Base Ribs, front and back.

[lillegirl]

On several occasions recently my ribs, back and front, all ache or feel bruised although I have done nothing to cause this, does anyone else have this problem?

[Runrig01]

Yes I suffer regularly with this too. My ribs are often tender to touch, and often when I try to turn in bed my rib cage hurts. My Rheumy told me it is part of the pmr. Once I'm up and about it seems to settle, definately worse when I'm in bed.

[lillegirl in reply to Runrig01]

Hi runrig01, mine is definitely worse during the day, but intermittent. Sometimes I have had nothing and then stand up and it feels as though my ribs have dropped and are rubbing/resting on something making them very tender and as though they are bruised. In bed I do not seem to suffer with it so it is the reverse to your problem. Confusion reins!!

[Annodomini]

I had that problem last winter and it took a long time to disappear. Only on the left side, though, so didn't put it down to PMR. The GP sent me for a chest X-ray which showed nothing amiss. I suspected it was a result of having had a bad chesty cold that involved a lot of coughing that put a strain on my rib muscles.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I wonder if you have tight muscles in your back that are pinching nerves and causing referred pain? I had that - once the back muscles were sorted out the pain in the ribs lessened.

[Suetum]

I had really bad rib pain before I was diagnosed when it hurt to yawn or take a deep breath. Now I get pain occasionally but nothing like as bad.

[tina-shelley in reply to Suetum]

Hello there, like suetum, prior to my diagnosis I suffered from terrible all round rib pain. this pain only appeared in the last 2 weeks pre diagnosis but once on pred the pain very quickly went. It came back, only slightly when I had a flare last year but once the flare was under control so was the rib pain. Regards, tina

[lillegirl]

Over the last month I have had many symptoms that seem to have been initiating a flare, after suffering really bad withdrawal symptoms for about 5-6 days on the reduction of Pred at the beginning of the month. GP does not want to increase them but is delaying monthly reduction until I have had meeting with consultant, maybe this is part and parcel of a flare, although seemingly intermittent. The trouble is that under Consultant inst, the reduction is monthly by 10mg at a time, I'm beginning to think it should be slower! I didn't have this symptom initially, which is why I couldn't work it out!! Many thanks for your input, also for all the other responses I have had!

[Runrig01 in reply to lillegirl]

Are you being treated for GCA? What dose are you currently taking? I know at the high doses for GCA some consultants reduce 10mgs at a time till they reach 20mgs then the taper slows down similar to pmr patients.

It seems bizarre that if you are showing signs of a flare the GP won't let you increase, instead letting the inflammation build up. Can you not go back to the last dose you were comfortable at?

[Pipistrelle]

Yep! I had this all through having PMR, it would shift around my ribs. It continued for over a year after I was off prednisalone, too, but is gone now (2 1/2 years on). There's actually a name for this kind of pain but don't remember it.