describe, my doc says it is commun and not a pathology, in my case it was a contraction of these muscles between the ribs and it is painfull and strong, but for a very short time...  I could have been stress...

I donīt think you should make some extra examen, believe your doc, there are no reason for not believing also your two RX exams;  if you want to be sure, get a second med opinion, but I inclusive think it may be an inecessary waste of money...  Also, it is possible for a doctor to hear if the pulmon are working well with a stethoscope.

Ps- Iīm not a doctor !

[RobbyR]

Thanks for the reply Valmont..Your probably right that it's not a lung thing or else the x-rays would have shown it but I know I'm not imagining the tightness & feeling like there is pressure there & being winded. I'm in good shape physically so I wonder about it..I had a pneumothorax many years ago and it was not fun thankfully didn't need intervention, it healed itself. When I wake up in the morning, and feel the gurgling, it seems to go away after I take a few deep breaths, but I am still confused about what's causing these symptoms my instincts is that it is lung but the docs said it wasn't.

I'm going to play it by ear for another few days and if it doesn't improve I'll reluctantly go to the ER for a second opinion.

[Valmont]

I understand you, Iīve been very worried for the same at the beginning of the year because of a pain in the chest after a rugby game and thought about another pneumothorax, it would have really sucked... but fortunatelly it was just a broken rib!  The strange thing is that I just cannot identify when this happened to me during the game and the pain started only to be heavy two days after the game...

Take it easy...  and if this doesnīt improve, go for the 2nd opinion...

[coreFighter]

Make them give you a chest x-ray of your lungs !!! I had the same symptoms and they fucked up my diagnosis ... go to the doc ASAP.

[ratcat]

some tests that you could have(i said that I wouldn't give any advice for a while...woops)

1. chest x-ray and sputum test for TB

2.  Swollen lymph nodes in the area( physical examination) ...or anywhere?...maybe a fine needle aspiration to rule out Cancer..oh no!!!

3.  A beer

4.  If you smoke then quit today...electronic cigarettes work fine for that
 
p.s., I had a similar problem and did all four, and had an endoscopic examination to boot.  The docs found nothing wrong with me, I had a beer and now I am fine.

dude...remember also that my advice is just background noise and should not be regarded as expertise in any form

[RobbyR]

I went to another doc today for my symptoms and they gave me a CT scan of my chest/lungs and to my surprise they said it was normal. No pneumothorax. Good news though. Thought it might have been a small one the chest x-rays missed but I guess not. So asked the doc what is causing the gurgling in my back chest/shortness of breath I have when I wake up in the morning or when I move a certain way, he said he thought it might be lung secretions. I hope its not something like early stage COPD I am only 31 and in good health and haven't smoked for 3 years. But for now I'm relieved the CT scan was normal it's my understanding they pretty much catch anything! Still having the symptoms though, it's weird. Eh, guess I'll just try and ignore them. Might try to see a pulmonary specialist at some point though.