Lung pain?

[Josh]

I'm not sure if there is any correlation, but for years now and as far back as I can remember, I have had discomfort in my lungs upon deep breathing. The best I can describe it is an "irritation," or "inflammation," somewhat like when your skin gets rubbed excessively and turns red and then hurts to touch. The effect has become much more pronounced following my 2 laser thoracotomies.

The irritation is and has always been worst in the mornings immediately after waking and will dissipate throughout the day. Some days it will be mostly gone by bedtime, but not always. My primary care physician had suggested pleurisy, but, as I understand it, that would've been resolved during the thoracic surgeries.

I think my grandpa had cystic fibrosis, and I was a smoker for about 8 years in my late teens/early twenties, so these may be factors. Has anyone else with lung mets experienced this?

[Amanda]

Hi,
Is it possible this is nerve pain? Also, after they do a lung surgery i think you need a warm up to get re stered again in the morning lol I do and it has been after the surgery... Maybe ask Ivan about a lung exercise he does he knows a lot about that stuff

[Olga]

Amanda, you probably did not catch that Josh was saying about the problem he had in his lungs BEFORE of the lung surgery...Like a pre- existing condition.

[Ivan]

Got a question for you. If you lie down on the floor on your back and then swing your leg / hip across (try both) while keeping your shoulder blades on the floor and try to breathe in deeply - can you hear any whizzing / cracking / popping noises?

If you bend over forward and breathe in deeply - does that diminish your symptoms?

How is your thoracic mobility - http://www.mikereinold.com/2011/10/simp ... rform.html

[Josh]

Got a question for you. If you lie down on the floor on your back and then swing your leg / hip across (try both) while keeping your shoulder blades on the floor and try to breathe in deeply - can you hear any whizzing / cracking / popping noises?

If you bend over forward and breathe in deeply - does that diminish your symptoms?

How is your thoracic mobility - http://www.mikereinold.com/2011/10/simp ... rform.html

Do you mean swinging my leg across like I am going to sit cross-legged? I will try when I get home.

[Ivan]

No, something like this. Left hip on the floor. Right leg bent 90 degrees at the knee. Right hip comes off the ground, the whole leg and pelvis is swung across - as far as it goes - towards the left. Both shoulder blades stay on the floor.

[Josh]

Like this then (that's not me...just a google image search)? You're talking about like bones popping?

When I bend over as you said, I would say it diminishes a little.

[D.ap]

Nice leggings , Josh
So Ivan the thoracic mobility is a posturing exercise to strengthen and improve breathing and health ?
Stand up straight like our grandmothers said?
This is a good yoga move I believe is comparable
http://www.discover-yoga-online.com/yoga-spine.html

Debbie

[Ivan]

Like this then (that's not me...just a google image search)? You're talking about like bones popping?

When I bend over as you said, I would say it diminishes a little.

Correct. Yeah, naturally your spine / lower back will pop when you are getting into that position. Nice stretch, by the way. When you get into that position and try to breathe in deeply - what do you feel?

If you thoracic spine and chest have poor flexibility, your breathing will be constricted and it will exacerbate any symptoms you may have.

You need to restore full extension for your spine to bring it back into neutral from the kyphotic posture most people develop due to sitting all day. You need to stretch your chest muscles and strengthen the scapula to undo the protracted shoulder girdle experiences for the same reasons.

[Josh]

I do feel constriction in my breath, and this stretch briefly exacerbates my symptoms, but then they actually alleviate somewhat, kind of like when you have an acute pain and you apply pressure to it and that allows your mind to leave the pain and focus on the pressure.

Any other suggestions for good stretches? This one works pretty well!

[Ivan]

Just Google various thoracic spine mobility stretches and exercises. Do a rotator cuff external rotation stretch. Stretch your chest (pectoralis minor and major). Stretch your intercostals. No idea what your problem is, but after a thoracotomy these should all be helpful.