Question
I'm 22 years old and I fell in 2006 while working and a few months later noticed that one of my ribs was jutting out of my chest and I was having back pain where it would reach my spine.  I went to the hospital and the doctor there told me that I had broken the cartilage and that it had healed back that way.  He said that the only thing that I could do was to apply heat/massage basic at home remedies.  I have been to multiple doctors (physicians and chiropractors).  A few doctors have told me that from my X-Rays, the only thing wrong was that my neck did not have the natural curve that it should and there was a slight curve in my back between my shoulders.  Others have told me that it was muscle related and again to take advil and apply heat.  I've been reading about subluxating ribs and am wondering if this could be the cause?  It is almost never a sharp pain, it is more of a constant ache some days worse than others.  I have pain that shoots down my left arm on bad days and always pain through the left side of my neck.  When I move certain ways, I can hear my bones popping and if I stretch my neck to the left my rib pops in the front.  I've tried yoga, ibuprofen, having someone rub it every few days, heat, just about everything I can think of.  The last time I went to the doctor she told me the only thing I could do was to get an MRI.  Isn't it possible to see a subluxating rib if it is jutting out or is the first doctor correct in saying that it is normal?  Any help would be appreciated, I'm going crazy with constant pain.

Answer
Hello Jessica,

    Yes a subluxated rib can cause pain in the back where it attaches to the spine and may wrap around to the front of the chest where it articulates with the cartilage.  You may want to see a Doctor of Chiropractic who specializes in Soft Tissue/Sport Injuries.  Adjusting the rib back into place and soft tissue work around the spine, above and below the affected rib (from back to front) will help the rib stay in place.  When the joints/muscles are painful only use ice, heat will bring in more blood flow and swelling to the joint/tissue.  You should see improvement after a couple weeks of treatment.

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