I was recently quite ill following a chest surgery (Xiphoid removal) with a bad case of Bronchitis that lasted for weeks and later turned in to a Sinus/Ear infection. During this time I pulled a lot of muscles and had a lot of muscle cramps around my ribs and abdomen, but more so ribs. I am noticing now since the past 3 weeks a lot of pain at the sides of my ribs (and slightly in my back), almost like a tightness or general discomfort. Sometimes the pain is constant, sometimes only when i lean back or lay on my sides (often when this occurs it feels like a pulled muscle). Sometimes it occurs while breathing deeply as well, but later goes away.
I had a chest x-ray two weeks ago and they informed me they could see no infection.
I am still coughing a bit on and off over the day, sometimes I still bring up a little bit of mucus, but it is mostly a dry cough. In the morning when I wake up I have to cough almost immediately and its quite mucusy, but then I feel fine.
I have had this in the past on and off with bad cases of Bronchitis, but I could swear it was only there during treatment and cannot recall if it persisted for awhile afterward.