Is it possible for sneezing to cause chest pain?

[sqirrelfriends]

Hi, I'm hoping you can help me with a question o have, I'm quite ignorant about these things and google has come up nothing except pleurisy which I doubt.

I've had a cold for about a week, it started with a fever which quickly settled to a low temperature of 37.5, muscle aches, and severe fatigue. 3 days in I get really snotty and am sneezing like I've never sneezed before (ridiculous, possibly hundreds of times a day). Today is day 7 and I've started coughing, even the smallest cough really hurts about where I imagine my diaphragm would be.

My question is, is it possible that this pain is from all the sneezing, or could it be something else? It's doesn't hurt at all when I sneeze, just cough.

Thank you!

Hopeful bump

Could it be costochondritis? I'm fairly certain that can be a side effect of some viruses - inflammation of the intercostal muscles between the ribs or in the sternum. The action of either coughing or sneezing, or both, can be very painful because the chest and ribs move in response to the sudden impulses.

Thanks @PeninsulaPanic , I don't think so but I did consider in inflames cartilage as I've had it before. The location of the pain is very different and has now changed to include breathing in as well.

I have an appointment with a doctor in about an hour, I'm hoping it's nothing but we will see!

Ah good luck, hope you get some helpful insight from your GP

Other possibilities are a duodenal ulcer, diaphragmatic hernia, h pylori, GERD or simply inflammation of the muscles of the diaphragm because the cough reflex is making them work harder than usual, kind of 'atypically'.

Anyway, keep us posted!

She couldn't diagnose anything over the phone unfortunately, but thinks it's either pleurisy or a secondary bacterial chest infection. Ive been referred on to another gp or urgent care to be examined.

Unfortunately, my health insurance doesn't cover private gp's, and mine won't have me in before a phone call because of my symptoms. If it absolutely comes to it I'll have to brave the 111 system and urgent care but they're so overwhelmed at the moment that I doubt they would be much help.

Yes I would think it. I sprained my chest wall coughing when I had flu years ago. Misdiagnosed a couple of times then a hospital visit got it right - basically he just poked me in the right place and said what it was (after he scraped me off the ceiling). There is no treatment it just gets better slowly. Hope thats all it is for you too