Chest Hurts When I Cough: Causes, Symptoms, And Remedies

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhy does my chest hurt when I cough?

Medically reviewed by Mia Armstrong, MD — Written by Zawn Villines — Updated on January 31, 2025

Symptoms
Causes
Complications
Diagnosis
Treatments
Seeing a doctor
Outlook

A person’s chest may hurt when they cough as a result of muscle strain from coughing. However, it can also be a sign of pleurisy, pneumonia, and other serious conditions.

In many cases, the pain goes away on its own as the infection clears. However, chest pain can sometimes signal a serious chest infection, such as pneumonia, so it is important to see a doctor for chest pain when coughing.

Symptoms

Woman in bed coughing and holding her chest — RyanKing999 / GettyImages

Chest pain with a cough comes in many forms. The pain may be stabbing or throbbing, and it can range from very mild to unbearable.

When there are other symptoms, especially fever or trouble breathing, this may indicate a serious underlying infection. Some other symptoms that a person might notice include:

muscle aches and pains
low energy or fatigue
coughing up mucus
wheezing or trouble breathing

Causes of chest pain when coughing

The possible causes of chest pain when coughing include:

Muscle exhaustion

A person uses many muscles in the chest, back, and abdomen when they cough. An intense cough or many days of coughing can exhaust these muscles, making them feel sore or painful, especially when a person touches the affected area.

The pain usually peaks during a cough and then gets better between coughs.

It can be difficult to distinguish muscle pain from other types of pain, such as the pain of an inflamed lung. Therefore, if a person is uncertain about the origin of the pain, it is wise to see a doctor.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common but potentially dangerous lung infection. Viruses, bacteria, and even fungi or parasites can cause pneumonia. In some people, viral pneumonia develops after a cold or the flu.

Healthy people usually recover from pneumonia with routine treatment. They may be able to recover at home by resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and managing symptoms with medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, this infection can potentially be fatal in older adults, infants, and people with a weakened immune system.

Some symptoms of pneumonia include:

sharp, stabbing chest pain when coughing
a high fever
chills
feeling very unwell
nausea and vomiting in children
confusion in elderly people
shallow or rapid breathing
shortness of breath
a low oxygen level

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleural tissue, which covers the outside of the lungs and the inside of the chest wall. People with pleurisy may also develop fluid in between layers of pleural tissue.

Pleurisy is a possible complication of pneumonia, although other infections and noninfectious conditions can cause this potentially life threatening disorder.

Symptoms include:

trouble breathing
feeling as though not enough air is entering the body
painful breathing
fever
shortness of breath
chest pain that gets worse when coughing

Bronchitis

Bronchitis causes inflammation and swelling in the bronchial tubes, which connect the throat to the lungs. This inflammation makes it more difficult to breathe and can cause chest pain and pressure.

Although bronchitis can sometimes be a chronic disease, many people experience it as an acute, short-term infection, known as a chest cold. In many cases, bronchitis comes during or after a cold or the flu.

Some symptoms of bronchitis include:

coughing up mucus
soreness or pain in the chest
a sore throat
a headache
body aches
sometimes, a fever

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, that cause inflamed, swollen, and obstructed airways. The disease is progressive, which means that it gets worse over time.

The main symptoms are chest pain and a cough. Some people also notice:

shortness of breath
trouble breathing
wheezing
low energy
mucus buildup

Asthma

Asthma causes inflamed and narrowed airways. Certain triggers can suddenly increase the inflammation and swelling, making it difficult to breathe. People refer to this as an asthma attack.

During an asthma attack, a person may have trouble breathing or catching their breath. They may hear themselves wheezing or feel tightness in their chest. Some people also have chest pain during or following an asthma attack.

Read on to learn more about what to do at home for an asthma attack.

Cancer

Some people with chest pain and a cough may worry about lung cancer, especially if the symptoms are chronic and do not appear to be due to an infection, such as a cold or the flu.

Lung cancer can cause chest pain when coughing, but most people also experience other symptoms, including:

unexplained weight loss
fatigue
shortness of breath
hoarseness
wheezing
loss of appetite
feeling weak

Complications

Mild chest pain from muscle fatigue usually goes away on its own.

However, a serious chest infection can be life threatening without treatment. Some potential complications include:

sepsis, a systemic inflammatory state that occurs as a result of significant infection and can cause organ failure
myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that sometimes occurs with the flu or other viral infections
respiratory failure, which happens when the lungs become so damaged that a person cannot breathe
kidney failure

If a person has a weakened immune system or underlying health conditions, or is an older adult or an infant, an untreated chest infection can potentially be lethal.

Diagnosis

To diagnose the cause of chest pain, a doctor may:

take a comprehensive medical history, asking about recent symptoms and any chronic conditions, as well as family history
examine the person and listen to their lungs
do bloodwork to check for signs of inflammation, including that resulting from infection
order imaging tests of the lungs and chest, such as a chest X-ray
recommend a lung biopsy if a CT scan or X-ray shows a nodule or other growth in the lungs

Treatments

The right treatment for chest pain when coughing depends on the cause. When a person has a mild cold, a doctor may recommend rest and fluids. Some other home remedies can help with viral illnesses, such as the flu, bronchitis, and even mild pneumonia. A person can try:

using over-the-counter pain relieving medication to control pain and fever
taking steam baths to loosen mucus in the chest
avoiding going to work or school until symptoms have disappeared
drinking warm or hot drinks
avoiding smoke and pollution
getting plenty of rest
using a humidifier when sleeping

If the chest infection is bacterial, a doctor will generally prescribe antibiotic therapy.

Severe chest infections may require a person to stay in the hospital, where they can get intravenous fluid or medications, supplemental oxygen, and nebulized breathing treatments.

Some other treatments that a doctor might recommend include:

a corticosteroid to decrease inflammation, speed healing, and help with coughing, especially if a person has pleurisy, a COPD flare, or severe bronchitis
various procedures to drain the pleural cavity of fluid
surgery to treat lung problems such as cancer or an abscess

COPD is incurable, but treatment can help manage symptoms and prolong life. A doctor may prescribe corticosteroids, bronchodilators (which help dilate the small airways), a type of training called pulmonary rehabilitation, or surgery.

People with lung cancer may need chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.

When to contact a doctor

A person with mild chest pain can usually wait a few days to see a doctor. If the person has symptoms that do not improve within a few days, is an older adult or an infant, or has a respiratory condition, it is best to see a doctor immediately, even if the symptoms are not severe.

A person should also see a doctor if they have:

mild symptoms that become severe
symptoms that persist or worsen despite taking prescription treatment
a high fever
difficulty breathing
feelings of nausea or extreme fatigue
a high risk of pneumonia — for example, people with dementia, COPD, lung cancer, or a weakened immune system — and develop a high fever, cough, chest pain, or other symptoms of pneumonia
sudden behavioral changes, including new confusion or loss of skills, such as using the toilet without help

Emergency treatment is necessary if:

a newborn or older adult develops a high fever
a person cannot breathe or catch their breath
a person seems newly confused or has other acute behavioral changes

Outlook

Factors that affect the outlook of a person experiencing chest pain when coughing include:

whether the person has a chest infection and how severe it is
the person’s age
the person’s overall health

Seeing a doctor is essential for ensuring the successful diagnosis and treatment of chest pain when coughing.

COPD
Pulmonary System
Respiratory
Cardiovascular / Cardiology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bronchitis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. (2024).https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/acute-bronchitis/diagnosing-and-treating-acute-bronchitis.html
Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/acute-bronchitis/about/index.html
Chest pain. (2022).https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/chest-pain/
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (n.d.).https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd
Pleural disorders. (2022).https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/pleural-disorders
Pneumonia treatment and recovery. (2024).https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/treatment-and-recovery.html
Signs and symptoms of lung cancer. (2024).https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html
Symptoms of asthma. (2024).https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/understanding-asthma/symptoms/
What is asthma? (2024).https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/what-is-asthma.html

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Medically reviewed by Mia Armstrong, MD — Written by Zawn Villines — Updated on January 31, 2025

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