What Does A Bruise On Upper Right Side Of Chest Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 14 Jul 2014

Question: 67 year old white male. Former heavy smoker... quit 30 years ago last March. I have what feels like a bruise on the upper right side of my chest. No bruise... just feels like that. Also a generalized aching feeling in upper lungs (both sides) up into my lower neck. When I sit... it stops. My Dr. sent me for stress test and such... but I would be surprised if it is heart. I think lungs. All ideas appreciated!

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Agree

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query. I do agree with you that the symptoms do not sound typical of cardiac origin, and actually sound more "pleuritic" to me, and may come from irritation of the lining of the lungs on the chest wall (pleura). In a patient in your situation, I would recommend pulmonary imaging in the form of a CT of the chest, to make sure that there is nothing creating a compression or pinching of the pleura.

Hope this helps, wish you the best and keep me posted,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Cardiology
Mayo Clinic MN

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