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I have been coughing so much, my chiropractor thinks I tore some cartilage in my ribs. Either that or I have pleurisy. Gals, this is like having a spear put thru your side every time I sneeze or cough. I am using aleve and trameel creme. This sucks clam chowder! I am never sick!
Pleurisy hurts in your back. And it doesn't necessarily involve coughing.
Get it checked out.
+1 on getting it checked out.
It is possible to break a rib coughing. I've known two people who've done that when they've had pneumonia. Coughing and fatigue were their main symptoms (before they broke the ribs...).
You could have pneumonia or bronchitis. I had pneumonia a few years ago and hurt my ribs coughing. It took a couple of months to get better. Get it checked out.
I've had pleurisy and broken ribs (not at the same time.) They both hurt with every breathe. Breathing was so painful! Pleurisy can be treated. And should be. I'm not sure what can be done for torn cartilage....... I don't think cartilage heals itself. In any case, you want to get a more definite answer. Good luck. Hope you feel better soon.
SallyR
Cartilage does heal - in about 6 to 8 weeks. I tore mine crashing my mt bike. I had a chest xray to be sure it wasn't something worse, and missed a few days of work because it hurt too much to raise my arms (I'm a nurse). I too know healthy middle-aged people who broke ribs from severe episodes of coughing. such misery! always good to get it checked - I've also heard of mt bikers who crashed, knew they'd cracked a rib, then days later developed a pneumothorax from the displaced and fractured rib. feel better soon - Tokie
Did the antibiotics already, so no coughing or pneumonia, thankfully. At this point, it is torn cartilage in the rib. Wow, never knew an injury like this could be so painful!!
Looks like I will be taking time off the bike for a while...
I so sympathise, just got over doing something which may be what you have done. http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=45755
Costochondritis is so painful, even to sniff, rolling over in bed was a no-no! I was beginning to think it would never ever ease up, it took around 6 weeks.
In desperation saw my chiropractor for advice and she suggested to get Naproxen from GP, gentler than diclofenic sodium. I dislike taking any medication but it did help, just for a few days. Oh yes, I also used Biofreeze just below my collar bone, which is where the worst damage was.
The first exercise I started a few weeks later was swimming, I must have looked weird as I could only do breast stroke with one arm! Little by little I was able to swim with both arms, then ride.
This shows my ignorance but I did not realise how high the rib cage went up but I do now. ;)
Hope it starts easing up for you very soon.
I've had costochondritis and broken ribs, bottom line - messed up ribs really mess up your mobility for a while.
Feel better soon!
I have had costochondritis as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't truly heal and mine has come back. I actually did physical therapy to alleviate the pain, it went away for a year and now it comes and goes. It's crazy how limited your range of movement becomes when your ribs are messed up.
One of the Pro Triathletes whose blogs I follow has struggled with a rib injury for years. I think she only runs now - because it the injury. It sucks. Hope all who are dealing with it are feeling better!
After two and a half weeks of walking pneumonia, I am finally better. Working into cycling very slowly. But these darn ribs still, hurt!
I separated my ribs last year in a fall while running. Cycling hurt like hell, but I could run. Downhills were the worst but far easier to deal with than cycling. I couldn't do any thing using the abs or even being bent over for a couple months.
I wish I could say healing is pretty quick, but it isn't. Patience - and you may have to change your training for a bit. You have my total sympathy.
I popped a rib while I was running 2 years ago. I thought I was having a heart attack. I suddenly couldn't take deep breaths, I had a terrible pain in my chest--I could not breathe. It was awful.