I’m experiencing some discomfort when I breathe deeply, and I can’t figure out why. Tonight, Meg and I went to visit some friends of ours for dinner and shopping in Charlottesville. (Well, Meg went shopping and I enjoyed a tall, frosty beverage). As we were saying goodbye to our friends in the parking lot of the bar we had patronized, I started to feel a dull pain from what felt like under the lower part of my ribs on my right side. I had just gorged myself on some delicious food from Lord Hardwick’s (I highly recommend eating there if you’re in the area), so I figured it was something to do with how stuffed I was, and that it would subside later in the evening. It still hasn’t.
To me, it feels like I’ve bruised something inside, and when I breathe deeply enough, there’s pressure on whatever is sore which causes the pain. I’ve had a fairly good track record at diagnosing my injuries throughout my life, but I just can’t pinpoint what this could be. I’m going to sleep on it, and hopefully things will feel better in the morning. Google wasn’t very helpful (though I’m not even sure how to describe my symptoms), so I may end up having to consult a doctor if things don’t get better. Is it possible to bruise something on the inside without taking a direct hit on the outside? Maybe a killer sneeze?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hello, I’m 14 and I’ve bruised my bottom ribs recently and I’m in terrible pain, my stomache is now in minor to moderate pain, I’ve been doing alot of working out on my chest and stomache, could the stomache pain be from damaged organs or would it be soreness from workout?
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
I had a skiing injury (cartlidge damage to lower left rib cage) over 25 years ago and since then I haven’t been able to sleep on my left side, which drives me crazy. When laying on that side it still feels like a lump and bruised after all of these years. X-rays shows nothing. I think I would have been better off fracturing my ribs than living with this.
July 8th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Hi fellow sufferers it nice to know that one is not alone with this very painful injury. My story is also Vodka related like Suzie’s’ story. 4th of July I was in the Humbolt Redwoods of Northern California, camping. I was making killer vodka, tonic and cranberry drinks with lots of ice and lots of vodka around the campfire. Everyone pooped out and went to bed around midnight but not me I wanted to go for a walk down to the river. So I went by myself and was fired up since the area is famous for Bigfoot encounters. I stumbled through the woods and lost the trail but no worry I will just walk down this giant Redwood that had fallen. I was at least 4 feet above the ground and whoops my foot slid out and next thing I knew I was headed to the ground ribs first. I never had a chance to roll and landed on a large branch laying on the ground with my ribs. At first I didnt think it was so bad but that was just the booze, and I kept on walking down to the river in the dark in Bigfoot country. It was worth though since I saw an unbelievable starry sky. When I got back to my tent that was when I first felt the real pain. It was excruciating to get down onto the air mattress. I seemed to sleep ok on my right side but forget the left where my new bruise was forming. The next morning my wife had to help me get up and out of bed since the pain was wicked. I’m on day 3 and it was the worst but as I type I feel better and I have hope on a fast recovery. We shall see. I am also trying not to cough.
June 23rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Ok, well i’m 41 yrs. old and let my kids talk me into giving the Slip N Slide a try. We had been experiencing a heatwave here (110 degrees) when we are normally 70’s. So, of course, i went to try it and jumped and thumped! Didn’t slide an inch. Well i can’t sleep good, I sure as hell can’t cough, or talk loud or laugh. Pain all around my ribcage. I’m not going to the doctor since I think he will just give me pain pills, and i don’t think i broke anything cause breathing is fine, but boy to i hurt. Reading all these blogs, i see it will last some time huh? Great!
May 28th, 2008 at 3:14 am
Finally a blog where I can complain as I sit here in severe bruised rib pain. I can’t sleep or find any position that feels decent. Anyone who is getting pain like this should go to the doctors and make sure there is no fluid build up around the lungs etc…no need to be alarmed but it’s worth the piece of mind (and good to check if there is any breakage). The worst part is I tore some tissue around my ribs from golfing of all things. I was just on a golf blog and it’s apparently very common. It didn’t help much that I also went mountain biking multiple times after the injury not knowing at the time I was injured. Anyway’s, this is the worst pain ever and I’m only 3 days into it. It actually feels like it’s getting worse but I’m expecting it to start to improve sometime within the next week or two (that’s what the doctor’s say). The night I woke up with the ‘bruising’ it was so bad I actually thought I was having a frickin’ heart attack as I could hardly breath in. Since then I have been checked out and it’s apparently all good but what a pain in the ass this bruising business is. Good luck everyone…give it time and don’t do anything active while trying to repair your injuries…..I know it’s super difficult to not be active but it will be worth it in the long run to have a full recovery.
Vancouver, Canada……trying not to cough
May 27th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Hi! Please help. I fell down this past Sunday and no big deal I thought I was fine (yes I was at a wild party and I was drinking, which is probably why I didn’t feel the pain initially) The next morning when I coughed the pain on my left side between ribs and hip was so severe I started to worry. The pain woke me up repeatedly and it was hard to move my position without severe pain. It is still here, but I wanted to give it a day before I run out to doctor. It is not bruised on the outside, but it almost feels like I have bruised something internally, sometimes I feel like a roll and pop thing when I rub my hand down the stretch of the pain. It hurts all the time, especially if I cough and when I breathe deeply it emphasisezs. I am going to ice it and take an nsaid for now, but if anyone has ever experienced this and knows stuff, please respond. Thanks so much, Annie
April 25th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
While cleaning our cement porch last weekend, I was standing on a step stool. I misjudged and put the step chair to close to the edge of the porch. When I shifted my weight down I went! Thankfully my right arm went out which broke some of the fall. Unfortunately, I twisted my right side, leaving my ribs very badly bruised. I don’t believe there is a fracture. I began using a heating pad thirty minutes on/off during the night. Also, I’ve been taking ‘Arnica Montana’ for the pain; as well as using Arniflora gel for pain, swelling & stiffness. This was working very well until last night. I was only feeling pain when I went to stand up or sit down and that was limited. Last night I started to cough or tried to but the pain was great. The pain seemed to be more in the back of my ribs. Now I feel that I’m back where I started in regard to pain. Any thoughts or is this just part of the healing?
Thanks
February 27th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
As we all are sailing on the same baot, i think i can give few advice after experiencing a rib bruise.
At first, one might feel that they have surely broken a brib as it pains like anything. Coughing ,sneezing, sleeping postures, bending can be excruciating!!! But it is very highly likely that you have bruised your rib rather than fractured it. Because in the latter case you cant even move.
Anyway, after having an x-ray the doctor gave me few pain killers and suggested me for a cold and hot therapy. I have been using hot therapy belt and i feel better day by day. i am into my 5th week of injury and i think rest is the best cure for the bruise.You need to be patient and i know it can be very daunting to cut-off your favourite sport but i think you can rather go for lower body excersises.
I hope i have helped in some way.
cheers
February 23rd, 2008 at 6:51 pm
about 3 years ago was at work and had bad pain in chest. now 3 yrs later still undiagnosed and looking for answers. have had mri, cat skan, xray, still no one knows what’s up. have pain now in back, chest and right arm. heart is healthy. what could this be? separated rib syndrome? the docs think it’s in my head and my family may start thinking that soon too! HELP!!!