I'm not sure if it makes much of a difference, but I am under the age of 18. Ive had a pretty rough time with a horrific cold for about 3 to 4 weeks. My doc recommended aerosol inhalation, and i didn't quite pick up on it too much, especially because of the fact it would leave me trembling. Last week however, I had been experiencing a slight yet sharp pain almost somewhat behind/below my lower right rib cage. It became dull until all of a sudden from a cough, it got WORSE and practically kills me to cough. Im super worried. What can I do? Any natural remedies? and is this common at all?
Wow, glad I decided to look. I have been coughing so much, and so hard that I hurt my right side a coiuple of days ago. Last night I coughed agin really hard, and I thought I felt something tear, and just go. It is right below my ribcage and my stomach on the right side. I thought I had broken a rib before, but this went from the middle of my side to the bottom of my ribcage, and burned. Never felt anthing like it. I put a heating pad on it last night, it seemed to help.
I had this happen this morning and as one other I have no health insurance. I coughed a couple of times and had the same noticed pop. Then excruciating pain on my lefvt side near the floating rib area around toward the back. Pain has eased slightly but still have a dull pain constant. When I trigger a bad move or spot it feels like someone is stabbing my through the side from the back to the front left side low on my ribs. Looked at wraps because it does seem like pressure helps it ease off some, as weird as that mey sound. Have to try something though real quick it is getting aggravating.
Yes you absolutley can crack your rib from coughing. I had a terrible cough for about 2 months and right after or actually still during my cough, my left side began to hurt. It became so intense I could not even move my body. It was the most pain I've ever been in for a long time since having my children. It has been 3 or more months and I still hurt to lay down on my back. I have tried to do sit ups and that is next to impossible, I still feel the pain and I don't want it to ever be as bad of pain as i experience when I first had it. You just have to wait it out I guess and hope it goes away eventually. I had some major painkillers to numb the pain and relied on them for a good month. I could not have gone on without them, having 3 kids to run around after and lifting my 2 year old was lots of fun.
Another possibility could be you strained your diaphragm. I do that all the time. When you cough really hard over and over again it works out your diaphragm, like if you were constantly singing. I learned that from choir.
I have cracked my ribs from coughing twice over the years, once on the left side about 10 years about, and on the right side last week. Both times were confirmed by a doctor. If the rib is just cracked, it will not necessarily stick out, nor will the doctor be able to feel the bones grinding together, an x-ray may pick it up but even then they sometimes miss it. My doctor said there is nothing they can do for a cracked rib except let it mend on its own with painkillers and care. I read on medical sites on the web that it is not recommended to strap up the ribs in any way, and that you should cough or take a deep breath at least once an hour. It was also suggested that lying on the injured side can make coughing easier, and this is something I had already found out worked best. Hot baths, breathing steam, tiger balm or other muscle rubs and pain killers are all also recommended. It says it can take 6 weeks- 2 months for it to heal, but I know form experience that when I get a bad cough now, I still feel discomfort in my ribs from my injury of 10 years ago, so it may always trouble you a little. Hope you feel better soon. A least you should try get some sympathy from those around you for coughing so badly you broke your ribs! The first time round my husband didn't believe me, this time he's feeling sympathetic and sheepish as it was diagnosed by a second doctor and confirmed by x-ray.
Hi everyone :-) I feel better knowing how common this is! I have pneumonia and also cracked a rib coughing :-( Definitely something to be conscious of if you have bronchitis, pneumonia, or any kind of wretched cough. So sorry you're all in pain too! The doctor told me to be very aware of whether I started coughing up blood, since that could mean the broken rib has started to puncture my lung. If you see blood - go to the hospital immediately!
I agree with the advice from the others to find/stay in a comfy position at night, it helped me to put pillows all around my body so that I was insulated a bit from rolling over or anything.
The best thing I found to help the pain so I could go to work, (etc.) with the rib was buying those patches (Motrin, Rub A535, IcyHot or whatever) that stay in place for 8 hours. They really help the pain when you have to cough or sneeze! Just have someone else apply it if the pain in is your back b/c once you've applied it they don't stick as well if you have to remove/reapply.
Wishing you all a good sleep & speedy recovery! :-)
I agree with the advice from the others to find/stay in a comfy position at night, it helped me to put pillows all around my body so that I was insulated a bit from rolling over or anything.
The best thing I found to help the pain so I could go to work, (etc.) with the rib was buying those patches (Motrin, Rub A535, IcyHot or whatever) that stay in place for 8 hours. They really help the pain when you have to cough or sneeze! Just have someone else apply it if the pain in is your back b/c once you've applied it they don't stick as well if you have to remove/reapply.
Wishing you all a good sleep & speedy recovery! :-)
Wow it was great reading your posts. 3 wks of wondering if I'm dying. After 2wks was diagnosed w/bronchitis. TX: rest, motrin.,inhaler. Still horrible pain, actually unbearable when coughing, sneezing or lifting. Have had no change, better or worse. The motrin does nothing for the pain. How long does this last?
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm in recovery from acute bronchitis, which the first doctor I went to said I didn't have. I get bronchitis at least once a year, and I know it because certain things smell and taste funny when it's coming. Last ouple of years, I've been proactive about it and as soon as the symptoms and taste start, I go get antibiotics and knock it out early. This doctor obviously knew more than me about my personal body history and didn't treat me. Three days later, I was back, and a diferent doctor told me I did have it and gave me a pill for the cough. Two days later I was in the ER because my cough had gotten so bad my throat was swelling shut, and the bronchitis had become acute. I finally got some real cough medicine, but the damage was already done. My ribs hurt really badly, and I had to take a couple of days off of work. I worked one day, came out in worse condition than I went in. I went BACK to the first doctor, who jabbed me in the side and asked if it hurt there and I almost came off of the table. She ordered x-rays, and today I found out I had fractured ribs in the right side. She insisted that they didn't come from the cough. I insist that it didn't start until I got the cough. Now I have to take Vicodin and take more time off of work to let my ribs heal from the cough that didn't cause it because of the bronchitis I didn't have.
Ok...phew...looks like I have the same thing. Been coughing a lot lately...getting over a cold. Now I'm wondering how long its going to take to get over it. Anyone?? And can I keep up my regular exercise routine?
I have the same thing except on the left, originally it was both sides, but the right one quit hurting after about a week or two, though the left feels more and more painful. I just found out i have asthma about two months ago, then developed bronchitis three weeks ago. Thank you for all the information, i thought it was impossible to break it by coughing. Can it heal if you still have a cough?
Omg i have it too. Have had a horrible cough for about a week and a half. Last night It was COUGH, POP, PAIN. I instantly sat down so I wouldnt fall over. But man did that hurt. I've currently got it wrapped up tight in an ace bandage. Its like a broken toe... nothing to do but to wrap it to the others until it heals.
Boy does it hurt!
Well happy New Year!. Not 5 minutes into the New 2012 I had a couphing attack. While bendning over to pick up confetti off the living room floor I felt something pop in my lower left back. It felt like some one stabbed me. I called my wife over thinking something major happened. Everytime I cough now my lower back is in allot of pain. I had to sleep sitting up over night and today my back is still very sore. After talking to some friends (who work at a local hospital) apparently broken ribs are very common where some one is suffering from chronic coughing. The tough part is that the cough is still there now combined with the back pain. I have wrapped my lower back with an ace bandage and have applied Icy-Hot to the effected area. Has subsided the aching pain but coughing is still VERY PAINFUL.
Paul
Hi, I am also relieved to see I am not the only one in this. I had a very very bad cold, which ended up in an ear infection when I was basically 90% deaf. I got some drops for it from the doctor and that was it, it went away after a week. I started developing a cough though, slow to start with but has gotten worse now and I too feel pain on my right side, right on the upper ribcage. When I sit and don't move, it doesn't hurt as such, I just feel it's "there". But when I cough, it really hurts, not unbearable yet but it hurts a lot. It doesn't hurt sleeping yet but it hurts when I move, stretch, etc. I don't know what it is, I did not hear a "pop" as many others have mentioned, it just started from extreme coughing. It could be a broken rib or a muscle strain, I will wait a few more days and then head to the doctor's.
I feel very deadly pain in my right chest below the breast when i cough and sneeze.
I feel pain when i resperate, laugh, trying to pull something. When i can't lay down by my back, while i get up i feel pain. I went to doctor, he did x-ray and video x-ray it shows everything fine. He gave me medicine. I am takig medicine form todays.
Is my pain last for long or is it temporary? I am having serious problem. How can i rid fom this pain?
I feel pain when i resperate, laugh, trying to pull something. When i can't lay down by my back, while i get up i feel pain. I went to doctor, he did x-ray and video x-ray it shows everything fine. He gave me medicine. I am takig medicine form todays.
Is my pain last for long or is it temporary? I am having serious problem. How can i rid fom this pain?