DIS Dr's -Rib Pain

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Am going to the doctor tonight, but this is driving me nuts so I'm hoping someone on here has experienced something similar.

I'm recovering from pneumonia, which impacted my right side worse than my left. My rib cage on the right side is hurting worse every day. It started with just hurting in one spot when I take a deep breath. Now my entire rib cage on the right side is sore, like muscle pain, when I move, breathe deep, or touch my ribs. It's now radiating in to my shoulder blade and down my arm. Advil does nothing, Aleve takes the edge off but it still hurts. A heating pad does nothing. Any ideas what this could be? I'm secretly worried its serious, although it seems like inflammation from the weeks of coughing with the flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Pleurisy or your pneumonia is not gone or both.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of pleurisy are chest pain and difficulty breathing. The chest pain usually starts suddenly. People often describe it as a stabbing pain, and it usually gets worse with breathing. The pain:

May always be present, but it usually gets worse when you breathe in. You may avoid breathing deeply to prevent the pain.
Usually is on only one side of the chest.
May extend to a shoulder or the belly.
Is usually worse when you cough, sneeze, or suddenly move.
May ease when you hold your breath or press on the painful area.

http://www.webmd.com/lung/tc/pleurisy-overview

 

[mickeyboat]

My guess is costochrondisis - an inflammation of the tissue between your ribs. It can be caused by injury, infection or coughing. I had it in college, and the treatment was 800mg ibuprofen.

Hope you are feeling better, soon.

 

[aprilchem]

Sounds to me like you either broke or cracked a rib - that happened to me the last time I had pneumonia. I did it in my sleep while coughing (cracked two of them, actually). There's not much they can do for it (they no longer wrap broken ribs) and it took a long time to heal (maybe 3-4 months?) but the pain got better in time.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I was thinking costochronditis too, but it sounds like that starts around the sternum? My pain is definitely on one side, not in the middle. Pleurisy scares me, it sounds so serious.

I'll update with what the doctor says this afternoon. I hope there is something I can take or do to help with the pain. It's getting hard to function at work and at home.

 

[mickeyboat]

I was thinking costochronditis too, but it sounds like that starts around the sternum? My pain is definitely on one side, not in the middle. Pleurisy scares me, it sounds so serious.

I'll update with what the doctor says this afternoon. I hope there is something I can take or do to help with the pain. It's getting hard to function at work and at home.

When I had costochronditis, it was not near my sternum and on one side, only. I thought I was having a heart attack at 18.

 

[cepmom]

I recently had right sided rib pain...no idea why it started except that maybe I pulled a muscle in the rib area when I tripped up the stairs one day...it started hurting the next day. I did see the Dr but she told me it was muscular and there wasn't really anything they could do for it. Breathing in deeply hurt, twisting or reaching hurt, sneezing/coughing was the absolute worst. I took Advil and iced it several times a day. It feels good now but it took about 6 weeks to go away Hope you feel better soon!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Verdict is in - costochronditis. He said it will take 2-3 MONTHS to go away. So now I have a prescription anti-inflammatory and pain meds to take.

The good news is that my pneumonia is gone! The bad news is that the asthma I thought I had outgrown is back. The bad allergy season probably caused my asthma to come back, and the 2 together put me at a high risk for respiratory infections including pneumonia. So I have to keep taking allergy and asthma meds. As if I needed another medical issue to manage.

 

[mckryan]

I was going to guess costochronditis, too. Glad you have a diagnosis, and it really does take 2-3 months to fully go away. I've had it twice now.

 

[minkydog]

Verdict is in - costochronditis. He said it will take 2-3 MONTHS to go away. So now I have a prescription anti-inflammatory and pain meds to take.

The good news is that my pneumonia is gone! The bad news is that the asthma I thought I had outgrown is back. The bad allergy season probably caused my asthma to come back, and the 2 together put me at a high risk for respiratory infections including pneumonia. So I have to keep taking allergy and asthma meds. As if I needed another medical issue to manage.

Glad to hear the pneumonia is cured. Costochondritis is often the unfortunate and painful side effect of lung ailments. I have had it several times. Your doctor is correct. It could take 2-3 months to get over it. Or it may take longer, many months in fact. So keep your NSAIDs handy but don't overdo it. Take them with food and start taking some Prilosec or Zantac, if you aren't already on something for acid reflux.