A case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in an asthmatic young adult

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM), also known as Hamman’s syndrome, refers to the presence of air in the mediastinum. It is an unusual cause of chest pain and dyspnoea in the adult and paediatric populations, with smoking and acute asthma exacerbations being significant causative factors. The diagnosis of SPM requires either chest radiography or computed tomography (CT), and management is conservative therapy with oxygen and analgesia. This review presents the case of a 20-year-old female who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department with SPM resulting from poorly controlled asthma, air travel, and strenuous exercise.