
The pain from a muscle strain is often described as sore, stiff or achy. Pulling a muscle in the chest or upper torso area is common from working out at the gym or playing sports. X Research source These muscles move with respiration, so strains / pulls in them trigger pain with deep breaths, but don't cause coughing. Muscle associated with ribs include the intercostals, obliques, abdominals and scalene muscles.Get medical attention immediately if you see blood in your sputum. Coughing up blood is common with lung cancer, advanced pneumonia and punctures from lung trauma.In contrast, a pulled muscle in the chest or torso will not trigger coughing, although it may cause discomfort with deep breathing if the muscle is attached to a rib.

X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source Almost all of these diseases and conditions lead to coughing and/or wheezing.

Many lung conditions / diseases can cause chest pain, including: lung cancer, lung infections (bacterial and viral pneumonia, bronchitis), pulmonary embolism (blood clot), pleurisy (inflamed lung membranes), punctured lung and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). Alternatively, costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage surrounding your ribs) can results in focal tenderness and pain with movement.īe on the lookout for coughing.

Moderate-to-severe muscle pulls tend to hurt right away, whereas mild strains can take a day or so to become sore. The onset of muscle pain is usually very different from lung pain.
