sudden, sharp pain in ribs (not baby kicking!) - what is it?

[LiegeAndLief]

I've had a cough and sore ribs for a while now, but coughed this morning and felt something go pop in my ribs - it was really really painful, I couldn't move for a few minutes, but it's easing off now with some paracetemol. Still very painful when I cough or blow my nose and there's no way I could pick up my 2-year-old. I'm only 20 weeks pg so the baby is no where near my ribs yet! Any idea what it is and whether it will go away on its own? Dh is really keen for me to go to the doctor but I don't know if they will be able to do anything...

you might (I stress the might) have broken or dislocated a rib. I did in my last pregnancy at 13wks, thru the force of vomiting!!

if you have there isn;t really anything they can do, bar painkillers and supportive tube bandage (they gave me massive tubagrip bandaging to cover my ribs.....very attrative).

my sympathies if yoou have.....tis not fun for a good couple weeks.

I would go to the docs tho........if you are coughing that badly you might need something for it.

I agree with Psycho, I had this over Christmas after the flu - very sore rib on one side. It was eventually dx as either a bruised or cracked rib, it hurt for about 2 weeks but was fine after that.

Sorry you're in pain. If you see the GP maybe they will give you a support thing, might be more important when you're pg as things are looser already iyswim!

An osteopath or chiropractor might be able to pop it back in. But yes, all your joints ect are looser with the old 'relaxin' stuff running around your system allowing your to body to stretch to accommodate your baby

Thanks everyone, broken/dislocated/cracked rib sounds a bit scary, maybe I should listen to dh and ring the doctor! It has definitely eased off a bit since this morning though.

Oddly the cough was getting better - I really didn't cough that hard - must just have been in the wrong position or something!

Yes I think mine happened at the end of the cough, very odd. I didn't remember doing it.

There's normally nothing they'll do unless it has punctured your lung or something else jolly like that

I was talking to NHS direct and asking what to do. 'Are you conscious and breathing?' wasn't really helpful.! Usually a cracked rib will heal itself. Try not to fret.

LOL at "Are you conscious and breathing"

I am still breathing fine so assume both lungs are intact!