What Causes Pain Under Left Shoulder Blade After Quitting Smoking?

Posted on Fri, 1 Apr 2016

Question: I quit smoking 8 days ago, Today I have a pain under my left shoulder blade. It happened after my boyfriend went for a walk in the woods this morning

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome on HCM!

First I would like to encourage you to continue avoiding every close contact with smoking.

You should know that after smoke quitting you have to face with physical abstinence for the first two - three weeks and after that there appears mainly physiological craving.

Regarding your pain, it is necessary to further investigate your pain characteristics in order to differentiate from several possible reasons.

Does your pain appear continuous or intermittent?

Is it stabbing, burning, squeezing, etc?

Is it modulated by posture, coughing, breathing?

What about other possible associated symptoms (coughing, shortness of breathing, sputum production, etc.?

Such a pain may be musculo-skeletal, pleuritic, or even exacerbated by anxiety.

Did you experience similar feeling previously, when your boyfriend goes away from you?

Please provide me with additional information in order to be possible for a more comprehensive and concrete opinion.

I remain at your disposal for any further explanation.

Kind regards,

Dr. Iliri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (24 minutes later)

It is a continues pain, Like a stabbing pain. It doesn't matter if i'm sitting, standing laying down it continues. I do cough but nothing comes up. dry cough I guess. I haven't had any cravings for cigarettes nor any anxiety

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Your symptoms seem to be related to pleuritic inflammation.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

Thank you for the additional information!

As you are having a continuous dry cough, a past history of smoking and a continuous stabbing pain, most probably it seems to be a pleuretic chest pain, related to inflammation of the pleural layers (covering lung layers).

I would recommend taking ibuprofen 400mg three times daily and perform a chest X ray study, besides a careful physical examination.

You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.

Hope you will find this answer helpful!

Best wishes,

Dr. Iliri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (33 minutes later)

I have an inhaler from when I had bronchitis. Should I use that? And I have taken ibrophen

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (5 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Opinion as follows :

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I don't believe inhaler will make any difference to your pain. It's useless in such case.

Meanwhile, Ibuprofen could offer some relief.

Greetings!
Dr. Iliri

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar