Rib pain after influenza?

[katie01]

I am still recovering from influenza that turned into a bad case of bronchitis. I'm on an antibiotic now (Biaxin if it matters, but I don't think the rib pain is a drug side effect), and overall I'm doing better, I am just very tired and get winded after walking around a bit. The worst part now is the pain in my lower left rib cage, it's hard to use my abdominal muscles at all to get in and out of bed as it pulls on those ribs, even riding as a passenger in the car today it was painful turning corners. Pushing on that side yields extreme pain, and in order to cough I have to get into a certain position and hold that side or it's agonizing. Just sitting up I am fine.

I'm assuming I did something to my intercostal muscles from coughing, but wondered if anyone else had this happen from influenza or a bad cough, and how long it took to feel better?

*****
Update 4/9/04

So it's about ten days after I first posted this. My rib pain wasn't getting any better, but wasn't getting worse, and my cough was better. I didn't see a doctor about it because I figured they couldn't do anything about it whether my ribs were bruised, broken, had pulled muscles, or anything else. Last night I turned suddenly in my sleep and cried out in pain, but fell back asleep. However when I woke up in the morning, the rib pain that had been bad before was now excruciating. I had been rolling to the side to get out of bed, but now couldn't do that, was afraid I was not going to be able to get up, but eventually did, with great pain and effort. I knew I had to go to Walk In Care, so I was getting ready to go, coughed, felt a "pop" near my ribs, and I almost passed out from the pain. DH had to drive me in to the doctor, today is DD's birthday (my other DD and I had influenza three weeks ago on HER birthday so being in a doctor's office was the last place on earth I wanted to be today. Long story short they took x rays and nothing is broken so they said it's just muscular and prescribed pain pills that I haven't yet taken because I want to be alert for DD's birthday. I have taken Advil, and I'm ok sitting in a chair but am now so much worse off than I was ten days ago in terms of pain and function: now I can't even reach behind me to fasten things, put on my own socks, bend over, I can't even put dishes in the dishwasher. I'm so frustrated with this pain and helplessness. I asked the dr when I might expect to be better and he said, "Oh, probably in a week". Well I first started having pain almost two weeks ago and not only did it not heal in a week, it got ten times worse. Childbirth was less painful for me than this, and I do not like to scare my kids but couldn't hold back the tears of pain I had earlier today just trying to get down the stairs and out the door to the dr. Just needed to vent I guess, it gave me hope before to hear that others eventually got better, I'll have to focus on that now

 

[Christine]

I know several people who've had this and it's quite painful and can take a few weeks to heal. I think it is an inflammation of the cartiledge in the ribs due to coughing.

I'm trying to recover from the flu also. Fortunately the cough is not a huge factor for me (at least not yet on Day 5). I do have one but it's manageable.

 

[katie01]

I know several people who've had this and it's quite painful and can take a few weeks to heal. I think it is an inflammation of the cartiledge in the ribs due to coughing.

I'm trying to recover from the flu also. Fortunately the cough is not a huge factor for me (at least not yet on Day 5). I do have one but it's manageable.

Thank you Christine. A few weeks to heal is bad news but I appreciate the honesty!

Healing vibes to you as you recover also. I did not get this pain until about Day 11, I hope you will not get it! Watch out for secondary infections, I knew something was going on with me when I still had an unrelenting fever 9 days into it.

 

[Christine]

Thank you Christine. A few weeks to heal is bad news but I appreciate the honesty!

Healing vibes to you as you recover also. I did not get this pain until about Day 11, I hope you will not get it! Watch out for secondary infections, I knew something was going on with me when I still had an unrelenting fever 9 days into it.

Oh, man. So you're fever never stopped for 9 days? I still have a fever but it's been pretty steady today at around 99.5.

I meant to mention the story my friend had with her rib pain.

She is a colon cancer survivor and had to undergo a PET scan annually. So on one particular time, she got a call back that they found something. The PET scan showed inflammation in the lung area and they thought they were looking a her cancer spreading. Turned out, she had had bronchitis a few weeks prior and, like you, had a bad strain on her ribs (chostochondritis). They were all ready to do some biopsy on her but they let her wait 6 weeks and they repeated the scan and it was all clear.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hospital nurse. Yes, you can get that type of pain from a bad cough. Check in with your primary care on management. Is the cough gone now? If you have to cough, you can hold a pillow to your belly for support.

 

[katie01]

Oh, man. So you're fever never stopped for 9 days? I still have a fever but it's been pretty steady today at around 99.5.

I meant to mention the story my friend had with her rib pain.

She is a colon cancer survivor and had to undergo a PET scan annually. So on one particular time, she got a call back that they found something. The PET scan showed inflammation in the lung area and they thought they were looking a her cancer spreading. Turned out, she had had bronchitis a few weeks prior and, like you, had a bad strain on her ribs (chostochondritis). They were all ready to do some biopsy on her but they let her wait 6 weeks and they repeated the scan and it was all clear.

Yes, I went to Walk in care when I was on about Day 5 because I was so bad, the fever pain was unmanageable and I was getting weaker because I could barely eat at all. The dr gave me a pretty cursory exam and said just go home and rest. By Day 9 I was just getting worse, a friend told me I should go back to Walk In Care because 9 days of fever was not a good sign. This doctor diagnosed the bronchitis and even gave me Zofran for the nausea, which was like a miracle, I could finally eat again! Granted, on Day 5 I probably did not have the bronchitis or it wasn't detectable yet, but just an example that sometimes you have to go more than once because the health situation can change.

Such a relief for your friend not to have had the cancer in her lungs after all!




Thank you Pea-n-Me, the cough isn't as frequent as before but definitely still there, I will try the pillow!

Hospital nurse. Yes, you can get that type of pain from a bad cough. Check in with your primary care on management. Is the cough gone now? If you have to cough, you can hold a pillow to your belly for support.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you Pea-n-Me, the cough isn't as frequent as before but definitely still there, I will try the pillow!

Analgesics can help, and a you can try a hot water bottle (we use ours at home a lot). There is a medication called benzotate that I've seen work really well to quell the cough if you take it round the clock, but you will need a prescription for it. Again, check in with your primary care to make sure that's all that it is.

 

[mom2rtk]

I had that for weeks after a bad virus last year. The good news is that it did eventually resolve on its own. The virus itself started in late October and lasted almost a month. The rib pain lasted a couple weeks longer. It really was a nasty virus.

 

[scrapquitler]

I am still recovering from influenza that turned into a bad case of bronchitis. I'm on an antibiotic now (Biaxin if it matters, but I don't think the rib pain is a drug side effect), and overall I'm doing better, I am just very tired and get winded after walking around a bit. The worst part now is the pain in my lower left rib cage, it's hard to use my abdominal muscles at all to get in and out of bed as it pulls on those ribs, even riding as a passenger in the car today it was painful turning corners. Pushing on that side yields extreme pain, and in order to cough I have to get into a certain position and hold that side or it's agonizing. Just sitting up I am fine.

I'm assuming I did something to my intercostal muscles from coughing, but wondered if anyone else had this happen from influenza or a bad cough, and how long it took to feel better?

I have pulled or strained a muscle from coughing a lot, so yes, I think that's totally in the realm of possibilities. I think that it took a long time to feel better (maybe 2 weeks?)

 

[BigAlsGal]

I have strained my ribs before. I went to the doctor thinking they were broken. It happened learning to play golf. I guess I wasn't aware the swinging twisting motion was affecting my ribs until it was too late. It took quite a while to feel better. Just take it easy.

 

[cabanafrau]

I developed a bad case of costochondritis after having bronchitis while pregnant. I was unable to sit, stand or lie down comfortably for quite a while and unable to do anything more than use a hot water bottle and pillows to try to make myself feel more comfortable. Among the most miserable I have ever been in my entire life.

 

[katie01]

Thanks all for your replies. Fortunately I am having to cough less now so at least the area isn't being stressed as much. I have tried hugging a pillow when I need to cough and it does help. I've also been using the heated "Bed Buddy" for pain relief when needed and that is helpful too. The hardest thing right now is just getting in and out of bed/rolling over. Sounds like this is just going to take some time to heal

 

[Shmily1]

It really sounds to me like you may have Pleurisy. That is so painful! I hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[mickeyboat]

I would guess costochondritis, as well. I had it in college and really believed I was having a heart attack. I went to the doctor and he prescribed 800mg of ibuprofen for several days. It did the trick. I hope you are feeling better, soon.

 

[cabanafrau]

I would guess costochondritis, as well. I had it in college and really believed I was having a heart attack. I went to the doctor and he prescribed 800mg of ibuprofen for several days. It did the trick. I hope you are feeling better, soon.

I felt as if I had a broken rib and every breath I took was excruciating. They were evaluating me for a blood clot and monitoring to see if my oxygen levels were okay before diagnosis. I would have killed for an ibuprofen when they told me that's part of the normal course of treatment. Of course I couldn't have it because I was pregnant. Complete and utter misery.

 

[littleblackegg]

That could be something serious, so I'd follow up with your provider. Influenza is a serious disease. It kills millions of people worldwide every year. Most of us will take weeks to get back to baseline. Some of us take months. Treat your body like the precious thing that it is!

 

[cavepig]

Found this by accident searching for something else, but yes I've been there. Jan 2015 I had the flu for a month or so and about 2 weeks into being sick I guess I coughed too hard in my sleep cause I woke up with terrible rib pain in my right side. It took about 3-4 weeks to heal. It hurt bad but slowly recovered. I just was very careful moving for the most part to avoid the pain and couldn't sleep very well, but it did heal.

 

[katie01]

I don't know how to edit the title to show an update, but I updated in the first post

 

[powellrj]

I know it doesn't help now, but time will heal it and you will feel better. I have had this happen before, and it hurts but you will get better, try to get some rest.

 

[katie01]

I know it doesn't help now, but time will heal it and you will feel better. I have had this happen before, and it hurts but you will get better, try to get some rest.

Thank you, it does help to hear actually. It's been three weeks since I started this whole illness with the influenza first, I feel like I'm completely out of patience now, but hearing others say it gets better is encouraging. I have such a new appreciation for anyone with chronic pain or illnesses.