Urgent- ds has pain when breathing in. A&E?

[dogsandcoffee]

Ds has been really stressed this week due to SATs. He had football after school today and said as he jumped up to head the ball he felt a pain in his chest and since then it hurts when he breathes in.

He isn’t too bad, eating food and watching tv. Not sure what to do.

I wouldn't go to A&E but I would phone 111

Sounds like a tweaked muscle or something. If he's not struggling to breathe and is eating and watching TV as normal then I'd just bung him some ibuprofen and see how he was tomorrow, personally. Doesn't sound like an emergency situation at all. If you were really worried, 111.

Probably pulled a muscle.

Most likely pulled an intercostal (between the ribs) muscle, and it can be incredibly painful. provided there was no direct hit, or elbow and it was movement related, and he is in general good health, I wouldn't worry. Ibuprofen, paracetamol and a heat pad should help. It also takes forever to get better.

I would definitely call 111.

111 wasn’t that helpful. She asked a bunch of questions and then was like do you want to take him to a&e or wait for a dr to call? I got no answer to that. Ds is sitting here eating dinner not that bad so I’m not rushing him off to a&e at the moment.

If he is sitting eating dinner I wouldn't be doing anything. He has either pulled a muscle or was getting a bit anxious about his SATS. Sleep on it. I am willing to bet he will be fine tomorrow.

I remember the time I was 100% sure I'd pulled an intercostal muscle vomiting, and that was why I was having chest pain. 14 hours later I was in A&E resus with a rather nasty pneumonia. The really embarrassing bit is that I'm a doctor: I can only plead that the impending sepsis made me a little confused.

He's probably pulled a muscle. But if he finds the pain getting worse, or starts getting out of breath, or finds it hurts more to breathe, for pity's sake get him checked out.

I get costochondritis, inflammation of the intercostal muscles. It’s a horrible pain.
Try a couple of hot water bottles, one on his chest, one against his back. I lean back against pillows or cushions. The pain usually eases pretty quickly.

If it doesn’t or he has difficulty breathing then it’s A&E.

There are other possibilities like a pneumothorax here. I'd call 111 again and take their advice.

@Sapphirensteel do you mind me asking how your gp diagnosed costochondritis? I have similar symptoms but have never heard of this.

@dogsandcoffee I'm sorry for hijacking and I do hope your DS feels better soon and it's nothing serious.