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Popped rib
In August, I didn't realise it, but I popped a rib, which the doctor and physio failed to diagnose. After 7 weeks I went to a chiropractor who found it and put it back into place. Since then it has 'popped ' out again 16 times with ever increasing frequency. I am now averaging every 3 days.... I have to go to the chiropractor every time to have it put back again. I am getting increasingly depressed, broke! and in constant pain. Is there any surgery that can be done to hold the rib in place?
I WAS injured at work, went to a chiropractor finally and had an adjustment, as she pushed and twisted she popped my rib head out, it popped real loud, it was agony i actually felt my rib cage lift twist and pop..it proceeded to do it again the next three days, i finally had to go on workmans comp you HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO SIT WHERE IT DOESNT HURT, HOLD A HEATING PAD ON YOUR RIBS, ONLY THING THAT HELPED ME, IT TAKES ABOUT SIX TO 8 WEEKS, YOU CANT LIFT ANYTHING FOR 6 WKS OR IT POPS YOU OUT..finally i can lift and not pop out..but for some reason my ribs still hurt and no one knows why...but at least i dont pop out now, i also used NOW essential oils peppermint, wintergreen frankincense, lavender, spearmnt i made a mix of all them in a spray bottle, some sandal wood or cedarwood help to they are sedatives to your nerves,
I have been dealing with a popped out rib since December now. I have gone to the chiropractor several times, and within 6 hours it pops out again. just wondering if anyone knows how to help it from popping out.
Hey VerityMarie, plemas:
Where have you been all my life? I have a rib that often pops out, due to a bad exercise when I was 36. I'm now a 45 year old instructor in karate and a blue belt in BJJ, and this re-occurring injury is my worse nemesis. Your trick worked great, and should help marvellously in the future. I did it with a towel wrapped around a piece of doweling the first time, and the massage roller running lengthwise along the spine is even more comfortable. Thanks a bunch. I just cancelled my chiropractor appt. I'm going to try using my Bowflex, and doing some low weight reps of shoulder contractions (rhomboids) to heal. When it calms down, I'll up the weight for future stability.
Where have you been all my life? I have a rib that often pops out, due to a bad exercise when I was 36. I'm now a 45 year old instructor in karate and a blue belt in BJJ, and this re-occurring injury is my worse nemesis. Your trick worked great, and should help marvellously in the future. I did it with a towel wrapped around a piece of doweling the first time, and the massage roller running lengthwise along the spine is even more comfortable. Thanks a bunch. I just cancelled my chiropractor appt. I'm going to try using my Bowflex, and doing some low weight reps of shoulder contractions (rhomboids) to heal. When it calms down, I'll up the weight for future stability.
I too have suffered for about 5 months now but im just finally beginning to realised what it is that i have and what i can do about it.
1) see chiropractor and get the ribs put back in place, or do it yourself via laying on tennis balls, folded up towels, knee in the back, someone pushing the ribs into place whilst holding opposite shoulder, laying on foam rollers etc.. 2) Rest, do as little as possible and wear an ACE bandage, rib brace/belt/support in order to keep the ribs from popping out. Not sure how long to leave it on for to be honest but next step
3) Rehab: rowing and pull down and rotational exercises
4) lots of ice bags and ibuprofen to keep down swelling throughout.
5) If the ribs pop out again, repeat the process until the ribs learn to stay in through above recommendations
I too was thinking, this is ridiculous, im coming back from the chiros and within a day or two going back to ask him to pop them back in again. Once i was just cycling past and asked him to whack them back in quickly, no fee. Took less than a minute, how is he gonna charge me for that. Anyway, might just go back one more time and start the above process again to make sure all the rib heads are neatly tucked away to make sure..
1) see chiropractor and get the ribs put back in place, or do it yourself via laying on tennis balls, folded up towels, knee in the back, someone pushing the ribs into place whilst holding opposite shoulder, laying on foam rollers etc.. 2) Rest, do as little as possible and wear an ACE bandage, rib brace/belt/support in order to keep the ribs from popping out. Not sure how long to leave it on for to be honest but next step
3) Rehab: rowing and pull down and rotational exercises
4) lots of ice bags and ibuprofen to keep down swelling throughout.
5) If the ribs pop out again, repeat the process until the ribs learn to stay in through above recommendations
I too was thinking, this is ridiculous, im coming back from the chiros and within a day or two going back to ask him to pop them back in again. Once i was just cycling past and asked him to whack them back in quickly, no fee. Took less than a minute, how is he gonna charge me for that. Anyway, might just go back one more time and start the above process again to make sure all the rib heads are neatly tucked away to make sure..
I have had trouble with upper ribs dislocating for most of my life. I have usually been able to relocate the rib by relaxing/repositioning, but as I grew older it became harder and harder. Then a massage therapist told me how to do fix it and it works pretty much every time: Roll up a towel lengthwise into a long tube and lay it on the floor - it should be about 2" across (I now use a swim noodle for this). Lay on the towel/tube so it runs length-wise down the side of your spine that the dislocation is on, just nestled into the groove next to your spine. I position myself so that the end of the tube stops just below my waist. Relax into the roll - you have to relax those muscles! Now roll slightly side-to-side, just work it a bit until your rib pops back in. It's not always immediately obvious that it has relocated but sometimes it is. Sometimes I have to repeat it a couple of times, other times it pops right back in. Good luck!
I have ribs that pop out occasionally both in the front and back. I saw advice in a comment to not use a rib brace or support because of possible ill effects. I'm glad I didn't see that comment before I went and bought a wrap around back support last week because it is the best thing I have ever found to help once the rib is back in place to keep it back in while the ligaments are healing and prevent from re-occurence. It's ike an elastic corset with velcro that wraps around and comes together in the front. It sits above my abdomen, but is longer than most rib braces I've seen pictures of. It also has additional elasticized velcro adjusters that can make the support even tighter. I tried about five different supports on in the medical supply store and they were all too weak in the support they offered, and said "mild support" on the box. Only when I found medium support with the extra adjustment straps did I find something I felt would prevent my rib from popping out when I got up from the bed or sofa, bent over etc. I wore it for two days straight, and it felt amazingly good--you can breathe easily because it's made of firm elastic. And I'm surprised it wasn't hot as I was expecting--it's summer in Texas. After my husband popped my ribs back in for the umpteenth time, I carefully put it on, and wore it, and then the third day wore if for half a day, and so far, a week later my rib hasn't come out again. It was coming out every day, multiple times per day before that. Hope that helps. By the way, I think the type of rib belt that there might be warnings about could be the old style rib belts that were not made of elastic, just regular fabric and were very restrictive.
Ben,
I loved your analogy concerning let an injury like this rest and 'reglue'. I feel this is very good advice. I just dislocated my right floating rib 5 days ago. I didn't know this had happened. I thought it was pulling my lower lat and intercostal. It was a strange pain I had never had in decades of lifting weights. It was not the weight lifting that caused it. It was breaking up soil in the vegetable garden, which I hadn't done in a number years. The impact with the shovel caused it.
I went and had a massage yesterday and it felt better. This morning while Foam Rolling my back I was letting the force of foam rolling sit on the spot for 20 seconds there was a huge pop. That is when the light came on in my head.
I am icing it, it now really hurts. I am also wearing an large ACE bandage around my lower chest area to prevent it from popping out of place again. It also lowers the pain when moving during regular activities of daily living.
Thanks to all for your experiences.
I loved your analogy concerning let an injury like this rest and 'reglue'. I feel this is very good advice. I just dislocated my right floating rib 5 days ago. I didn't know this had happened. I thought it was pulling my lower lat and intercostal. It was a strange pain I had never had in decades of lifting weights. It was not the weight lifting that caused it. It was breaking up soil in the vegetable garden, which I hadn't done in a number years. The impact with the shovel caused it.
I went and had a massage yesterday and it felt better. This morning while Foam Rolling my back I was letting the force of foam rolling sit on the spot for 20 seconds there was a huge pop. That is when the light came on in my head.
I am icing it, it now really hurts. I am also wearing an large ACE bandage around my lower chest area to prevent it from popping out of place again. It also lowers the pain when moving during regular activities of daily living.
Thanks to all for your experiences.
Damn BJJ, popped my rib out for the 3rd time now. Trying to get ready for a tournament in Feb too. Totally jones'n to roll.....This *****!
Hey everyone
I've had ribs popping out time and time again and the only thing that has helped me is swimming. Not long at the start 10 laps in a 25m pool I started with. I would do 2 laps the rest 30 sec. I found breaststroke to be the best and swimming got the muscles moving and exercising. It also helped with the pain. I got up to 50 laps, then decided to go back to martial arts and what do I do, I popped 3 ribs out and had to start again.
Resting I found didn't help me at all.
Good luck
I've had ribs popping out time and time again and the only thing that has helped me is swimming. Not long at the start 10 laps in a 25m pool I started with. I would do 2 laps the rest 30 sec. I found breaststroke to be the best and swimming got the muscles moving and exercising. It also helped with the pain. I got up to 50 laps, then decided to go back to martial arts and what do I do, I popped 3 ribs out and had to start again.
Resting I found didn't help me at all.
Good luck
I have seen first hand prolotherapy/ sclerotherapy injections working. I have a third rib that continually pops out of my sternum. I am currently looking for a DO ( doctor of ostopathy) to do the injections. insurance doesn't pay for them.
I too have been suffering from this mystery rib problem. It has been almost 4 years and it has caused a drastic lifestyle change for me. I am no longer able to go to the gym or exercise ( my main stress relief), I toss and turn all night, it hurts to lift or push anything, and it has effected my relationship with family, friends and husband. I have tried everything in the book: massage, rolfing, chiropractor, physical therapy, MRI, X-ray, cortisone shot, prolozone shots, muscle relaxers, 800 mg ibuprofen, etc. I am currently taking an anti-depressant as an alternative for the pain and because I have been so down and blue from this pain.
I want to give you all HOPE. I recently went to a Pain Management clinic here in my town. After hearing ALL of my stories and pain and a few tests the Dr. believes that I have loose ligaments, which can be hereditary. I had a shoulder injury that caused me to stop using my left arm for almost 3 years. My muscle became weak on that side. To the point where I could barely blow dry my hair or put it up in a braid. She believes that my already loose ligaments are not holding the already weak muscles in place properly and therefore my rib is not held in place so it and a few others keep popping out. Because my muscles are overworking to try to stay in place and keep the rib in they are spasming and that is some of the excruciating pain I am feeling.
I have been instructed to work that muscle either with physical therapy or on my own. I am also going to be starting prolozone shots in the ligament area to help tighten it back up. I have HOPE!!!
I want to give you all HOPE. I recently went to a Pain Management clinic here in my town. After hearing ALL of my stories and pain and a few tests the Dr. believes that I have loose ligaments, which can be hereditary. I had a shoulder injury that caused me to stop using my left arm for almost 3 years. My muscle became weak on that side. To the point where I could barely blow dry my hair or put it up in a braid. She believes that my already loose ligaments are not holding the already weak muscles in place properly and therefore my rib is not held in place so it and a few others keep popping out. Because my muscles are overworking to try to stay in place and keep the rib in they are spasming and that is some of the excruciating pain I am feeling.
I have been instructed to work that muscle either with physical therapy or on my own. I am also going to be starting prolozone shots in the ligament area to help tighten it back up. I have HOPE!!!
I have been dealing with rib dislocation for roughly 18 months now and have had no relief save for a handful of hours here and there after having a chiro pop it back into place. The ribs will come back out of socket within hours with a new wave of vengeful pain. I have had one treatment of prolo (which I found disconcerting and painful) with absolutely zero success. My chiro wants to try another round with me and I'm disinclined to acquiesce. The prolo procedure ***** to receive and feels like a freshly broken bone immediately afterward.
I am prepared to go to a surgeon to see what can be done about a permanent solution. This thread has given me very little hope that there is one.
I am prepared to go to a surgeon to see what can be done about a permanent solution. This thread has given me very little hope that there is one.
I am in Jiu Jitsu as well... popped an old injured rib one week, got prolotherapy and fought in ibjjf a week later just fine.... however two weeks later I was rolling and defended an arm bar and popped another rib on the other side.... I popped my own rib back in place and now I can't pop it back in a week later... difficult to breath... thank God I'm going back to my doctor for prolotherapy on Monday! Dr. Hauser in Oak Brook, IL http://caringmedical.com He also treated my torn ACL, which is almost 100% recovered without surgery.
My husband has had his lower rib on both the right and left side towards the back, pop out of place at least 2x/day. He just started a new job as a welder at a recognized company. Been there for almost 3 months when it started. The pain he feels while working is unbearable and he has come home 4 times because he cannot perform his job. We even took a week off work with no pay with hope that the ribs would be put back in and properly heal without him working. Even that did not work, because from doing nothing the ribs still popped out of place. He has seen 2 chiros..the last one did Electrical muscle stimulation which seems to help hold the ribs into place for 1 whole day. But he is in danger of losing his job! They told him he has 1 week to prove that he is of value to the company or they have to let him go..so they gave him easier things to do, to see if he can do it. He can do the easier jobs but he is still in so much pain, and is ribs are popped out while at work. We have been told to see a specialist. But our family doctor said there is nothing you can do about ribs that pop out. He pretty much said you have to tough it out, which is what the chiros told us too. But to satisfy his boss, we are scheduling to see a orteopedic sports medicine specialist to maybe get some more answers?? We don't know what else to do! And his ribs did not start popping out until AFTER he started this new job, he's a welder so he does alot of repetitive movements again and again, the doc said that could be one of the reasons they popped out or because of his age and his sleeping pattern. So he was put on anti depressants that have muscle relaxers, that kinda seems to help, but the ribs will not stay in place for nothing. If anybody has any suggestions or anything it would be greatly appreciated!!!
I am 40 now & have been dealing with ribs popping out for over 7yrs now. Chiro puts them back, but never lasts for more then a day or 2. Use to be left side only, but now its both sides & multiple ribs. I have been told its my job, I work on a farm. However I took 3mo off & nothing got better. I did get some pain relief when they injected 3 ribheads but didn't fix anything. Only lasted 3 mo then pain came back with a vengence~! No insurance so I suppose I will live with this pain & not being able to breath for the rest of my life!
I have tried taping, therapy, chiropractors, braces, & injections. Nothing helps for more then a couple days. Good luck, I have just about given up all hope.
I have tried taping, therapy, chiropractors, braces, & injections. Nothing helps for more then a couple days. Good luck, I have just about given up all hope.
I was wondering if you may new the awnser. i have a spinal hematoma according to the hospital you dont get severe back pain with that do you ? the pain is top right under under shoulder blade, middle right side of back to the side of spine and lower left, then inbetween shoulders at top of spine, and middle left of pain its acute and constant. then it hurts lower left and right of chest under breasts. ivr been referred to physio for this back pain. when i do get an appoint through to start, is itveorth mentioning ??? im taking ibrebrufon but not helping
Have you found out anything new lately that helps. I have this same problem where dull pain is constant in mid/upper back and under my armpit towards the lower outside corner of my shoulder blade. I have to manipulate my ribs several times a day. Usually I can place my opposite palm under my breast or on the pointy part of my collar bone and push up and back and the first couple of ribs crack deep and loud. Other times I need my wife to stand on my chest and place both feet in-between my the corner of my arm and my pec muscle and then lean back on her heals and the rib will pop back in fairly loudly. As someone already mentioned a laying face down on a tennis ball works at times as well.
Seats with high backs are very bad to sit in for me as I always feel the need to lean back in a low back chair to pop the back in place. Some chiros have helped by adjusting the hips, ribs, neck, and back during the same session but is does not last long. Sometimes I am so out of wack from it, my left leg is 2" longer than my right leg. I have had this for almost 10 years now. When it's really really bad I take a benzo and it settles down for a couple of days.
Seats with high backs are very bad to sit in for me as I always feel the need to lean back in a low back chair to pop the back in place. Some chiros have helped by adjusting the hips, ribs, neck, and back during the same session but is does not last long. Sometimes I am so out of wack from it, my left leg is 2" longer than my right leg. I have had this for almost 10 years now. When it's really really bad I take a benzo and it settles down for a couple of days.
Hi Maureen
It's now 4 and 1/2 years since I started this thread and I am still suffering! My ribs are fine for a few months and then will 'pop out' again many times before they settle down again (I've not managed to last a whole year yet!) The medical profession still refuse to recognise this condition (I have seen several doctors, physios and an orthopaedic consultant - all refuse to even investigate the ribs and insist it must be a trapped nerve or muscular........) so over the last few years I have spent a lot of money at the chiropractors getting fixed!!!!!!!!
It's now 4 and 1/2 years since I started this thread and I am still suffering! My ribs are fine for a few months and then will 'pop out' again many times before they settle down again (I've not managed to last a whole year yet!) The medical profession still refuse to recognise this condition (I have seen several doctors, physios and an orthopaedic consultant - all refuse to even investigate the ribs and insist it must be a trapped nerve or muscular........) so over the last few years I have spent a lot of money at the chiropractors getting fixed!!!!!!!!
Doc Jain, I would like to get in touch with you. I have the same chronic head of rib popping out and need help ASAP. I don't want to live like this the rest of my life. Please let me know which state/country you live in. I am very desperate.
In reply to JainMD: it appears that you did not really read the problems that you had commented on in this forum. Jo was describing a problem with a rib head that had come out of position... Not a fracture! And Kelly even mentioned that the problem she was having was not a fracture. However, you were giving care instructions for a fractured rib which is a completely different diagnosis and treatment. Please carefully read (and understand) a post before making a comment.
Im in school, and I have had a cold for 1 week now and Im constantly in pain. My middle back on the right side hurts. What should I do?
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