Anxiety/Pain

[Netiri1998]

I'm really worried right now, side of my ribs below underarm area keep feeling tender to touch and hurt some, it's getting me really worried, I have been coughing more than usual due to allergies, it makes my fear of dying worse and makes me scared to sleep, my mind keeps saying it could be serious or something like lung cancer etc, (I know that seems crazy to think) but then again I keep telling myself it could be nothing, I'm trying not to over think what it could be, what should I do?

[Jeff1943]

I think the constant coughing has caused a strained muscle. Or maybe it's muscular tension caused by anxiety. Either way, it's nothing life-threatening: as you say, it's crazy to start thinking it's lung cancer. This is just your over-anxious mind exaggerating everthing and making you think every small ache and cough is something life threatening.

Just accept these strange thoughts and sensations, accept them for the moment instead of constantly flooding your nervou system with fear hormones which only perpetuate the problem.

[Maribee]

Hi Netiri...it could be Costocondritis....inflammation of one or more ribs..,if you have been coughing a lot you might have irritated a muscle something.

Look it up online.

One thing for sure...if you press it and it hurts, it's not a heart problem, so try not to worry.....I've had Costocondritis twice, it's painful and takes a while to go away...try and rest...also rub in some anti-inflammatory if you have some.

[Hidden]

Hi I have exactly same as you went drs she said my lungs are fine and that at sometime I have strained the muscles in my ribs. Told me to take paracetamol and rub a muscle gel where it hurts, maybe all the coughing has triggered your pain off. Pain killers do help. I am like you I worry about every pain I get thinking it could be cancer it'ts a horrible feeling x

[Sofias]

I think it’s your ribs. I recently had horrible pain in my ribs in the same spot as you, for no obvious reason. When you cough your ribs expand too you know. And bruising a rib hurts like hell. And when you say it hurts when you press there makes it even more obvious that it should be the ribs. You can’t touch your lungs so don’t believe it’s your lungs