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203342 tn?1328737207

internal bruising after a fall or something else?

I fell hard while stepping over a gate and since I had something in my hands I didn’t catch myself when I fell and fell full force on my left side and knocked the breath out of me from the force of it. I felt pretty sore around my ribs and side to around my back but I thought I’d just give it time and rest. The next day I did go to the ER because I kept having a sharp pain in my rib area when I moved, even if I moved slowly and I’d get a sharp pain with breathing unless I breathed more shallowly. They did a CT scan and didn’t show any breaks so sent me home with pain meds. I again thought I just need to give it time but it’s been almost a week now and I’m still feeling really sore and sharp pains on this side and with breathing. I can’t lift my arm too high and I can’t carry or bear weight with this arm on this side. Should I just give it more time or could it be more than just internal bruising that didn’t show up on the CT scan? Also, even though it had nothing to do with the fall, they did notice something in my uterus they think I should get checked out as it’s grown twice as big as the last CT scan done 6 years ago and they think it’s probably a fibroid but said for me to get a pelvic ultrasound to make sure. I’m pretty sure it probably is a fibroid but wondering if I should be concerned about that as well. Should I get any more tests or just give this more time? Thank you.
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203342 tn?1328737207
So I finally got a referral to PT and started getting some physical therapy. I’ve gone now 3 times and I think it’s a little better. The PT guy is pretty sure  I have Costochondritis. He said that can take a long time to heal and that doctors always give that typical 6-8 week time frame for most injuries but that doesn’t apply in this case. He’s done
some ultrasound, infrared heat, electrodes stimulation and stretches. I do think it’s a little better and am confident given more time I’ll be as good as new in no time. Just wanted to update everyone, thanks!
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203342 tn?1328737207
The doctor told me to give it another week or two and if it wasn’t any better or gets worse to come back in and they can do an MRI to see if there’s a muscle tear. In a way I do feel it’s gotten worse. I know it’s only been 3 days since I’ve seen him but it’s not just that it’s sore or I get the random sharp pains, I also feel like I have a huge Charley horse feeling on this side I fell on and last night it felt like agony. I couldn’t even carefully lay down or move at all, it hurt so bad. It finally let up but still feels like things are stretched tight all along my side and I feel like something is maybe a bit swollen or bloated or something right around my left side rib area. Could that all just be internal bruising? Should I still give it another week or so? I’m taking Ibuprophen and muscle relaxants at night and it takes the edge off, I guess,I  but still feel pain and discomfort.
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5 Comments
Hey April - long time! I'm happy to see you, but sorry it's because of this. :(

If it were me, I'd go back since it's getting worse, not better, and you're in agony. This could be a sign of something they need to see that the CT missed, or that the swelling is causing.

Let us know what happens, and hope you feel better soon!
Hi Emily, I called and left a message with my pcp. They recently changed my doctor and I haven’t met this new one but a pa a few days ago. I don’t want to seem like I’m just being a whiney baby since he said give it another week, I just wanted to make sure this could happen just from internal bruising. :-(
April2,
You aren't being a whiny baby. If your symptoms are worsening and the pain is increasing, you should go back sooner, rather than later.
I do hope you get answers and feel better quickly.
Thanks. I have anotjer appointment Friday to see if an MRI should be done. I’m still really hurting, especially when I try and lay down in bed, as I’m carefully laying down it’s the worst pain and then I have to lay still on my back or the other side and it still hurts but it’s the laying down part that is really bad or certain ways I move.
I am sorry you are still hurting so much. I hope you get some relief and answers on Friday Apeil.
20803600 tn?1546262537
COMMUNITY LEADER
Did they also examine your arm/shoulder? It could be you bruised deeply and the pain is connected to that. A hairline crack may not always be immediately visible, so if it continues, I would return to your primary for more followup.
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3 Comments
I have a follow up tomorrow. I don’t think it’s my arm as the pain is around my ribs and I get a sharp pain with breathing. I’m trying to move slow and take it easy.
I am glad you have a follow up scheduled. I hope you get some clear answers at the appt. Feel better soon.
YSI
There are all sorts of medical tests/maneuvers the general public doesn't know about.

For example, hang your arms down by your sides like normal.  

Now, bend your arms 90 degrees at the elbows, but keep your upper arms down by your sides.  Your hands will now be stuck outward like you are ready to shakes hands with someone, but you do not extend your hands out to them, because your upper arms need to remain hanging down by your sides.  

Now have someone try to GENTLY push outward against your palms to pivot your arm, while you try to resist the push. If your arm swings open like the garden gate, you may have a rotator cuff tear in your shoulder.  They may suggest an MRI.

Or not-my subsequent shoulder MRI showed a collection of fluid thought to be compressing a nerve-when the fluid was reabsorbed, full function was restored. (Basically, I stroked out into my shoulder while straining on the toilet-heard a pop in my shoulder at the time-I conveniently forgot to mention that to them...)

If any MRI is suggested be sure to ask whether you should also have contrast-this frequently gets overlooked when certain MRI orders are entered.

On the other hand, Inhaling and exhaling involves movement which means muscles and nerves. I had spasms of pain around my chest when I would inhale, but it was coming from my spine. (You can injure your back up and down, forward and backward, but also side to side.)  My xray showed a widening of a strip/stripe that runs down each side of your spine.  I think it was called a paravertebral strip/stripe. I saw it for myself on the xray. I knew that I had carried a 1950's style cabinet TV from one room to another before the pain began. Spasms were also triggered by swallowing something thick like a sub sandwich-remember our mothers reminding us to chew? :-)
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