Ribs

[bohoinparadise]

Everytime my ribs dislocate or sublux, they end up getting fractured. It's usually just small hairline fractures but enough to cause a ton of pain! I was just curious, is this in anyway normal??

[hannah]

Um, no, I wouldn't have thought so sorry.

[Blaadyblah]

Definitely sounds like you shoulld see someone about that. Orthopaedics would be my first suggestion... hae them check your bone density maybe?

[Ali13]

My left side has a totally sick sense of humour- it really does. After my collarbone going my bottom rib may have done the same. I can't see a difference but I'm really uncomfortable. It feels like a stitch (y'know when you walk too fast after dinner?) but more uncomfortable. Could this be a subluxed rib? It is painful but only when I move certain ways- it mostly just feels wrong.

[Dizzzay]

Heya,

I was diagnosed with HMS, CFS, Snapping Hip and Slippipng Rib etc and the slipping rib pain has been unbearable everyday and getting worse and worse til im screaming (even tho i cope with pain very well)... It always seems to get worse especially when i actually wana go out! Typical

Anyway, i went to the doctors and they said take paracetomol... which obviously doesn't work but they won't listen or prescribe anything stronger.

So, i was looking through some internet sites for some sort of help, and came across Tens machines... And just wondering whether i should try it...

If anyone has tried Tens and found it helpful or have any suggestions that could help this unbearable pain, that would really help

[Blaadyblah]

Hi Dizzy, there's a whole topic on Tens machines here - you can use the 'search within topic' function to locate posts about ribs within it, also you might want to look through the previous discussion here on ribs for advice.

Personally I find rib pain best helped by large amounts of sleep and hot baths!

[Dizzzay]

I have had a look at those posts, but hav'nt found anything particularly about Slipping Ribs and Tens machines together

But, Thanks for the tip on lotsa sleep and hot baths, i will try that definately

[eilaroc]

I sneezed and something went ping, so I suspect the Amazing Self-Dislocating Rib has been and done it again. It also seems to have set something off in my shoulder as the last 2 fingers of that hand have gone numb.

I have my sadist massage therapist on Tuesday. She'll sort it...

[Stone]

I think I subluxed a rib this morning, I did this:

Like getting stabbed in the back, about 3" sideways from the centre of my spine - it suddenly went pop, then slipped back after a second or so but it was a long second! Had to sit down and do some deep breathing until I could stand up again. I might have yelped

I've been shifting heavy stuff around at work so it might have just loosened things off, but I was just sorting some washing!

Stone

[hannah]

Yes, that sounds about right stone.

Mine have been extra wibbly recently, I believe because I started doing situps with a slight twist to aid the abdominal muscles. It proved too much for the ribs though which have spent the past 2 weeks wondering round aimlessly. I should have stopped doing them when I first realised they were annoying my ribs rather than carrying on until they got hideous. Once they've settled down again I'll restart the exercise at an easier level and build much much slower in the hope that then the rib area can strengthen enough to cope as well as the abdominal muscles

[naama]

Well, I'm back here whinging about my ribs again!

Hannah, I can relate to the exercise induced rib issues. I've just started with a personal trainer who is helping me by using pilates exercises, amongst other similar disciplines, to strengthen and stretch. However, my pesky rib - the one that I don't even like ME touching has objected to exercises to strengthen my abs. I think it's a slipping rib because it's too low down for true costochondritis, despite my GP telling me that's what it was last time around. The principle's the same - it's moving too much and irritating the tissues it's attached to! It's annoying when you do something to help one area and it affects another!

[l00pyp0u]

OOOOOWWWWWWW, HELP!
been in loads of pain last 2 days, has really been building back up agAin. Last night thought something was going to snap between my shoulder baleds, it was that sore. Went to bed last night woke up every 40 mins, got up at 3am, nealy passed out, and couldn't decide if it was IBS or nausea. same again at 7am, nearly passed out again.
But also, and guys this might be too much info, but behind my left breast and across the side, is really painful, can't deep breathe, hurst when I move, including rolling over, the weight of the breast seems to cause the pain, also cant lift the left arm up due to the pain in the flaming rib, Bra is also hurting it. No bruises, doesnt feel like muscle pain, advice?

LOU

[hannah]

Hi lou,
This might not help for you, but I find that lying flat on my back on a heat-pack, with a second heat pack on the sternum at the relevant point, alternated with an icepack and deep relaxing thoughts can really help. The best scenario for an 'out' rib is for it to drift back inagain - although not always possible. But relaxing the area then gently stretching and resting can sometimes sort mine. So I'll lie on my back with arms straight and slide them slightly out to the sides while relaxing and breathing deeply. Once I reach a point that starts to tense - just before the OW! - I stop, relaxing in that positiion for a few minutes before trying to slide them further again. Aiming to have both arms stretched out fully 'above' my head.
Hope you find something that helps,

H

[l00pyp0u]

Ta, hannah,
I'll give it a go, stupid a+e doctor, stated cAtegorically that a rib can not dislocate not impressed with him, but then he didnt know what hypermobile was. am trying not to hyperventilate, and back on tramadol.
Hubby reckons that as he has been working this week, that I am over doing it, so no more jobs that last more than 1 day for him.
So no hope at a+e but what's new?

EDITED 7am

You are an angel . Did what you said last night, but didn't feel too much better, and shoved some deep heat on before I went to sleep. This morning,its gone no pain. So if I didn't dislocate it according to a+ e dr what did I do? I think combination of both was the cure, so thank you

LOU

[hannah]

Glad to be of service
Just a note - I find that the stretching often doesn't produce stunning results immediately - but it seems to encourage the errant rib to sneak embarrassedly back to where it came from over the next little while!
The heat suggestion is originally from someone else on here, only I can't remember who, and the stretching from my old UCH physio sho said you CAN dislocate ribs so I can't really take any credit

Ah well

H