Table of contents:
- Common causes of pain in the chest when coughing
- Causes severe chest pain when coughing
- 1. Asthma
- 2. Pneumonia
- 3. Bronchitis
- 4. Tuberculosis
- 5. Acid reflux
- How to deal with chest pain when coughing?
- 1. Seek medical help
- 2. Treatment while at home
Coughing is a natural reflex to protect the airways from harmful particles. A persistent cough is a common symptom of a disturbance in the respiratory system. When you cough continuously, you may also experience chest pain. Actually, what causes chest pain when coughing?
Common causes of pain in the chest when coughing
When you feel pain in your chest when you cough, it's best not to panic and worry just yet. Especially if you conclude that this is a sign of a serious illness. Chest pain when coughing is a common condition, and not usually a serious condition.
This pain is very common because the cough reflex directly compresses the lower respiratory tract and lungs. Usually, the chest hurts more when you cough hard or are difficult to control.
For example, when a dry cough is caused by an allergic reaction, you may also experience a sore throat and chest pain. However, the pain will lessen as the cough subsides.
According to Mauricio Dnackers, a doctor from the Chest Foundation, chest pain that is felt when coughing is caused by the rapid movement of muscles in the chest and abdomen to push air and foreign substances out of the airways. Under normal conditions, this movement is not dangerous, in fact it is very effective at clearing the respiratory tract so that breathing becomes smoother.
Causes severe chest pain when coughing
Although chest pain is very common, you also need to be vigilant if you experience unbearable pain in the chest. This is especially true if the pain persists even after the coughing has stopped, even making it difficult for you to breathe. The causes of your cough and chest pain can be more than just the common cold and flu.
Some of the other reasons you may feel chest pain when you cough include:
1. Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease caused by inflammation in the respiratory tract. This inflammation makes your airways swollen and very sensitive. As a result, the airways narrow, causing less air to flow to the lungs. Not infrequently, people who have asthma will feel wheezing to coughing that can make their chest feel sore.
2. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Symptoms that also appear, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle aches, fatigue, and lack of appetite. Also watch for signs such as runny nose, eye irritation, sore throat, and irritation of the external respiratory tract to chest pain when coughing.
3. Bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi due to infection. Bronchi are the passages that let air into and out of the lungs. People with bronchitis often cough up thick mucus, which can change color.
Acute bronchitis generally follows flu or other respiratory illness. Chronic bronchitis is most often caused by allergies and asthma which have created long-term inflammation in the bronchial tubes.
4. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis or TB is a disease caused by bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis. These bacteria can be transmitted through the airways.
This disease is highly contagious and symptoms include fever, fatigue, weight loss, and often chest pain when you cough excessively.
5. Acid reflux
Acid reflux is a condition in which stomach acid flows back up along the esophagus or esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach). In this condition, there can be a feeling or burning sensation in the chest area (heartburn), or other symptoms such as coughing when stomach acid rises (reflux) and injures the throat (airway).
How to deal with chest pain when coughing?
1. Seek medical help
The unbearable pain in the chest when you cough should not be ignored. Chest pain when coughing can be a symptom of a disease that requires medical attention. If the cough and chest pain occurs for a long time, it's a good idea to consult a doctor immediately. The doctor will examine and diagnose your disease.
2. Treatment while at home
Coughing up to chest pain can sometimes be caused by phlegm that is difficult to get out due to coughing with phlegm. The phlegm that has accumulated in the airways needs to be removed through special steam therapy.
If you choose to treat independently first, you can treat cough and the various symptoms that accompany it, including chest pain with the following home remedies:
- Drink plenty of water and inhale hot steam to reduce mucus buildup.
- Maintain a healthy diet and avoid smoking.
- Drink honey mixed with tea or warm water to relieve coughs.
- Take an over-the-counter cough medicine to thin and stop excess phlegm in the airways, such as decongestants and expectorants.
- Use effective coughing techniques to relieve persistent cough. The trick is done by taking deep breaths followed by a loud cough.