What does shoulder pain feel like with lung cancer?
People who have shoulder pain from lung cancer often describe it as a radiating pain from the shoulder down their arms to their hands. There may also be numbness or tingling. At other times, it can feel like a deep ache. Lung cancer frequently causes chest pain as well.
Does lung cancer hurt all the time?
Because there are very few nerve endings in the lungs, a tumor could grow without causing pain or discomfort. When symptoms are present, they are different in each person, but may include: A cough that doesn’t go away and gets worse over time. Hoarseness.
How often is shoulder pain lung cancer?
Shoulder pain is the most common symptom of a type of cancer called Pancoast tumor. These tumors are rare. They only make up 3%-5% of lung cancer cases.
Is lung cancer pain intermittent or constant?
An estimated 75 percent of all cancer patients live with chronic pain. In lung cancer patients, acute pain is often felt in the chest and lumbar (lower back) regions of the body.
Is lung cancer pain sharp or dull?
Back pain due to lung cancer may feel sharp or dull. It tends to be present at rest and is worse at night, and it doesn’t improve with physical therapy or other treatment. If the cancer spreads to the spine, it can cause fractures.
What were your first lung cancer symptoms?
Unexpected Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer
- Arm/shoulder pain or eye problems. One kind of lung cancer (called a Pancoast tumor) develops in the lung’s upper part.
- Hoarseness or change in voice.
- Balance problems.
- Weight.
- Blood clots.
- Bone pain.
- Clubbed fingers – fatter fingers.
- Digestive problems.
Is Pancoast tumor pain constant?
Pancoast Tumor Symptoms The associated pain is severe and constant, often requiring narcotic pain medications for relief. The affected person usually needs to support the elbow of the affected arm in the opposite hand to ease the tension on the shoulder and upper arm.
Does lung cancer feel like a pulled muscle?
If the cancer involves the spine, it can mimic many of the symptoms of an upper back injury. Lung cancer-related back pain may feel dull like a muscle ache, or it may seem sharp like a pinched nerve.
When is shoulder pain cancer?
Shoulder pain can be a symptom of other lung cancers besides Pancoast tumors, typically if a lung tumor presses against a particular nerve or if the cancer travels to the tissues or bones near the shoulder joint.