Chest & back pain ! Is it due to Bronchiectasis ?

Dave I have had bronchiectasis all my life (well almost - since I was a year old anyway). You do get pain in your back and sides and I even get it through my shoulder sometimes. Some people with bronchiectasis get acid pain too. You could have a word with your GP. It's a long time til August!

I find simple remedies help. Hot drinks, steam inhalants, hot water bottles or wheat bags for the pain. Lots of rest, drinking water and no smoking of course!

Hope you feel better soon. Keep positive!

Hi Dave,are you on any puffers?my acid reflux only started when I went on them.It get so bad iy is like the Alien trimg to break out of my solar plexus.Diet doesnt help me ,I have tried.It does along with the condition.It just comes hangs around for a while then goed.I tried Bisodol tablets and they do help,but somehow I havnt. had it for a week now ,it just went .let us know how you get on Dave

Hi Dave,

I too was diagnosed with bronchiectasis back in August 2015 and have what feels like an uncomfortable aching pain in my lungs and have had this for quite some time. I am going to the gym regularly in order to try and prevent it from getting worse, sometimes I have to resort to painkillers which aren't really the answer. I have had scans which don't show anything alarming because I was worried I could have lung cancer having been a smoker for 15 years but never a heavy smoker - 5-10 a day. I somehow managed to get a bug in my lungs called pseudomonas aurignosa which was treated using nebuliser antibiotics for 3 months which killed the bug but left me with bronchiectasis. I am lucky in a sense I suppose because the only real life bothering symptom for me is this horrible back ache which can't be relieved. I'm not sure what can be done, if anything to help either. Any help or advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Dave, to the other folks here,

How are you? I couldn't sleep because I'm worrying about my back pain and tightness in my chest so I googled and ended up here.

I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2009 but I think I had it way before that due to wrong treatment of tuberculosis I had when I was young. I was coughing and producing pleghm since grade school and that was my type of bronchiectasis. Last year i had an xray and it showed both lower lungs damaged by the disease and I have cystic formations consistent to bronchiectasis. It is a really challenging disease because I consistently have to expel phlegm to ease my breathing. I have been doing jiu jitsu for 3 years now and it always makes me feel better and stronger.

I'm going to my pulmonologist soon and hoping that he can give me something that can remove the pain. I hope mine will not progress fast and damage more of my lungs.

I am really happy to read your story and the others' and know that I am not alone in this battle. Maybe we can form a support group?

Hope you're all doing ok. I look forward to your replies and your updates on your condition.

Loree

Hi Dave

I also have bronchiectasis in both my lungs and I also have back pains nothing appears to help just think its part of the condition, however I also suffered severe reflux when eating to the point it almost caused me to suffer a eating condition. I became to scared to eat because I would then havw a anxiety attack thinking I was going to choke. Terrible experience. I must say the eating and reflux is managed now and I rarely have any issues with it now,

I worked out it only happened with certain foods. I cant eat my favourite chips with bread. 

But nothing helps with back pains

Hi Dave, I know your post is from a while back but I hope to somehow get in touch with you because I have the same symptoms you did and I'm not sure what's going on. I'm 31, I've always had a chronic cough and some lung infections when I was a kid. I was diagnosed with bronchitis every year but since my lungs always sounded and looked clear, no further testing was done. A month ago I coughed up a really large amount of blood for the first time in my life. I went to the hospital and they admitted me and did a CT to find that I have bronchiectasis. They gave me some IV anti-biotics and sent out samples for genetic testing because they suspect the bronch could be caused my atypical cystic fibrosis. Which is terrifying, considering the lifespan predicted for people with CF. I was released from the hospital and I'm still waiting on test results, but I started coughing up blood a few days ago. Not that much, but a few spoons daily. I'm also suffering from sharp jabbing pains around my ribs and dull pains throughout my back. So I wanted to see if you ever got any conclusive answers? Thanks so much. 

Hi Dave 

yes i have these symptoms, pain radiating into the back , chest pain and yes the burning sensation you describe, to the point of what feels like heat in the chest/throat ....miserable

Sharn

 

Hi Dave i was diagnosed in 1988  previously the lower right lobe was removed as a child. in 1989  the rest of my right lung was removed. i was 24 years old i was  then told  would not live to 40 well i am 52 still breathing some days better than others, i actually smoked for 24 years on one lung STUPID right  quit 5 years ago but damage done the heartburn you are feeling is probably what i was diagnosed with severe reflux and i take losec (omaprazole) really is all that works for me. i am not on home oxygen, i do take azithromyacin three times a week as my preventative medication and it has helped, not as many hospital visits so i hope i have given you some helpful info be well and take care.

 

Thank you all for posting on this subject. I have only been diagnosed in August 2018, so it's all new to me. My back and chest pain and tightness is horrid, it's not constant and definitely worse when I am not active and laing on my back! I have no other symptoms at the moment. Has anyone had issues flying? I had severe pain on my recent transatlantic flight. I am due to fly home in a week, any recommendations to help with this would be appreciated.

I just now saw your post- I'm hoping your burning pain has cleared up.... but if it hasn't or if it is a continuing problem, you can take 4 ounces cold water, and an 1/8 tsp of baking soda and a little squeeze of lemon juice (to make it more pleasant lol) and stir well. drink it- it completely neutralizes acid and relieves the pain. Works like magic- no kidding. And yes, I also get the awful lung pain too. If it gets too bad, I take 600 mg of ibuprofen. I TRY not to unless the pain gets bad because the more NSAIDS you take, the worse the acid is going to get! UGH! Hope the old remedy above works for you- it's been around for a hundred+ years, it's a wonder more people don't remember it. I only came by it by watching a super old black and white movie where they used some in the story!

All the best!