Stomach / left hand side pulled or torn muscle related to coughing.

[Justaguy2]

stomach muscle/left hand side muscle pull/tear, I have possible COPD and developed a pain when coughing in my left hand side last 10 days or so, coughing in bed last night and felt a shooting pain/tear or pull across my left side lower rib and top of stomach, and now have a lot of pain when moving and coughing or sharp breathing in i would say supporting body weight above stomach.

[sassy59]

Phone your doctors surgery and ask to speak with a GP. You should get a phone call or video call and explain what has happened.

Wishing you well. Xxx

[Ergendl]

Are you able to massage the area with your fingertips, and only feel soreness, not acute pain?

Hope you manage to get useful help from your GP.

[Justaguy2 in reply to Ergendl]

Doctor told me leave it for 10 days and if still have the cough get a chest xray.

if it were not for the virus i would have been to hospital a long time ago i guess like a lot of people as A&E attendances have dropped by 43%.

I do not feel acute pain only minor sharp stabbing pains when i massage area.

[Ergendl in reply to Justaguy2]

I'm no doctor, so I can't diagnose you. I can only speak from my own experience. When I first got similar pains in the rib muscles around my heart, I saw my GP and he explained it was intercostal muscle overstretching.

When I get that sort of soreness, I have overstretched my intercostal muscles, usually from coughing or from forgetting to take my reliever inhaler before doing something strenuous that will stretch my lungs. I treat it with warmth (a hot water bottle not too hot, or a microwaveable wheat bag) and regular gentle massage.

Hoping this may help. Always check with a GP if this is too sore to help.

[Justaguy2 in reply to Ergendl]

Thank you