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Breathing Problems, Fibromyalgia, Hiatus Hernia, Stomach Problems, Asthma. Taking Antispasmodic Medicine. Advise About Checks To Be Done.
Question: Hi,
I have had breathing problems for a few months now. Had an infection upper respiratory. I suffer from severe fibromyalgia and also have a hiatus hernia and stomach problems. I have asthma too but have not been too bad with it before now. I have been having pressure in my chest when lying down and have what feels like hard bone type excess on the left of my sternum. My doctor put me on a steroid inhaler as I was having bronchal spasms and loss of breath at times with alot of pain in between my shoulder blades. Due to chronic fatigue I lay down alot and haven't had a cough as was congested with laying down so much. I'm really scared of cancer and am at my wits end. I take antispasmodic meds also with pain relief. I'm currently trying to stop smoking so have had alot of these problems in between stopping . I think the problem is my lungs and possibly something constricting my breathing like that lump at side of sternum. It is tender to touch. Upper back shoulder pain and spasms have been definitely related as its been of oing for months. I've recently had a course of antibiotics which has helped the bronchial spams. Please help advise me how to get the necessary checks done!
I have had breathing problems for a few months now. Had an infection upper respiratory. I suffer from severe fibromyalgia and also have a hiatus hernia and stomach problems. I have asthma too but have not been too bad with it before now. I have been having pressure in my chest when lying down and have what feels like hard bone type excess on the left of my sternum. My doctor put me on a steroid inhaler as I was having bronchal spasms and loss of breath at times with alot of pain in between my shoulder blades. Due to chronic fatigue I lay down alot and haven't had a cough as was congested with laying down so much. I'm really scared of cancer and am at my wits end. I take antispasmodic meds also with pain relief. I'm currently trying to stop smoking so have had alot of these problems in between stopping . I think the problem is my lungs and possibly something constricting my breathing like that lump at side of sternum. It is tender to touch. Upper back shoulder pain and spasms have been definitely related as its been of oing for months. I've recently had a course of antibiotics which has helped the bronchial spams. Please help advise me how to get the necessary checks done!
Hello ,
Thanks for posting your query .
The symptoms you are facing most likely might be due to bronchial constriction and hypersensitivity of airways in lung which cause the constriction, spasms, and inflammation all giving a feeling of lump next to sternum (where bronchial airways lie ).
But you are right in getting concerned since the other possibilities though unlikely do include pneumonia, or any lymph node mass or malignancy.
I would advise you to consult a chest medicine specialist or pulmonologist and get throughly evaluated and investigated.
The investigations might include the following,
High resolution ct scan of chest
Pulmonary function tests or spirometry
Xray chest
Complete blood counts, esr,blood gases, blood sugar, sputum smear and culture, liver and renal
profile.
Some of the above tests might not be necessary depending on your clinical evaluation by the chest physician.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Thanks for posting your query .
The symptoms you are facing most likely might be due to bronchial constriction and hypersensitivity of airways in lung which cause the constriction, spasms, and inflammation all giving a feeling of lump next to sternum (where bronchial airways lie ).
But you are right in getting concerned since the other possibilities though unlikely do include pneumonia, or any lymph node mass or malignancy.
I would advise you to consult a chest medicine specialist or pulmonologist and get throughly evaluated and investigated.
The investigations might include the following,
High resolution ct scan of chest
Pulmonary function tests or spirometry
Xray chest
Complete blood counts, esr,blood gases, blood sugar, sputum smear and culture, liver and renal
profile.
Some of the above tests might not be necessary depending on your clinical evaluation by the chest physician.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you for your reply. I also have alot of tenderness and pain in my upper to mid spinal area and I'm not sure if it feels actually swollen or lumpy in some areas. Obviously due to having fibromyalgia it's hard for me to get examined these days as every pain gets put under the same umbrella and my meds are so strong I'm masking alot of it. Does this make sense in relation to the other symptoms as I don't know if it is linked or just fibromyalgia? Thanks for your advice.
Also my voice keeps going hoarse for months and I even lose it suddenly for short periods. Would I be best calling doctor or visiting hospital over weekend?
Kindes regards
XXXXXXX
Also my voice keeps going hoarse for months and I even lose it suddenly for short periods. Would I be best calling doctor or visiting hospital over weekend?
Kindes regards
XXXXXXX
Hello,
Thanks for follow up.
Hoarseness or loss of voice can be suggestive of recurrent laryngeal nerve compression by any mediastinal (lymph node or tumor) mass in chest.
So most likely this is not due to fibromyalgia and warrants a consultation with your chest physician and investigations I mentioned like CT scan of chest.
Please consult as per feasibility. It's not an emergency but definitely early appointment would be beneficial.
Regards
Thanks for follow up.
Hoarseness or loss of voice can be suggestive of recurrent laryngeal nerve compression by any mediastinal (lymph node or tumor) mass in chest.
So most likely this is not due to fibromyalgia and warrants a consultation with your chest physician and investigations I mentioned like CT scan of chest.
Please consult as per feasibility. It's not an emergency but definitely early appointment would be beneficial.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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