What might cause my chest to hurt when taking a deep breath?

When you take a deep breath, your chest expands and the tissues in your chest and lungs stretch. If any of these tissues are sore or inflamed, it can lead to sharp pain. One common cause is pleurisy, which is when the lining around your lungs becomes irritated or inflamed, making each deep breath hurt. Muscle or cartilage issues, such as costochondritis (inflammation where your ribs meet your breastbone), can also cause chest pain that is worse with deep breathing. A condition like shrinking lung syndrome—a rare complication seen in some people with autoimmune diseases like lupus—can also result in chest pain because the lung doesn’t expand properly. Other pulmonary issues like pneumonia or a small blood clot in the lung may also cause pain when you take a deep breath. Since chest pain can be a sign of several different issues, some of which require prompt care, it is important to talk with a healthcare provider if you experience sharp chest pain while breathing deeply. They can run tests to determine the exact cause and suggest the best treatment for you.