Question
Dear Dr. Nekessa Remy,

I have been suffering from chronic pain since 2008. I don't know what brought it on, I just remember waking up one morning and was in severe pain (there was no big event like an accident or anything#. Every morning #and throughout the night# I wake up with pain in my lower #floating# ribs on my left side. The pain is worst when I breathe. I feel it in my back, around the lower two ribs. I have to massage my back just under the ribs to make the pain subside enough for me to be able to breathe. I also feel a clicking sometimes when I cough or laugh. It affects my every day activities and I am unable to do a lot of things #e.g. dancing, sports etc# due to the pain.

I have had x-rays, ultrasounds, and bone scans which have all shown nothing. I have been to a chiropractor, physiotherapist, osteo, had deep tissue massage, dry needling, acupuncture, steroid injections, and even a spinal block injection to stop the pain #which only lasted for one day).

I sit, stand, and lie down in certain ways to try avoid the pain and it is having an effect on the rest of my body. I am now noticing a new set of issues, such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, etc which I think are related to my posture.

No doctor has been able to tell me what the issue is or make any difference to the pain.

Answer
At this point because you have been to so many health care professionals I am not sure if I have much more information to offer. It sounds like the pain could be coming from the ribs. There could be a subluxation around the joints between your ribs and your spine. A subluxation means that there is a partial displacement at the joints I mentioned. A chiropractor should be able to identify this. In the mean time I suggest icing regularly for 15 minute intervals. Have you chiropractor assess those joints in more detail.


Regards