What causes chronic and frequent breathlessness?
Patient: Symptoms: 1.     Chronic and frequent breathlessness – feeling of taking deep breaths still not sufficient; anxiety 2.     Pain in:  upper chest on left/right, sometimes both together,  left shoulder near the neck and  rib bone turning @ left armpit – on full breathing and pressing with finger on certain points near collar bone and little below it – mostly inside the gap between two rib bones: felt mostly only bone-deep or muscle-deep 3.     Cracking of bones or हड्डी चटकना near shoulder and chest @ stretching etc 4.     Small swelling just below the left collar bone 5.     Pain and little numbness propagating in the arms – mostly left arm 6.     Pain in/near deep RIGHT lower rib and same area in the back @getting up in the morning 7.     Feeling of contraction (जकड़न) in almost complete chest and upper back @ breathing 8.     Frequent bloating, incomplete evacuation, feeling of fullness, hyperacidity 9.     Pain and burning in complete chest and back starting sometime after upper body exercise 10.     This condition since more than a year – fluctuating. Goes away and comes back, mostly when stomach problems are more. Diagnosis done by other doctors: 1.     Costochondritis– X-ray done for 1st costochondral junction – told it was okay; ECG okay 2.     Doctor explained that the Pleura might be damaged because of some reason that is causing pain while breathing and it is propagating 3.     Tests done: CBC,ESR, FBSL, Lipid profile, LFT, Bl Urica, Serum Creatinine – pointers highlighted:      S. Alkaline Phosphatase in LFT = 235      S. Bilirubin Direct in LFT = 0.40      Blood glucose fasting = 114.5 Medications given: Tab Muskel, Tab Satrogyl, tab Raciper, Liq Pepticame, Tab Gembax, Tab Chymoral, Tab Neurokind Next, Tab moxclav, Cap Nexbro, Cap Paxidep, Tab Colospa Retard I still have pain intensity of which is fluctuating. Can you diagnose or help me/ suggest test so as to get the disease diagnosed . Doctor: First thing i wasn't to ask you here is, Are you into heavy workouts? That can explain the pain at multiple points on chest. Though I would like to review the chest Xray, just to rule out pleural, lung or bony pathology. Do you have a past history of pleural effusion (fluid collected around the lungs, most commonly due to tuberculosis)? that can make one think of pleural thickening as a cause of this pain. USG chest will be helpful if your physician doubts so.As for your breathlessness, I strongly advise you to get a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT/ Spirometry) done. It will be be helping in knowing if there is any restriction to lung expansion that is causing you to feel breathless and then it can be managed accordingly.Consider analgesics like Diclofenac to relieve pain as well as Pantoprazole to take care of your acidity.Any more queries are welcome.Regards.