Barrel chest: What causes it?

What causes barrel chest?

- No name / No state given

Answer

The term "barrel chest" describes a rounded, bulging chest that resembles the shape of a barrel. Barrel chest is not a disease. But it may indicate an underlying condition, such as:

• Osteoarthritis in the joints between the ribs and spine. This makes the chest wall rigid. As a result, the rib cage becomes fixed in the inhaled position. This most often occurs in older men. The condition doesn't affect breathing significantly and doesn't require treatment.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as emphysema. People with COPD often develop a slight barrel chest in the later stages of the disease because their lungs are chronically overinflated with air. As a result, the rib cage stays partially expanded. This makes breathing less efficient and may aggravate shortness of breath already present from the emphysema.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

• Emphysema
• Osteoarthritis

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• Emphysema
• COPD