Acute pain on right rib area - felt like something moved out of place

[docpeg2]

Has anyone experienced these symptoms?  Persistant dry cough.  Took in a deep breath.  Something felt like it moved out of place on the right back rib area.  Acute pain - pressure on front rib area near sternum.  Could do nothing but SCREAM until whatever it was moved back into place.  Third time that it has happened, but getting worse both in level of pain and in duration.  7 days since last episode - still sore on entire right side rib area (both front and back).  Initially, there was swelling in the front near breast bone.  This is where I felt the most pain during the attack.  After a week of healing, swelling is going down, but the pain is still bad.  When taking a breath, I can still feel pain and pressure under the right rib cage (front and back).  I have been to doctor and have taken the x-rays.  Heart is normal size and the lungs are clear.  Doctor acks like I am a hypochondriac.  I am 57 years old and do not normally complain, but this pain was so severe that I am afraid of the next attack.  I have had three attacks.  The last one was so severe that I don't think I can take it again.  Please help!  If you are reading this, I want to say thank you for your thoughts and advice.  I know that if you are reading this, that you also have pain.  I hope that you are able to find answers and pain relief.

[KingsVentures]

hey, here is a possible...I had the exact symptoms last summer. The pain would radiate around the ribs to my back. While in for mamogram I ask the examiner. She said she believed it was a pulled muscle at the "zyphoid process". She suggested I confirm with a doctor. Sure enough that is what he said, and I didn't even volunteer the examiners idea until after the doctor said it. I had forgotten what she called it. Apparently it is muscles torn away from the ribcage, just at the junction of the sternum. He said there is really nothing he can do. Just let it heal and avoid lifting or anything else that aggravates it. A continued tear can result in a hernia and they are difficult to repair, as it is heard to sew to rib....bad thing  is he said it takes 6 months to heal. It is now 8 months later and I am no better. So I am not much help other than to put a name to it.

[docpeg2]

Thank you so much for your posting.  I will ask the doctor.  I have been diagnosed with diabetes and enlarged liver and pancreas.  The doctor guessed that the pancreas slipped under the rib cage when I took the deep breath.  He said that the diapham moves up when breathing deep, giving the pancreas a place to move when so enlarged.  

Maybe what I was told will help you.  Thank you so much for the lead.  It is all a guessing game with the doctors.  I felt like I was in the tv show, "House".  By the end of the show they have six diagnosis.