Can you really strain intercostal muscles without realising it? Agony!

[JulietSierra]

I started a thread the other day about pleurisy…I was convinced I had it because of the agonising pain in my ribs, under my breast, that came on the other day whilst sitting at my desk.
I got checked out yesterday and was told it’s muscular as when I’m still, there’s not really any pain. Breathing deeply, sneezing or lying down however is agony!
I slept last night in a chair. I’d gone bed, all propped up on a beanbag and woke up thinking I was dying with the most incredible burning pain in my ribs. Don’t know if the strained muscles had spasmed or something?
But I’m really struggling to accept that this is muscular. I’ve done absolutely nothing that could strain these muscles!
So, has anyone ever strained intercostal muscles without any obvious reason why? And can muscular pain really be this bad?

I am so glad I came across this thread. For about three weeks now I have had (what I think is) muscular pain behind my left boob. I have had a cough for weeks and also took up weights over christmas time. I am not sure which has caused it, or maybe both. Because the pain is from my breast, I have been worrying it's something more sinister, but I've had a good feel and it feels the same as normal and the same as the other one. After now reading up on costochondritis, it sounds like it could be that. It's very painful though.

Sounds to me like a lung infection. (But I’m not a doctor.) Of the two friends I mentioned previously with similar symptoms recently, one developed the cough after the other symptoms, refused to see a dr and eventually recovered on his own. The other saw a dr, was diagnosed with a chest infection and was given antibiotics.

Good luck @JulietSierra. Let us know how it goes, and hope you feel much better soon!

I’ve got pneumonia so thank you to everyone who encouraged me to go and get a second opinion!
I’ve had pneumonia before but felt really poorly with it. This time I just feel under the weather but the doc said the infection markers in my blood were quite high (300?) so he’d ideally like to keep me in for IV antibiotics but as my stats were ok he’s happy to send me home as long as I promise to go back in if I get worse.
Quite relieved to have a reason for the pain tbh!

Well done for going in and getting an answer,, and do go back if it gets worse.

Glad you've had an accurate diagnosis and I hope you recover soon. When you feel better, if you have time, please feed back to whoever gave you the first diagnosis. They need to know that they got this wrong so they are a bit more careful in future.

I strained mine when my son was 5 weeks old. I couldn't even carry him. No clue how I did it, doctor said it can be something as simple as hanging the washing out! Took a few weeks to get better.

Well done for going for a second opinion OP - hope you get better soon

(Edited for clarity)

well done-sounds just like me when I had pneumonia; though I had pleurisy as well. It is very painful. Take all the drugs offered. I also had to take a cough suppressant as coughing exacerbated things considerably so you might consider that as well.

I get this for a different reason which you won't have because it is extremely rare, but I recommend a hot bath or hot water bottle.

I had pneumonia 5 years ago and had no pain but felt like death. So this pain wasn’t shouting out to me that it was pneumonia. If I hadn’t delveloped the disgustingly coloured phlegm overnight I might have have been tempted to wait a few more days before getting checked out again.
I really do appreciate all the responses. Thank you everyone. When you’re feeling a bit poorly and down it’s nice to know that people are taking the time out of their day to try and help.

I’ve had a few lovely deep hot baths. Practically the only time I’ve felt comfortable!!

I know it’s not really relevant to you any more, but… if you’re not meant to take ibuprofen you shouldn’t use the gel either.

Hope you soon feel much better.

You may have pleurisy as well but there’s no extra treatment for that, just time. The first time I had it was 3 days post CSection with my youngest. They thought I had a PE but thank goodness it wasn’t.

And next year have the pneumonia jab-so worth it. I’d had 3 years straight with pneumonia every winter. Since my jab I’ve not had it. A few years ago I was coughing so much I had a chostrachondral dislocation. It is awful when breathing is painful.

The nurse practitioner at the walk in said I was fine to use the gel. I’m not allergic to it, it just kills my stomach.I’m willing to risk it at the min for some pain relief tbh!

Yes, the doctor today said pleurisy too. And pneumonia three years in a row? That’s rotten luck. I feel hard done by having it twice in five years!

Get yourself to A&E. Blood test and xray should rule out anything sinister.

Ibuprofen upsets my stomach, so if I really need to take it I take Esomeprazole (Nexium or equivalent) with it.

Hi there! Juliet hope you’re ok. I suddenly developed sharp pain under my left breast / rib area. Worse on breathing in but not horrendous. No cold or cough or fever or anything but had had a bad cold before Christmas. Anyway went to GP this morning as I was stressing out about possible pulmonary embolism or pleurisy! He listened to my chest and said it sounded fine and was probably costochondritis but would send me for a chest X ray just in case. To my surprise they’ve found what may well be pneumonia and I’m waiting for antibiotics. Utterly baffled and surprised! I’ll let you know how I get on. Also awaiting blood test results. Take care.🤗

Hi @MysticMole , yes I turned out to have pneumonia too and thankfully feel so much better now. The pain has completely gone and I’ve finally stopped coughing up blood( I was also scanned because of a suspected pulmonary embolism as the coughing blood went on so long.)
Like you, for the first three days I had no cough or other classic pneumonia signs. Just the most horrific pain! It’s such an insidious infection. I went from feeling completely normal to being in extreme pain in just a few hours.
Hope you get your antibiotics soon and feel much better very quickly.

Yes me, a few months ago. I'd had a really bad chest infection not long before it.
Started with a crunching in my rib cage, then some days later it was pain in the muscles when moving, breathing, sneezing etc.
It was a nightmare to sleep, tried lying flat, sitting up, every which way and nothing helped.
And then came the horrific spasms in my ribs. Oh my I've never felt pain like it. Sat on the edge of my bed for 11 hours one day not wanting to move an inch as the pain was horrendous. Spasms were coming and going with movement.
The following day it ramped up and I had continuous spasms and no break from the horrendous pain. I couldn't take any more and somehow managed into partners car to go to A&E. Morphine didn't even touch it.
The spasms went but still had soreness and crunching for some weeks after.