Upon further research, comparing my symptoms to various reports on forums I believe I have a separated rib. A separated rib is tearing away from the cartilage that attaches the rib to the breastbone.
My symptoms pretty much matched up with this description:
Symptoms
-Ribs do not break skin
-Ribs show no sign of bruising
-Usually accompanied by a “pop” sound
-Initial pain level/duration varies based on seriousness/pain tolerance. Max unbearable pain usually 30-60 seconds
-At time of injury, may have noticeable space between ribs – usually slide somewhat back into place after a night of rest on the back
It has been 4 days since the initial injury and I am still in moderate discomfort and the rib is still “slipping” or “popping” out of place at random movements, although I notice that it is usually a twisting motion that triggers it and not a bending motion. For example I can tie my shoes without any pain but driving still makes me feel like the rib wants to move out of place.
I’m getting a bit annoyed at the injury because I thought I would be further along the road to recovery but it looks like I have to be a more …patient. Everything I have been researching is pointing at 6 weeks as the magic number for recovery but at week 1 that seems awfully far away.
Many places also recommended a Rib Belt to stabilize the rib; they are priced anywhere from $13 – $25 on average. I thought about it for a brief second before deciding that was a little overkill when I could use my trusty ace bandage wrap instead.
Funny enough the rib is a little more tender today than a few days ago, I’m thinking it’s because the swelling is coming down. I take it as a good sign because it means the real healing can start now, if I’m careful and don’t have the rib popping out! It makes me nervous every time the rib moves around because I can only think that every time it moves from where it is supposed to be it’s making the area where it rests a little bigger and giving the rib more room to escape.
Gotta be patient, gotta be careful.
Click here to see a timeline of my posts for when I was dealing with a separated rib, or costochondral separation
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
yo just read your thing same thing happened to me on 28th july 2010 and it popped out of place about 20 + times in the space of 2 days it didnt pop again after that but even now months later it still feels like enough pressure and it could pop. and it still causes me problems from time to time
try to sleep on the opposite side of the bust rib and prop up with pillows and take it easy for about a month or 2
Fell down icy subway stairs.I’m have pain breathing deeply,coughing etc.and with some movements. The pain is in my upper side towards my back. (I slid on my back). Could I have cracked a rib?
No popping or swelling but i do have pain when I take deep breathes or cough or sneeze. I also have sharp stabbing pain when lying down and try to roll over. It is very intense and takes my breath away. Supposed to have a CT Scan. Will this show anything if it is a costochrondal separation?
Thanks for your reply,
I never went to the doctors to get it checked out, visiting the professionals in white coats is usually a last resort measure I take after exhausting all other possibilities of healing the injury myself!
Good luck on your scan and keep us posted on whether or not it was a separated rib! I’m sure others suffering from the same condition would appreciate more information.
My ribs pop out and it causes great pain. I have to quit work cause sitting down hurts to much. Is there anything I can do to stop the pain. Don’t want to take any more pain relief.
what you described sounds exactly like what I did during Bjj training. I was reusing in an extremely prone position (fully extended). it’s been 10 days, and while the initial pain has subsided, I did feel stabbing pains if I twist the wrong way or run (so any kind of training is out for a while). I still feel “sliding” doing everyday activities and sleeping on the side that is injured is painful (doc says it’s my 6th or 7th rib – just below my left pec).
you guys have updates on how long it took before you could get back into training again? any tips to speed up tue recovery?
Darnell I am fully healed from the separated rib injury now but I remember how painful and uncomfortable it was when I had the injury!
You can read through my timeline of recovering from the injury here:
here
Sounds like what I’ve been experiencing since I was involved in a car wreck about 3 weeks ago. My ribs feel like they’re rolling around in my chest, and sometimes it feels like they are pinching my breast from the inside. Rib has been popping every time I breathe today. Is there any way to treat this other than just to wait it out?
I didn’t turn up anything, some people try the rib belt that I talk about if you want to give that a try…
I had something odd happen at work this morning. When I was squatting down, looking through my tool bucket for some photos from the wreck, I heard/felt the most ungodly “thunk” when somehow my sternum “popped”. Hopefully, the ribs that were rolling around popped back into place. I’m still very sore from the wreck, but thank goodness the pinching & rolling in my ribs hasn’t happened since.
BTW, I had tried to wear a rib belt, but had to stop because it was digging into my already sore ribs.
A little under 3 weeks ago I suffered this injury. I could hardly breathe for a minute and I was in extreme pain for a couple of minutes. I heard a pop /crack when it happened also. I went to the hospital straight away and I was told I possibly had a broken 6th rib but they could not be certain. For 4-5 days the rib would pop in and out of place giving a very sharp pain when it did, this slowed down before completely stopping. 2 weeks later I went to my Dr and he sent me for more X-Rays. They came back as not having a broken rib. I still have quite a large lump in the front where it kept popping out, even though it doesn’t pop out anymore. The pain I have now is all down my chest and under my ribs. The Dr tells me this is due to strained muscles and tendons.
Take it easy during the holidays!
Best wishes to you on your recovery
Admin, how long did it take you to recover?
I was able to run on the treadmill after 30 days as I wrote here.
I had a very minor relapse a few weeks afterwords but I was at 99% healed at 30 days.
Good luck in your recovery!
I am having tremendous pain and thought it was a heart issue because I do have 3 stents. I went to see my doctor and everything checked out ok for her. She rolled me over and leaned on me. I yelped and she said, “You have a rib separation. Take Ibuprofen and rest”. The pain started a couple of weeks ago when I was playing golf. I never heard or felt anything popping ever. I ignored it for a few weeks and I guess that is why it hurts so much now. I am wearing my significant other’s back brace wrapped around my chest so it is holding me together.
I have a rib separation (the 3d from the bottom) but never had any injuries. It’s like the cartilage just melted away. Nobody knows why it happened. Very annoying. It’s bent inward and twisted. Any ideas why would it happen? Oh, and sometimes my sternum hurts badly. First time I thought it’s a attack.
Thank you
Well, I have had my three seperations for about 6 years or more. Warning! The doc told me that because I didn’t get help before 6 months had passed, that there was nothing they could do for me. Basically I am F-ed. I can’t work, i have a hard time sleeping, and i cannot twist without risking pain (anywhere from mild to Extreme!) Getting up in the morning is horrible, and it takes about an hour to subside.
All this because I thought “I’m a man, I can take it.” In hindsight, this was as stupid as it always is/was. If you have this injury TAKE CARE OF IT!! Do not ignore it, it will get the better of you. There are also some side effects of the pain including stomach issues, stress problems, and an overall hypersesitivity to all things pain and exaustion, as if the pain itself wasn’t enough. Miss work, don’t exersize, and rest I guess. Just get it better!
Hey Josh, I doubt what you have is a seperated rib for 6 years, I mean unless you are punching yourself everyday re-seperateing them, then what you have is a chronic slow rate healing disease… anyway, I seperated my rib wrestling 8 weeks ago, and it sticks out now, its getting better but I am still training regardless… the body has an amazing way of adapting to damaged tissues, so you need to keep mobile, your body needs to recognize the injury so it can heal accordingly… rib wraps, or compression won’t work, you can’t isolate a rib, the ribs heal differently then other bones, hence the crazy amount of nerve ending they have to help the process… it sucks but that’s life
im unsure of what ive exactly done. but like you a leave the docs and medical people to a last resort. symptoms point to a seperated rib but im not quite sure. my rib doesnt pop out or move exactly that i can feel. im not one who feels pain having broken and dislocated stuff before but i have had extreamly bad pain in my rib when i breath or move really. i cant sneeze, it gives an excrutiating pain and i dont have the money to go get medical equiptment or doctors or the belt like ive been told to. i do and did play netball the last couple of afternoons and i work (envolving carrying heavy boxes and alot of bending) not making it any better, ive had excrutiating pains all through my right side ribs and chest so bad that me (somebody who never cries) was in tears and couldnt move at all during school 2 days ago. my back does crack alot if this has anything to do with it? im really after help or any ideas as of what to do? thanks
About 2 weeks ago I injured my rib(s) playing lacrosse. At first the pain was very intense….could barely breathe for a few minutes. About 20 minutes later I could stand but had very sharp pains when I moved. The pain is changing as time goes on (from front-to-back-then-to-the-front). Perhaps its because the swelling is going down? Before yesterday the pain felt more muscular. Now it is pretty evident the rib is poppin in and out from the breast bone area. Feels like the bone is flapping back and forth between a layer of cartilage. Sometimes it feels like it gets “stuck” which causes extreme momentary pain. Actually at one point the rib must have “replaced” itself temporarily because the pain almost went away for a couple hours. Then I moved. Nope. Not replaced. On here seems like going to the doc is a good idea, but nothing really specifies a solution they would provide. Maybe a rib brace, I guess, but seems like its really just a matter of time. Would this be true? Here’s to another 4 weeks of a combination of immediate stabbing and pressure packed dull pains to let me know I’m alive, right? Any advice would help please
You know Mark,
These symptoms seem very similar to the pain I was feeling in the first week.
If I remember correctly, it gradually went away. be patient!
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