Pneumonia and rib pains

[yaffle]

Hi there,
First of all I hope everybody is OK, and will have a great 2012!

Question of the medical kind:

I got a flu at the beginning of December last year, and mid December a 3 day high fever rush (40-41 degrees :rcard). On the third day the fever suddenly dropped to 37,5. In the following days I slowly felt better, but coughed a lot. This coughing worsened, so I went to see the doctor who informed me I had grown an pneumonia. :blackeye
Not so nice to hear, and I can tell you it's also very frustrating (even more as a freediver I guess) to not being able to breathe deep, just very shallow. I got antibiotics, which slowly helped (still quickly tired, but that seems normal after doing nothing for so long), but the coughing damaged my ribs.
And that is still the problem. Coughing almost gone (it's now been about a month since first diagnosed) but I just cannot get the rib pains to go away. Every time you breathe deep or make a sudden move, it's feels like being stabbed in the ribs.
Does anybody ever experienced this? If so, do you have tips or maybe exercises to get the rib pain to leave and get me training again?

Thanks!
Greetings from Holland
Yaffle

 

[ReefTroll]

You could have cracked one which isn't uncommon with serious coughing. Maybe another trip to the doctor to confirm? Not much you can do for a cracked rib though if that IS the problem, apart from rest.

 

[Testis]

Hi Yaffle,

I think problem is in your muscles between your ribs.
It very common sympton after pneumonia or heavy coughing period.

Intercostales externi muscles are working during inhale.
There is also intercostal nerves.
When those muscles and nerves get infected it can be were painfull to move and inhale deeply.
My suggest is one week period ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory drug) 600mg x 3 / day and rest. After week you can gently do some streching and inhale/exhale exercises.

 

[osusim]

Did you have X-ray? You have high chance to have the pleurisy as complication of a pneumonia. Knock by finger to your low ribs, is it sound differently then higher ones? When you in big troubles.
Go and press your doctor very hardly. 'Cos only strong can overcome awful Dutch medical system. Success.

 

[yaffle]

Hi guys,
Thank you for all your responses. I took your advice and called my doctor, and got a appointment for an x-ray at the hospital next week.
Keep y'all posted!

Thanks,
Yaffle

 

[osusim]

This is your worsecase scenario http://forums.deeperblue.com/general-freediving/75834-lung-surgery.html So do not wait too long.
Be theoretically prepared before visit to the specialist. Tell him that you expect (or afraid) for and that he/she should search on x-ray. In case of pockets of gas or liquid under your lungs do insist for immediate hospitalization.
In addition, Dutch home-doctors under pressure of insurance companies prescribes cheapest, oldest and less effective antibiotics. In a hospital you will have right treatment from the begin.

 

[jebris]

Hi Yaffle,

I think problem is in your muscles between your ribs.
It very common symptom of walking pneumonia or heavy coughing period.

Intercostales externi muscles are working during inhale.
There is also intercostal nerves.
When those muscles and nerves get infected it can be were painfull to move and inhale deeply.
My suggest is one week period ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory drug) 600mg x 3 / day and rest. After week you can gently do some streching and inhale/exhale exercises.

Tnx for useful information)