Aching & Throbbing Lungs From Running

If you have a chronic medical condition that affects your heart or lungs, or if you are new to exercise, you might have experienced an aching and throbbing in your lungs or chest from running. Even veteran runners sometimes experience this chest pain, for various reasons. Depending on your situation, taking certain precautions might help. Discuss your medical needs and conditions with your doctor before starting a new running or exercise program.

Mouth Breathing

High-intensity exercise like running causes your heart to pump faster, which increases your rate of breathing in order to meet your working muscles' greater demand for oxygen. Breathing through your nose is more beneficial to your health, breathing developmental specialist Michael Grant White explains, because your lungs absorb the majority of oxygen when you exhale — and your nostrils slow the air's passage, allowing for greater oxygen extraction. Breathing correctly through your nose also acts as a filter while controlling temperature and humidity, reduces risk of hyperventilation and lessens the pain of breathing during running.

Asthma

Exercise can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms including wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in your chest or lungs, according to the Canadian Lung Association. Follow the asthma action plan devised by your physician and carry an emergency inhaler when you run to handle any asthma attacks. Proper warmups and cooldowns can also lower risk of asthma attacks, as will monitoring any asthma triggers during running sessions. For instance, if pollen is an asthma trigger for you, watch local weather reports to see when counts are high, then move your run indoors on those days.

Cold Weather

Warmer weather might make your run less comfortable, but cold weather on your face can slow your heart rate down which results in decreased blood flow, increasing your heart's workload to provide oxygen, causing chest pain, according to Dr. Gabe Mirkin. Mirkin explains that the cold wind on your face, more than inhaling the cold air into your lungs, causes the pain. Covering your face and mouth with a scarf should result in less chest pain during cold-weather runs.

Chest Pains

Chest pain from heart problems may be mistaken for aching lungs during your run. Many of the symptoms associated with heart disease are similar to the physical responses to running. For instance, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, swelling and fatigue are all possible side effects from running as well as indicators of heart disease, warns Dr. Lawrence S. Cohen of the Yale University School of Medicine. Other reasons for chest pains include peptic ulcer, gallbladder disease, anxiety and cervical spine disease. If you are unable to discern the cause of your chest or lung aches, seek immediate medical attention.