Last September, I had quite a bad fall getting into the bath. My foot slipped and I went down like a ton of bricks into the water and bashed my ribs on the side of the bath quite badly. I'm not a person that bruises easily and the only bruise I had was on my elbow, although my ribs hurt quite badly, and with the pandemic, I didn't go to the doctors. It was a couple of weeks before I felt properly mobile again, and I did wonder if I'd broken a rib or two. I kept getting twinges in my right side (sometimes they are just beneath the ribs, other times they are further down) - the side that took the impact of the fall, and I'm still getting them . I don't know whether it is related to the fall or whether it is something to do with my IBS. I've suffered with that for many years and my symptoms vary, fluctuating between Diarrhoea and constipation and sometime stomach cramps (I have problems with a lot a FODMAPs so I restrict those in my diet and I also have coeliac disease). I was wondering if anyone else suffered with these types of pains, they are like stabbing/shooting pains, and more noticeable when bend down and over to my right. I suffer with health anxiety and I don't know whether I'm over thinking this or not. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to fill you in with background information. These pains have been happening since the fall.
Stabbing pains on right side: Last September, I... - IBS Network
Stabbing pains on right side
Go get it checked out by your GP, if possible, just to be on the safe side!
The reason I didn't go at the time was because I knew they couldn't do anything for broken ribs.
Oh! I didn't know that, I would have just gone to my doctors!
I agree with Maureen, get it checked so it is on your record. For the most part, they don't/can't treat broken ribs and usually will just prescribe pain killers.
Yes, the reason I didn't go to the doctor's at the time, was because I knew they can't do anything for broken ribs.
The problem can be if you puncture a lung, but you would have known about that by now. This happened to my husband, dx with broken ribs, by next morning he looked like Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters because air was escaping from his lungs into his body. He spent a few weeks in hospital.
Yes, I would have known by now. Your poor husband! That must have been very painful for him. Was it recent? I'm trusting he has recovered from his ordeal!
He is fine now, it was a few years ago, but he still gets breathless sometimes.
Sounds traumatising! Glad he’s okay!
In 2011 when I was fit and well and didn't have thing wrong with me, I suspect I broke a rib while crossing a metal gate in the rain. My foot slipped and I came down very hard on the top of the gate. I rang 111 NHS, and the doctor told me to watch out for breathlessness, etc. Told me to ring them back if worse. Also said they couldn't do anything for it if it was broken, but would send an ambulance if I was having trouble breathing. I didn't have the red alert symptoms for a punctured lung.
I was OK and did breathing exercises every day to make sure I didn't get pneumonia. It hurt to breathe but not impossible. Meanwhile I was walking the dog miles every day! lol
It healed in a while but took a few weeks.
Since then I sometimes get this awful pain in the same place (left side ribs)which shoots like a real "ouch" occasionally, lasts a few seconds then goes. It usually happens when I bend in a certain way.
My breathing is fine and there's no pain normally. I guess that might always happen now on rare occasions. It doesn't worry me.
But if I got it regularly it would concern me. Maybe if you get it too often, check with your Doc.?
Thank you for replying, that is very helpful, and appreciate the information. It's not like it's there all the time, but like you say, when I move in a certain way or when I bend over. I really went with a bang, when it happened, the water in the bath hit the ceiling! I was very careful at first and considered punctured lung scenario - My mother is a retired nurse and she asked me if I could breath okay too! I was out of action for a good while afterwards. I think maybe I had just taken such a really bad fall (bearing in mind I had no clothes to protect me) it was a brand new bath as well, making it extra slippery - although it did take me by surprise. Once something has been broken you can get pain in the area more or less forever. (I'm 63 so not a young person, and the older you are the more things like that take to heal properly, I would think.)
That sounded like a really bad fall, Ukulelelady...for the bathwater to hit the ceiling means you did go down with a crash for sure! Yes, old breaks do hurt sometimes. I also broke a bone in my foot when I was 18, and very occasionally it twinges even now 50 years later!
It's good you have your mother to help with advice too. She must have a wealth of knowledge being a retired nurse and can keep an eye on you a bit?
Yes, it was a very bad fall. I do truly believe I must have broken at least one rib, if not more. I read recently somewhere online, that people break ribs and often don’t realise. I expect they just soldier on, as we do.
Thank you for replying, I found what you said reassuring. Hope your foot doesn’t cause you too much pain.
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Does anyone else have stabbing pains in the right area of the back?
