If you lead a healthful and physically active lifestyle, sudden shortness of breath during exercise might seem insignificant, a nuisance to be ignored and worked through. But shortness of breath accompanied by chest pain can be symptomatic of spontaneous pneumothorax, a lung condition that can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Leaking Lung Disorder
Pneumothorax is a sudden-onset respiratory condition caused by air leaking from a lung. As explained by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the pleura are two layers of membranes that line the lungs and the chest cavity, allowing the lungs to glide freely within the chest wall as they expand and deflate during respiration. When air leaks from a lung into the space between the pleural layers, the pressure in the pleura becomes greater than the pressure in the lungs, leading to partial or total collapse of the lung. Symptoms can range from mild shortness of breath and chest pain to severe pain and cardiac arrest. Sometimes a sudden dry hacking cough is present. (reference 6)
Pneumothorax Causes
Pnuemothorax is caused by a rupture in the lung wall. In individuals with lung disease like emphysema or cystic fibrosis, the lung walls are weakened and vulnerable to rupture. But in young healthy individuals, pneumothorax is most commonly seen in very tall, thin men under the age of 40. According to the British Lung Foundation, these individuals have otherwise healthy lungs with a weakened area near the top of the lung that is often indiscernible in chest X-rays.
Exercise and Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax can be caused by trauma to the chest wall or spontaneous. During exercise, increased pressure in the chest cavity can create a tiny hole in the lung, causing spontaneous pneumothorax that manifests as sudden sharp chest pain made worse by a deep breath or cough and shortness of breath. Contact sports or activities such as weight-training can cause a traumatic pneumothorax. Dr. Mario Ciocca chronicles an incident in which a weightlifter bounced a loaded barbell off his chest, resulting in shortness of breath and chest pain that was diagnosed and treated as pneumothorax. Scuba diving and high-altitude activities such as hiking or sky-diving can cause pneumothorax because of atmospheric pressure changes.
Treatment and Prevention
In some instances, symptoms of pneumothorax subside as the body adapts to the collapsed lung, and the lung gradually reinflates, drawing air back in from the pleural space. However, pnueumothorax is often a medical emergency that should not be disregarded, and prompt intervention and treatment are critical. Treatment often involves the insertion of a tube into the pleural space to relieve pressure. While potentially life-threatening, only one in four young, healthy individuals experience more than one episode, and are able to return to exercise within days of the occurrence.
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