The pain is usually sudden and sharp, though it sometimes is hardly more than a sensation of general discomfort in the chest. There may also be a feeling of tightness across the chest. Severity of symptoms depends on the size of the damaged area and your general health. If you are young and in good condition, you may have little pain and little difficulty in breathing, even if you have a large pneumothorax and a wide expanse of collapsed lung. If you are middle-aged and a chronic bronchitic, a small pneumothorax can be extremely painful and cause acute difficulty in breathing.
Pneumothorax is relatively rare.
In an average year, about 1 person in 5000 consults a doctor because of the problem. Much depends on how air is finding its way into the pleura. Often a small pneumothorax is inconsequential and self-healing. But if there is a tension pneumothorax, urgent treatment is required to avoid respiratory failure and death. If you suspect you have this condition, consult your doctor.