Breaking a rib whilst coughing

[andyjevs]

Is it possible to break or fracture a rib by coughing too hard.

I had an evil cough a few weeks ago and during one particular fit, i coughed so hard whilst turning round and i had an excrutiating pain in my lowest left rib.

I can still feel it today if i touch the rib....it was a very painful thing....anyone suggest what i might of done !!!

[Gnisy]

I once had a pretty bad cough which lasted like.. forever. I just let the coughs go on and on until one day I coughed too hard and suddenly felt some abdominal pains. It was a sharp pain right between my ribs, where the sternum is, and I can only feel the pain WHEN I cough.

I asked my father about it and he, being the regular hypochondriac he is, told me that it was just a strained muscle. It is something like when you accidentally pull a muscle from moving too quickly or when you exerted too much force.

After that, I refrained from letting the coughs fly out of my lungs and started taking drowsy cough medicine which didn't help with the pain but kept the coughing down. My pain went away a week after the first sign of pain. What? I'm a lousy healer.

Hopefully that is the pain that you are referring to, because breaking a rib is really terrible. Either way, it is safer to go see a doctor about the pain. Best wishes.

[Jules001]

this is so freaky, I have just heard that my niece who has had a cough for ages has just come back from the Drs having been told that she has indeed cracked a rib through coughing so hard. Get it checked out Andy and hope you feel better for Christmas

[tigga]

Ouch ! - am not sure andy, but i sure hope you havent - they're not the nicest of injuries !.

[gingerflaps]

sounds to me like you have trapped your muscle between ur ribs? same thing happened to me once, it was ages before i was ok again!

[ralphybaby]

yes

[ralphybaby]

YES my father broke two ribs, but he was getting on in life

[lcorby]

yes it is possible. I have a cracked rib from coughing seen my dr.have to take regular deep breaths 3 every hour, I am also on antibiotics for the chest infection, you must keep moving about though so as not to let the infection get a hold. hope this helps

[lcorby]

yes it is possible I am sat here with one.I am now on antibiotics for the chest infection and I have to take 3 deep breaths every hour and also keep moving to prevent any further infection so keep moving and taking those big breaths