Question
QUESTION: My chiropractor was doing a manual adjustment on my upper left rib cage because it has been really tight up there since a fall a few months ago.When he did this as he has done several times,I felt a rib move and he noticed it too because it took my breath away.He said it was a good thing,but the pain has been very bad now for 4 days.I CAN take a deep breath but any movement ,especially getting out of a chair or bed is painful.Since it happened I have been taking ibuprofen,but i am wondering what to do.

ANSWER: Hi Donna,

Sorry to hear about your situation.  If your pain is from a rib head being out, which would generally hurt when you breath in, so I'll
assume that is not the case.  I'm not exactly sure what "upper left rib cage" means exactly, but whatever you have going on is not from
something "good" your chiropractor did.  So you've either got a rib out of place, which he should be able to put back in is it's "dislocated," or you've got a fracture from him adjusting you too hard, which will take about 6 weeks to completely heal.  Or the muscles in that area have spasmed for some reason and are yanking on a nerve.  

So you might think about getting an x-ray if you think there may be a fracture.

If you want to see if you can release some soft tissue to get out of pain I'd point you to my totally free website,
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/
From what you are describing I'd probably go to the Upper Back Pain Relief page first:
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/upper-back-pain-relief.html
if that doesn't seem to be what's going on then go to the Site Map page and
scroll down until you find what might be your pain issue:
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/joint-pain-relief-site-map.html
Lastly, if you have a massage tool like a Theracane, this page shows you how to release your upper back pain with it:
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/upper-back-pain-relief-massage-t

Hopefully, the follow along videos will get you out of pain.  If not you may want to get an x-ray, so at least you know what's up.

I do hope this helps.

Best,

Gary Crowley

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I should clarify that by upper left rib cage I mean in the back by my shoulder blades.He usually only used an activator gun but had been trying the manual adjustment in that spot.He said the rib moved so I was wondering if I should go back to see if is is dislocated,and maybe he could put it back in .I just don't want him to make it worse.I was also wondering about a fracture,because I take prednisone,and I know it can weaken your bones.
This chiropractor is fairly new to me,I had a great one who I saw for 8 years,but he had a stroke at the young age of 56 and had to retire.ms6y2

Answer
Hi Donna,

I would get an x-ray first if you are in that much pain.  Then if you want to have him (or someone else, perhaps) try to put it back in that would seem reasonable.  Or get some soft-tissue work either from my website, or go to someone.

Good luck.

Gary Crowley
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/