Ribs

[serenity79]

Yes, something like that (against the hip or pelvis or something down there, lol) and it feels just awful when it happens!

[Neogetz]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to work out if my rib problems could be a HMS problem. Apologies for the length.

The problem started with a pain building in my back while sat in a car. I shifted position trying to get comfortable and had a series of cracks across my back and down one arm, which came with an explosion of pain which is permanent.

I had an emergency appointment at a dr as I was away from home visiting my parents, where I was examined and she said that she believed I had dislocated my ribs and should see a chiropractor.
So my parents found the funds to get me to a chiropractor who got my ribs settled after several appointments. So I returned home, spent about 2 months with a sore, but ok, back which was slowly getting better. However, one day the bus I was on did an emergency stop, cue popping and pain from my back.
This was two years ago, I've had as many chiropractic appointments as I could afford, and alas my ribs just wouldn't stay put. I'm in constant worsening pain. One of my upper ribs seems to put pressure on my shoulder, either directly, or by damaging the muscle. It constantly subluxes, and cracks very painfully. On days where it is really swollen the pain extends to my elbow, which locks and loses mobility, until it pops back into line, with much general joint swelling, which of course continues into my wrist. My other arm has over the last 6 months started to exhibit these symptoms too, and that side of my back sometimes has issues.

I've looked at the beighton score page and score 9/9, which was what first lead me to belive I might be hypermobile. I have more joint problems than just my ribs, but the ribs are the one noone other than that first person I saw believe can have problems. It's either "impossible" to have upper rib problems, or I'm "too young" to have them, depending on who I see.

[trekster]

You can definitely dislocate ribs with HMS ive subluxed a few.

[Sandy L]

trekster, you may well be a good candidate for prolotherapy. Besides that, look to the things you do just before the ribs go out. A common theme, though it doesn't explain everything, is lifting something. That tends to make the scapulae wing out in back. TO prevent that, muscles between the under side of the scapulae and the ribs contract, pulling the CV joints out in the process. In any case, identify the triggers as best you can, then consider whether there is a way you can brace parts of your body to prevent it.

[trekster]

im going to mention my crunching shoulders and my easily subluxed ribs when i see the muscular skeletal people next Wednesday.
The rib subluxes are less now than before because im pushing my wheelchair without leaning over.

[Silvertoes]

I've got an orthotic vest that compresses my ribs - my osteopath has noticed a difference to my upper back since I've had it, but I still have a stubborn rib that keeps popping out! I'm having padding made by orthotics to add extra pressure to the top half of it. Apparently only one company makes compression vests - you start off with a prototype which can be altered to fit perfectly before they make the vest perfect to your measurements.

[madmum]

Got sudden and severe rib pain on the right side about half way up. Same side as my clicky and stiff shoulder. It is sore to breathe. Doe this sound like a hms problem?

[trekster]

That sounds like a sublux

[madmum]

Sitting with hot water bottle,anything I can do?

[mcbeauty]

That sounds like a sublux

I was just wondering about that. Last year I woke up one morning with a sore rib, it hurt for a couple of days and then suddenly became excruciating, any movement, breathing etc. was really painful and had to take heavy duty painkillers. Got myself to the chiropractor, he tried to adjust it but after 3 goes gave up as my spine is so bendy and my ribs so stiff that every time he tried to move the rib everything else except the rib would move and it was just hurting to much to keep trying. He said I must have sprained it in my sleep but after finding out about HMS I did wonder if it was a subluxation.
Also he said I have unusually stiff ribs and gave me some exercises to loosen them up so they move more freely and it doesn't happen again. It's strange they're so stiff as everything around them (shoulders, neck, spine, pelvis) are hypermobile.

[Rosie]

Hi all

Sometimes when a joint is hypermobile the muscles around them go into spasm, and this gives a stiff joint. The muscles across the back of my shoulders are permanently tight and stiff.

Rosie

[mazza111]

Another memory *DING* for me reading through this. Stacey cracked a rib falling against a door a few years back. Keeps suffering a lot of rib pain back and forward. Never thought of the ribs subluxing. The more I read, the more I'm convinced.

[dottt44]

Im sooo glad someone started a rib thread. Until last year i never realised you could even dislocate your ribs. That was until i did the stupid thing of... washing my hair. (i know what was i thinking) it is the WORST dislocating pain i have ever experienced. Im not very good at explaining how joints feel when subluxed/dislocated i just know they dont feel quite right. When the other half looked at me quite terrified and asked what was wrong all i could respond with was that something was very very wrong. it was so bad that i had to get him to wrap is arm round me really tightly and squeeze. what followed was a disgusting clunk and the pressure eased. the ache that followed a week after was sickening though. I'm very sure this was a full dislocation... it certainly felt like it. It was from the back not the sternum. The problem is that ever since this little rib seems to have had a taste for freedom because now it slips... regularly! Does anyone know of anyway to strengthen the area so the rib doesnt frequently feel the need to wander?

On a more amusing thought (or not, depends how you look at it) on my last visit to the osteo she asked me if id had open heart surgery? she'd asked this as she had treated alot of patients that week who had. Aparently when surgeons crack your chest and then put you back together theyre not too fussed about lining the up each side of your rib cage to precisely eeeek !!!

[Sandy L]

dottt44:
There is a post in this thread dated Sep 20, 2011 that describes some ways of dealing with subluxed ribs. Your partner found one of them quickly!

[dottt44]

Sandy L : Yeah i asked him to do it. I felt like i needed to be squeezed haha! just looking at how to build some strength in the area so i wont sublux so easily in the first place