Chest wall pain, intercostal muscle inflammation

[nsd_user663_44461]

Hi guys!

I'm a quit from Malaysia since 8th March 2012. I was smoking about 20 a day and for about 8 years. I'm 27 this year.

I've gone through the sore throat which I read is about the cilia rebuilding. But I've been having this sharp pain on my right chest all the way to the back near my back bone. I would wake up from the pain in the middle of the night. I've consulted 2 respiratory speecialiist and 1 rheumatologist and all of them suspect it is just intercostal muscle inflammation, and have prescribed me with 120mg Etoricoxib, Voltaron, and Norsegic (basically pain killers with muscle relaxant and anti inflammatory elements).

This pain has been around for far too long, about 2months now. I previously thought it came from a chronic cough which is the main reason why I quit.

Has anyone of you gone through this? Any method to reduce or make the pain go away?

Thanks ahead of time

Cheers,

Ken

[nsd_user663_48542]

Hi

It could be muscular, but i would ask your GP to send you for a chest xray, just to be on the safe side.

Im just going through the sore throat bit at the moment and that is worrying me sick as I have had it for over 2 weeks now, im on day 19 of quitting

Anyway keep me posted how you go on and good luck with it

Rach

[nsd_user663_11875]

Hi Ken

I had Intercostal Inflammation after a bad bout of flu. I was told the constant chesty coughing had caused it (not sure if you have been coughing after giving up or not). It was agony and I sympathise as I thought id broken ribs!

As its the area between the ribs all muscle, nerves and blood vessels all you can do is take anti-inflammatory meds and try and rest and not twist your upper body. If your coughing chestily it may be worth trying a cough medicine that will subdue the coughing for the moment as it will continue to do further damage as the muscles are not getting time to repair.

As i was still smoking at the time it took about 6 weeks to clear, i had went to the docs after 4 weeks got ibuprofen and a cough suppressant which definately helped.

Sorry cant suggest anything else, just try and rest as much as poss.

[nsd_user663_44461]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm safe from any growth, pleurisy, or cancer as I've had 2 different x-rays from 2 respirologists.

The cough went away 1 month after the quit, but the chest pain remains.

I'm just wondering if this is just another withdrawal where our body is trying to cope, or another healing process.

It really really hurts