hi! i was just wondering....can you have asthma if you don't have trouble breathing, but just sharp and randomly located pains throughout side, middle and back of lungs?? this has been going on for about 6 months now, and the doc said he didn't think it was normal, but diagnosed me with asthma after horrible results on a breathing test. should i get a second opinion or have some sort of c/t scan? it is really worrying me, as i have been on birth control for almost 9 years and have fears of clots or something else. i don't have any history of asthma, although my brother has had it since he was very young. i am having some other health problems--thinking it is neurological...but just worried there is soemthing else going on.

any ideas would be greatly appreciated:)

hi alexiwildchild..i am new on here. not sure if it is same thing, but I used to get little needle pains in my chest and side for years, just once in a while. asked my doctor about it one time, she asked if it was worse when I tryed to breathe, I said yes. I usually would have trouble getting a breath for half a minute or so. She said it was gas...or related to my reflux. Then 6 months or a year later, i had a horrible pain in my chest like someone wedged a warm butterknife in it. but she still said it was reflux (which i already have meds for) not sure if that is same as your pain or not, hope you can get more info from you doctor

hi alexiwildchild..i am new on here. not sure if it is same thing, but I used to get little needle pains in my chest and side for years, just once in a while. asked my doctor about it one time, she asked if it was worse when I tryed to breathe, I said yes. I usually would have trouble getting a breath for half a minute or so. She said it was gas...or related to my reflux. Then 6 months or a year later, i had a horrible pain in my chest like someone wedged a warm butterknife in it. but she still said it was reflux (which i already have meds for) not sure if that is same as your pain or not, hope you can get more info from you doctor

thanks so much for your reply! mine are every day and seem to be getting more frequent. tonight they are almost non-stop stabbing in my upper right part of my chest in the same spot. it was weird, i was laying on the couch and stretched out my right arm, and i heard something cracking in there....and felt something weird. i am definitely going to get another opinion or have a scan done...it's freaking me out. i think that's weird they said it was gas or reflux. do you still have problems at all?

Was the doc you saw a pulmonologist? In addition to breathing tests, my pulmonologist take a chest X-ray every year or so (in the office, just takes a few minutes) to make sure my lungs look clear - seems like it might give you some peace of mind.

If the first doc you saw wasn't a pulmonologist (or didn't do a chest x-ray) it might be worth a second opinion.

Could they be mucus plugs? Hardened, rubbery pieces of mucus, stuck in the bronchii?

Was the doc you saw a pulmonologist? In addition to breathing tests, my pulmonologist take a chest X-ray every year or so (in the office, just takes a few minutes) to make sure my lungs look clear - seems like it might give you some peace of mind.

If the first doc you saw wasn't a pulmonologist (or didn't do a chest x-ray) it might be worth a second opinion.

no, the doc was just an allergy/asthma doc. i am going to my primary care doc on the 18th to get a referral to a pulmonologist now or get a second opinion. they didn't do an x-ray there, but i had one done back in august that they said came back normal. however, i have spoke to another girl on here that was still having trouble and had a c/t scan and found clots due to birth control--which i have been on for 9-10 years now. i will definitely be getting another opinion by a pulmonologist

thanks so much to your reply!

ratatosk---i've never heard of that stuff before--wow--sounds nasty. i will be asking about that as well. do they show up in scans or do they just treat with some sort of mucinex type stuff?

I've just heard about them from people with Cystic Fibrosis and I do think they show up on either CT scans or Xrays. But I think it can be caused by other factors -- pneumonia.. I've seen it in reference to random pain -- tends to happen more if one is dehydrated. Think they're usually gotten rid of by nebulized bronchiodialtors and chest physiotherapy -- a series of pats on the chest, back.

I've heard them described as being like rubber.

i would suggest a good chyropractor, even if you have asthma i find this helps from time to time.
doug

hi alexi.
sorry i havent checked back into this board for awhile. i havent had chest pains for awhile, or the little needle pains in my side. i am pretty sure it was the reflux. i have quit drinking coffee, as it is acidic. it usually flares my asthma for a week or so if i drink it. i need to cut back on more things, as it seems to really help. but you get sick of having the same old stuff. my doc said yogurt can be bad for the reflux, also citrus juices. havent been able to give that up yet. but changing diet can be very helpful. i quit eating at fast food restaurants and feel tons better. but since you were mentioning 'cracking' sounds in your chest or arm sounds like your pain is not reflux. curious what you learn. good luck