7 conditions that can cause back pain when you breathe

We all experience back pain every once in a while. In fact, it’s the leading cause of disability. Half of all working Americans experience back pain each year, leading to more than 200 million missed work days annually. 

There are many common causes of back pain that aren’t a call for alarm, such as strenuous exercise or sleeping in specific positions. But when just breathing can cause pain in your back, there are a few possibilities that should be explored, especially if it’s interfering with your day-to-day activities.

Potential conditions behind your back pain

There is a range of possibilities behind back pain that increases when you try to take a deep breath. Here are just a few potential conditions that could be the answers to your pain.

1. Strained muscle — A back injury or repetitive motion can cause muscle strain. On top of breathing issues, a strain can include symptoms like muscle spasms and decreased range of motion. The pain will normally alleviate over time if you allow your back to rest by lying completely horizontal. If the pain and symptoms linger, see your doctor. 
2. Broken or bruised rib — Regardless of the severity, a damaged rib can make it painful to breathe, as well as laugh, sneeze or make quick motions with your upper body. If you were recently injured on the side of your body or on your abdomen, an injured rib can cause muscle spasms as well as discoloration and tenderness around the area. An X-ray, CT scan or MRI is required for proper diagnosis.
3. Pulmonary embolism — A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot forms in your lung. Along with shortness of breath, this severe blood clot can cause an irregular heartbeat, chest pain and coughing up blood. A pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening medical emergency. Immediate medical assistance is required.
4. Pleurisy — This is a condition that refers to inflammation in the lining of a lung, which protects the organ. While it can cause shallow breathing, it can also result in coughing, a rapid heartbeat and unexplained weight gain. Pleurisy can range from mild to life threatening, and may require medications or antibiotics depending on the symptoms. Your doctor could prescribe over-the-counter meds for mild cases.
5. Herniated disc — Discs are located between each of your spine vertebrae to absorb shock. When one of these discs ruptures, often in your lower back, it can press against your spinal cord or nerves and cause pain when you breathe. A slipped disc can also result in numbness on one side of your body, muscle weakness and pain throughout your limbs. It can cause permanent nerve damage without medical assistance.
6. Heart attack — When blood can’t get to the heart due to a blockage, a person can have a heart attack. While it usually causes chest pains, that pain can also spread to your back. Difficulty breathing is a common heart attack symptom, along with pain in the left arm, nausea and sweating. If you, or someone you’re with, is showing signs of a heart attack, call 911 immediately.
7. Lung cancer — Cancer in the lungs is the third most common cancer in America. It can cause a lung tumor that presses against the nerves in your spine, resulting in pain on one side of your back. It can have many other symptoms, including coughing up blood, recurring respiratory infections and unexplained weight loss. 

How to treat back pain that flares up when you breathe

Some back pain conditions may require a hospital or doctor visit for treatment and proper medication. As stated above, some issues may require immediate medical attention to get the care and treatment you need before it worsens or becomes critical. 

Other back pain issues can heal by themselves over time if they aren’t seriously concerning, like the pain that comes from unsupported sleeping positions. Getting plenty of rest and taking over-the-counter pain medicine may be all the treatment you need to alleviate the pain. 

No matter what issue is causing your lower back pain, physical therapy is an effective treatment option because you can do exercises that loosen up the muscle tension causing the aches. Not only can you learn strength and flexibility exercises to soothe the pain, but techniques like dry needling and manual therapy can also make a difference.

There is plenty you can do to treat mild back pain on your own through at-home treatment and lifestyle adjustments. For instance, you can speed up the recovery of your strained muscles by:

• Stretching before you exercise.
• Eating food rich in protein.
• Compressing the muscle.
• Alternating between ice and heat.

Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT for back pain while breathing

At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. 

Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address back pain while breathing. 

Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform. 

Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!