What Causes Sharp Pain when Breathing?

The average adult takes 12-20 breaths per minute. Breathing is such a routine bodily function, most of the time we aren’t even conscious of each breath. But when you experience pain every time you take a breath, just getting through the day can be a nightmare. In this article, we are going to discuss the potential causes of sharp pain when you breathe, as well as some potential treatments.

Causes of Breathing Pain

The first thing to narrow down when it comes to breathing pain is where in the body the pain is coming from. The most common types of pain when breathing are:

• Back & Neck Pain. This could be the result of a pinched nerve or a bulging disc in the spine.
• Chest Pain. This may be indicative of an infection or injury of the lungs.
• Throat Pain. This could be caused by something as simple as a sore throat, or something more severe like tonsillitis.

These are just a few common examples, but pain breathing pain can crop up anywhere in the body. Try to pinpoint exactly where you’re experiencing the pain and when. Is it every time you take a breath, or only every once in a while? This will help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

Treating Breathing Pain

Once a diagnosis has been decided on, your doctor will walk you through the treatment methods. Depending on the location and cause of the pain, treatment methods can vary from prescription medications, to pain injections, to surgery in the most severe cases.

If you are experiencing sharp pain that occurs when breathing in, make an appointment with a pain physician to diagnose your condition. The pain doctors at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have decades of experience treating patients with all types of pain throughout Minnesota. Contact us today to set up your appointment and stop living your life in pain.