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What Causes Painful Chest And Shoulder In A Smoker?
Hello,
I am a 27 year old female. Been smoking for roughly 10 years. I been experiencing chest/shoulder pain for about a week now. For the last month I sometimes feel I'm not getting enough air. I ruled that out to be anxiety related until the chest pains started. I went to my family doctor who listened to my lungs and said they sounded clear. If my pain and breathing were lung cancer related, would it be constant or come and go? Thank you for your time.
I am a 27 year old female. Been smoking for roughly 10 years. I been experiencing chest/shoulder pain for about a week now. For the last month I sometimes feel I'm not getting enough air. I ruled that out to be anxiety related until the chest pains started. I went to my family doctor who listened to my lungs and said they sounded clear. If my pain and breathing were lung cancer related, would it be constant or come and go? Thank you for your time.
Fri, 16 Jan 2015
Hello and welcome to HCM,
Smoking is a risk factor for development of lung cancer.
Lung cancer presents with cough, shortness of breath, hemoptysis (blood in sputum), and weight loss.
Chest pain is usually not a feature of lung cancer.
Chest pain is usually associated with pleural inflammation, musculoskeletal pain, cardiac pain, etc.
Clear lungs rule out the possibility of lung cancer.
Thus further investigations are required to rule out possibility of pain associated with musculoskeletal system and heart ailment.
Consult your physician for further assessment.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri
Smoking is a risk factor for development of lung cancer.
Lung cancer presents with cough, shortness of breath, hemoptysis (blood in sputum), and weight loss.
Chest pain is usually not a feature of lung cancer.
Chest pain is usually associated with pleural inflammation, musculoskeletal pain, cardiac pain, etc.
Clear lungs rule out the possibility of lung cancer.
Thus further investigations are required to rule out possibility of pain associated with musculoskeletal system and heart ailment.
Consult your physician for further assessment.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri
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Good day and thanks for your question. I do not thing you have a lung cancer. But with a history of about 10 years of smoking you are predispose to having a lung cancer later in life. And it is not only lung cancer that smoking causes, it also affects the heart, it disrupt your lipid profile and blood sugar, and it also decreases your immune response to infections. I would advice you gradually withdraw from smoking and the chest pain should subside. Your doctor might allow you to do a chest x-ray to rule out any chest infection. Hope it helps. Thank you.
I find this answer helpful
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