Question
About two months ago, I had pneumonia. I was coughing extremely hard and quite often. As soon as it went away (with lots of medication), I started feeling like a pulled muscle pain just above my right breast. The pain radiates around to under my arm, up the right side of my neck and in my back (at the same place as my front), but not all the time.  My Dr. originally thought I pulled a muscle from coughing or I had pluracy. Both of which, she said, should have gone away by now. The  The pain is not constant. I get feel it when I am tense or take a deep breath sometimes. I feel it daily though. it is often there when I wake up in the AM then randomly throughout the day. I am able to take very deep breaths at times and feel nothing. But, after two months, it is still going on.

I have had a treadmill EKG and learned that my heart is in excellent shape. My GP is not sure what is going on so I am hoping  I can get some insight here. I just want it to go away and have a hard time believing that a muscle pull could last that long.

Thank so much for your time

Jill

Answer
Hello Jill,

   This is common with hard coughing.  You may have stained a intercostal muscle (muscles between the ribs) and subluxated a rib (rib moving out of joint).  Ribs insert into the vertebrea in the back and wrap around to the front of the chest, when the costovertebral joint is irritated pain can be in the back, wrap around the side, or in front of the chest (when on the left side, it can be mistaken for heart problems).  
   You may want to see a Doctor of Chiropractic as they will be able to diagnose and treat your condition.  Often you will experience immediate relief but may need a couple weeks of treatment to resolve the condition.

Have a great day,
Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.