Can you crack or break a rib from coughing?

Guest over a year ago

yes you can crack a rib by coughing. I had an xray immediately following a severe coughing episode during which I felt a snap in my right chest area. The x ray indicated that I had in fact a fractured rib and experienced all of the symptoms that the person posted previously (pain when sneezing, coughing or laughing).

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Guest over a year ago

I am wondering if I broke a rib coughing. I felt like I ruptured something when it happened. It's been about 5 weeks and it hurts even more as time goes by. It used to only hurt in one spot on my side under my arm, now it is tender to the touch in the front, side,and back of my chest. It kills when I lay down on my back, turn on my side in bed or try to get up out of bed, when I cough, reach for anything etc. I can't believe it isn't better yet and that it's actually worse.

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Guest over a year ago

You probably have cracked a rib. Mine is cracked at the moment due to coughing for 2 months :( you need to have an xray!

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Guest over a year ago

Hi. I am having pain in my lower left ribs after having a cough. My Dr said I might have torn a muscle and it could hurt for months. When I did break a rib it wasn't visible on X-ray . It did show up on a bone scan , two ribs from a chest injury. So X-rays sometimes aren't always the best tool to see fractures. I couldn't believe there were 2 fractures , it took months to heal. I hope a supposed torn muscle doesn't take so long to heal. It gets worse after I eat , what a pain!

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Guest over a year ago

I don't know if this has been mentioned previously, but another possible cause of rib pain from coughing is costochondritis. My wife thought she might have cracked a rib from severe coughing but there was no break at all in the ribs. Instead the cartilage was irritated by the extreme movement.

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Guest over a year ago

Yes you can and sometimes several. I have been sick for a month, 2 rounds of antibiotics. When my cough was getting better I started to get pain when taking a breath or moving. Went to the doctors assuming I had pluracy or cartilage damage. Nope broke to ribs on my right side, 3 days later I broke a rib on my left side.

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Guest over a year ago

I disagree. You can most certainly fracture a rib from coughing. I currently have a fractured rib from coughing when I had pneumonia. Ask for an X-ray. It is very common and can be painful on various levels of severity.

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Guest over a year ago

I realize that this is like a year late, but I just came upon this site. I was having really bad chest pain, tightness and a sever cold for 4days. I worked with doctors, so they suggested getting an x-ray to check for pneumonia because I was also having trouble getting deep breaths. I get the x-ray, no pneumonia, but it showed a fracture on my 3rd anterior left rib (front). It explains the pain, tight feeling, and trouble breathing. The doctors were all amazed, they said it happens, but the majority have never actually seen it. I am a 38 year old fairly healthy. I just think it's amazing that this type of thing actually does or can happen. Also, they told me it was more common when getting chiropractic treatments.

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Guest over a year ago

I felt a sharp, knife-like pain while blowing my nose. It was the most painful thing I've ever felt! I couldn't move without crying out. My doctor ordered an x-ray. It revealed that I had broken my rib. I saw the x-ray... And my rib had literally snapped in two. A dexa scan revealed no osteoporosis. I'm worried about this. I was NOT blowing my nose that hard. I wonder if my doctor is missing something. Has this happened to you?

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Guest over a year ago

I am pretty sure I cracked a rib from coughing.I would nearly lose my breath and sometimes nearly throw up from coughin so hard.When I take a deep breath and hold it I get a pain at the lower end of my right ribs.

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Guest over a year ago

I realize this is a year old but the same thing happened to my husband about a week ago and now he woke up this morning with bruised skin did your skin bruise ?

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Guest over a year ago

You should have your gallbladder checked out.

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Guest over a year ago

Was just sleeping laying in my stomach and I coughed out of no where. Suddenly a surge of excruciating pain came from behind my breast on my left side. Its been about 30 min and it still hurts really bad. I can't even lay back down at all.

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Guest over a year ago

What was it? Same thing happened to me.

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Guest over a year ago

I have had a really bad upper respiratory/sinusitis/ bronchitis going on 1 month now, have seen Doctor three times, gave me antibiotics in which I'm on my 4 the different, 4 different inhalers, prednisone ( 2 rounds) cough med, Tylenol #3 for sleep and mucinex otc. I'm still coughing so bad and spitting up so much flem, I coughed so hard about 3 days ago I must have pulled a muscle in my chest, upper left side, feels like its around my heart, it feeling like something stabling me every time, and can't take a deep breath or lay flat because it pull really bad. Any suggestions?

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