I was diagnosed with Pleurisy 3 weeks ago. Symptoms were fever, chills, aching and horrendous middle back pain, tight chest. GP said he could not hear any sounds with stethoscope and I had no cough but prescribe antibiotics. I was still left with the back pain and my chest is tight and particularly hurts if I lie on my side at night.
I’ve had a chest and back X-ray, ecg and bloods this week which don’t show signs of pleurisy or anything else so my question is could it just be a muscular skeletal injury and not pleurisy based on the fact my tests were clear and I never had a cough? I have seen an Osteopath and his back manipulation just left me in pain and with more of a bruised feeling. I can’t bear to lean against anything sitting as the pressure in my back and chest are so painful
Taking ibuprofen and codeine don’t do much really and nor does ice. Heat helps a little. Im feeling very low now, not knowing really what’s wrong with me.
Thanks for reading
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Lisrud
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Hiya ☺️, sorry that you are so much in pain. So what are they saying what it could be, or is anything more done now?
Must be extremely uncomfortable for you, I had pleurisy and it took months to get rid of it again. Hope you get a solution for your pain. 😘 Take care of yourself 🌹🌹💖
Thankyou for replying. I was discharged by hospital and told it’s possibly muscular pain but could have been pleurisy. I’m at a loss what to do now tbh and scared to return to my GP as I feel like I’m just wasting their time when the hospital discharged me saying they couldn’t see anything
I know. I remember there only gave me painkillers and told me to keep warm, hot shower over the painful part on your back. Or better hot bath it really helps to reduce the pain. I hope you will getting back to normal soon again. Just take it easy and keep those places warm. Best wishes 🌺🌺🌺
Never be scared to get back to your GP it's easy wrong when they see you between those times, so that they know you still struggling with the same pain.
Its odd that the doc should diagnose pleurisy after listening through the stethoscope. Pleurisy can be heard through one, different lung ailments have different sounds.
Its only an idea - I'm a patient not a medic- costochronditis (spelling) is to do with inflammation of the small muscles along the ribs & is very painful by all accounts I've read here. I've not had it but have had pleurisy several times, each one diagnosed through stethoscope. The first time I thought I must have fractured ribs as the pain was identical.
See related posts to the right (or scroll down on a phone). Hope you get to the bottom of it. P
Thankyou I’ve just looked Costochronditis up and it seems to be more centred around chest pain whereas my worst pain is middle thoracic back area. Thankyou for your suggestion though.
I get Pleurisy and to describe what happens to me. I pain in chest is much worse when breathing in or coughing. Need not be a pain all the time, just when you cough of breath deeply. I was treat with antibiotics....
It can hang on quite a while but normally responds to correct treatment...
" my question is could it just be a muscular skeletal injury "
Answer. You need to ask your GP that, could well be - I have severe OA and that can mimic other conditions..
Your GP should know from bloods, if you have an infection or other condition..
You say Dr hear nothing when he/she listened to your chest - he/she would have been listening for a .dry, crunching sound. which could be caused by Pleurisy.
Pleurisy is normally caused by a virus from eg flue, or from a bacterial infection (such as pneumonia.
Finally I think you should go back to your GP and explain just how bad your pain is and describe as exact as you can how the pain feels. Pain is strange and a trapped nerve can be felt in other parts of the body, and that can be treat with other means than codeine and ibuprofen.
To answer you question specifically yes it could be other than Pleurisy - You need to see your GP to get it confirmed just what you do have,
Pain again is strange, can be with you that long. then just GO, in fact you kinda miss it.
Thankyou for taking the time to respond with so much detail. Really appreciate it and yes I will return to my GP after the weekend and try to get reassessed.
I’ve now been diagnosed with Costochondritis as suggested by peege . The discomfort has moved more into my chest and breathing. I have seen an Osteopath which has helped
Hi,Sorry to hear about your pain, it did sound like pleurisy and very similar to what I'm going through but if tests are clear then it maybe something else. Have you discussed Costochondritis with your GP? It sounds a bit like how you described, whereby the cartilage around the sternum is affected? You may want to Google it up, sorry I couldn't be of much help . Take care
Hi, You are right, my GP has suggested it may be Costochondritis and an Osteopath says that my facet joints are inflamed. I am slowly improving. I appreciate your reply.
I wish you a speedy recovery! How long have you suffered with Costochondritis? I've had this in the past and think its troubling me again along with pleurisy, (am awaiting results) unfortunately the health care in my area is such that I've been neglected! My GP said Costochondritis doesnt show up in tests, so it's based on patient symptoms and medical examination.
I had exactly a similar experience and even accepted that I was having a Gall Bladder attack at one point!! Anyway now some weeks later the pains have gone and I too have been given clear lungs and so on but I am left with the most acute breathlessness ever. I am used to breathlessness with only 22% projected lung capacity having COPD Emphysema and 3 heart attacks and 2 mini strokes but this is really debilitating. I still have no answers despite having been rushed to Hospital last week when I was having such difficulty breathing. My wife thought it as another heart attack. They sent me home and told me to sort it out with my GP.Perhaps this is all part of having lung disease? Wish I could be of more help but at least you know someone else is having similar issues unsolved.
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