Lung injuries can be very serious so be sure to always take the proper precautions like wearing protective gear and breathing masks. Traumatic lung injuries may have occurred any time a blow or trauma happens to a person’s neck, back or chest. Furthermore, having rib pain is reason enough to check for lung injuries as rib injuries and lung injuries often go together. Acute lung injuries (ALI) are one type of traumatic lung injury. They are mainly caused by a direct injury to the lung like pneumonia or blunt trauma but can also be caused by indirect injuries to the lung like pancreatitis.
Pulmonary lung injuries occur after long-term exposure to powders, dust, irritant, asbestos, toxins, chemicals, and more. See below for more examples of this. Another version of acute lung injury is more severe and is called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Typically, low lung levels (airway collapse) and reduced lung compliance are also symptoms of ALI and ARDS.