Strained intercostal muscle?

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Hello. Wondering if anyone has ever strained their intercostal muscle (between ribs) and if so how painful it was?
I fell heavily in the bath and landed on my RHS ribs on the side of the bath. It was sore but ok really for the first week but since then the pain has been agonising if breathing deeply, coughing, sneezing or moving in certain ways (trying to get off the sofa or turn over in bed).
A physio via video call said it was probably just a strain of the intercostal muscles but it is so agonising. I wanted to ask on here whether anyone else has had similar or whether any medical professionals could suggest what else it could be? Not sure if I should be worrying Thx

Moved to General Health to see if anyone can offer any advice. I’m in agony 😢

This happened to me quite recently. So I went to the pharmacist. She was brilliant, she recommended ibuprofen. She said she could sell me stronger OTC meds, but I should stick to this first. After about 2 weeks it cleared up, although I still get the odd twinge. I agree - it was bloody painful.

Thanks so much for replying. That’s reassuring you found it really painful too. It’s hard to believe that a muscle strain could feel so awful. I’ll get some ibuprofen tomorrow

Literally went to doctors with a very similar thing today - think caused by constantly picking my kids up!

Inflamed cartilage around the ribs which is causing my chest and back pain!

I’m no expert and don’t know if this is the same thing but I have done something to my self coughing very violently and the doc suggested it could be intercostal damage. Mine does not hurt to breathe but if I cough or try to sit up, I feel as if I am being stabbed just under my rib cage on the left hand side. I was quite shocked by the intensity of the pain.

My friend fell in a similar way to you and was in utter agony for quite a few weeks. I think in her case she had probably sustained cracked ribs rather than intercostal damage.

You have my absolute sympathy.

Your symptoms sound very similar to when I fractured my ribs, however, it’s just rest and time that heals them.

I had a strained intercostal muscle from lifting many sacks of coal
The pain on breathing was very bad

I had a chest x ray and luckily it was an intercostal muscle strain

BUT another time I had a very bad chest infection- the pains were similar but I had a very high temperature.

I have had very painful ribs since early December. I got a virus and couldn’t stop coughing hence strained the muscles round my ribs.
Ibuprofen was the best help for me.
Unfortunately the pain doesn’t stop until the muscles have rested a while ime.

I did this by coughing when I was very ill. It go better after a few weeks

Thanks for replying. How did you fracture your ribs? I have quite a lot of (cough) padding round my bones so I didn’t think I could have fractured my ribs but I did fall very heavily and I’m quite incapacitated by the pain atm

I was on a step ladder that slid and I crashed down on my ribs on one side whilst trying to hold on. I was very bruised but it was some time after before the pain came out and really quite incapacitated me.

Trying to get comfortable in bed at night was so painful, as was breathing in deeply, coughing or sneezing. It was really quite miserable!

I've had it twice- once plopping myself down on concrete after getting out of a swimming pool and once when a driver gave me a bear hug. Both times I felt a 'pop'. It was months before I recovered from the first injury but not so long for the second. Pain killers helped.

That sounds so similar to mine. Did you get an x-ray to see that your ribs were fractured?

I did this once and it was painful. The doctor said to me it’s because they’re not muscles that can be rested, you literally use them every time you breathe. Hot water bottle helped me.

Have your actually had it looked at in person though? I had to go through all sorts of tests before they could confirm that was what mine was, basically rule everything else out. Though I was pregnant at the time so they were being extra cautious

Yes, GP suspected fracture and sent me for an X-ray just to make sure all was ok, where it was confirmed.

I would definitely speak with your GP or if you have a minor injuries unit you could attend.

Do hope you start to feel better soon.

No, I didn’t even try to get a GP appointment or go to A&E as I thought it would be a long wait.
I’ll ask to be referred for an X-ray on my private policy.

Yes. Horrendously painful. Took 6 weeks to heal.

Bloody hell, I can’t face six weeks of this.

they don't always x-ray for ribs unless there's physical examination suggesting an underlying lung injury/pneumothorax/haemothorax (and a cxr doesn't 100% exclude rib fractures because you can't see all the ribs that well). Best bet would be to see a doctor and see what they think re imaging and discuss better pain relief. It seems like a slightly bold physio diagnosis over the phone.

You may have broken ribs, I did this 3 months ago , falling on my side against the edge of a desk, breathing, coughing, moving were all very painful and I had broken ribs on that side, the worst of the pain lasted 3 weeks but it took a long time to completely settle. I was advised by 111 to go to A&E because I was struggling to breathe initially but luckily hadn’t caused any lung problems. There is also a risk of developing a chest infection if you are breathing shallowly because it is so painful

It could be costochondritis. That can be triggered by a minor trauma injury. It feels like you're being stabbed when you breathe, and it's tender to the touch. The only thing for that is rest and codeine based painkillers, as well as paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Your thread is reassuring to me, that I'm not alone.

I broke 3 ribs mid December and the pain is getting worse.

I had a second xray showing intercostal muscle strain too.

5 weeks in, still agony, especially at night.

I'm hoping i don't get a flu as the cough would finish me.

Just to update in case it is helpful to anyone, my pain has pretty much gone now so it only took three weeks from when I did it. It was surprisingly painful for just a muscle strain.

I'm glad to hear it.

Hopefully I'm on the way to recovery too.

It is the most painful thing that I have experienced.