Could sharp rib pains be a sign of an asthma attack?
Ask the doctor
Q. Are sharp pains in the ribs a typical symptom of an asthma attack? The throat also felt tight.
A. Asthma attacks are not usually painful. However, asthma attacks can cause such heavy breathing and coughing that you can easily pull a muscle in the chest wall. A pulled muscle can be quite painful. Sometimes, older people with thin bones can actually break a rib from coughing too hard.
Chest pain with tightness in the throat could be a possible heart problem in a person over the age of 30. This is especially true if the chest discomfort occurs during physical exertion or sudden emotional stress.
A tight feeling in the throat surely could be related to an asthma attack. When a person is working hard to breathe, the throat can feel like it is tightening up. Also, with rapid breathing the mouth and throat get dry very quickly; this adds to the discomfort.
Another common reason for tightness in the throat is anxiety.
Recurrent chest pains and tightness in the throat should always prompt a call to your doctor.
Image: © PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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