Punctured Lung Symptoms

Some symptoms of a pneumothorax (also known as a punctured lung) include:

• Sudden, sharp chest or shoulder pain
• Chest pain that gets worse when breathing in and doesn’t subside after several minutes
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in the chest
• A sensation of clicking, bubbling, or crunching inside the chest

If you have one or more or more of these symptoms, it is important you get medical attention as soon as possible, preferably from an Emergency Department at a hospital. Here, the doctors will be able to see if you are having a pneumothorax and will be able to give you appropriate treatment.

We recommend talking to your usual doctor in advance about what you should do if you think you are having a pneumothorax, so you are prepared to act.

• Published October 2023
• Clinically reviewed in July 2024 by Prof. Stefan Marciniak
• Next review due July 2027