Pleurisy

• Pleurisy is an inflammation of the lining of the lungs. Pleurisy causes usually sharp pains when you breathe or cough. Pleurisy usually occurs as a result of other conditions, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, that affect the lungs. It may cause coughing and rapid breathing, and the sufferer's skin may turn blue. Pleurisy is usually treated with antibiotics, if it is being caused by a bacterial infection. If it is being caused by a viral infection, pleurisy will often go away of its own accord.
  
  

Fibromyalgia

• Fibromyalgia is characterized by body-wide joint tenderness and pain that can include the chest, making breathing difficult. The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, but the University of Maryland medical center states that physical or emotional trauma may help to cause the condition. Other symptoms that you may experience include fatigue, heart palpitations and tension headaches. Low doses of antidepressants such as Prozac and Paxil are sometimes used to treat fibromyalgia. Pregabalin is the first drug to have been approved by the FDA to treat the condition.
  
  

Appendicitis

• Appendicitis occurs when the appendix, located at the end of the colon, becomes inflamed, usually as the result an infection. This causes pain that begins at the navel and then moves to the right side of the abdomen. The pain can become so bad that it makes breathing difficult. Other symptoms include a lack of appetite, vomiting and low fever. Appendicitis is usually treated with a combination of surgery to remove the inflamed appendix and antibiotics to combat the infection.
  
  

Costochondritis

• Costochondritis occurs when a rib or the cartilage of a rib becomes inflamed. This can cause a lot of pain, especially when the lungs press against the inflammation during breathing. The inflamed area is usually also tender to the touch. Costochondritis is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen.
  
  

Rib Damage

• A fractured or broken rib can also cause pain when the lungs press against the damaged area. You may also experience some swelling where the rib has been hurt. Fractured ribs usually heal on their own. However, a serious fracture may require surgical repair. In rib fracture repair, the bone is reconnected and strengthened with a plate.