# Sharp pain from deep breaths

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 20, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981 "2008-05-20T15:48:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981/1 "2008-05-20T15:48:37Z")

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When I breathe in deeply, cough, or sneeze I get a sharp pain in my right side near the bottom of my ribcage. It’s been this way for about a day and a half. It hasn’t worsened or changed really. Any ideas on what it it? Anything potentially serious?

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981/2 "2008-05-20T15:58:37Z")

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You REALLY don’t want to know what my Google Ad read :eek:

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**Author:** ![Burton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Burton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burton)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981/3 "2008-05-20T16:00:20Z")

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It’s a little tear in connective tissue inbetween your ribs most likely. You can cause the injury unknowingly pretty easily, by reaching behind in the car while driving for example.

I had the same thing recently and went to the doctor who found the spot by pushing on my ribs after listening to my lungs to make sure their was nothing going on with them.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981/4 "2008-05-20T17:46:07Z")

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Differential diagnosis includes costochondritis, intra-costal muscular spasm, pathologically fractured rib, pleurisy, collapsed lung, pneumonia, malignancy, and cavitary TB, to name just a few that I’ve seen in the last few years.

See your doctor if it worries you.

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharp-pain-from-deep-breaths/449981/5 "2008-05-20T17:52:53Z")

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[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]  
See your doctor if it worries you.  
[/QUOTE]

Qadgop wins the thread! Seriously, see a doctor about this. Thread closed.

**Gfactor**  
General Questions Moderator