There's a reason you might be getting sudden sharp pains in your chest

There seems to be a whole lot more than just the January blues which can make the first month of the year feel like a pretty uphill battle.

There's also the bouts of flu, COVID-19 and the dreaded norovirus going around which can bring some very unpleasant symptoms along with them.

And talking of nasty symptoms, a load of people online have opened up about a particularly bad one they've experienced - but don't worry, it's not contagious like those other three illnesses sweeping across the UK at the moment.

There's actually a reason you might be getting sudden sharp pains in your chest (Getty Stock Images)

A few people have taken to social media to share their confusion over the painful symptom with one TikTok user writing in a video: "When you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your ribs and when you try to take a breath it gets worse."

"Soo it happens to y'all too....??" wondered a second, while a third declared: "All jokes aside that is a scary feeling."

A fourth revealed: "I thought I was the only one! It randomly happens and you gotta hold your breath until the pain stop!"

"So we all got this issue?" echoed another.

And a final TikToker added: "Seriously what is that?"

Well, the symptoms outlined above are those associated with a condition known as pleurisy, which itself is not contagious but some of the causes of it can be.

According to the NHS, pleurisy is inflammation around the lungs, which causes sharp chest pain - including the ribcage.

Pleurisy is inflammation around the lungs (Getty Stock Images)

"The main symptom of pleurisy is sharp chest pain when you breathe in," the official website explains. "The pain may be worse when you cough, sneeze or move around.

"It may also spread to your shoulders and back."

While it's 'easy to treat' and usually gets better in a few days without treatment from a GP, it can sometimes be a sign of something more serious.

The NHS continues: "If your symptoms are being caused by a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, you may need antibiotics."

You can ease the chest pain by either taking painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen or by resting in different positions until you find a comfortable one - lying on the painful side can help.

"You may need to have treatment in hospital if your symptoms are severe or being caused by something more serious, such as a pulmonary embolism or tuberculosis," the site adds.

You can find out more about pleurisy on the official NHS website here.

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