Pain In Rib Cage When Coughing. No Other Symptoms. Any Idea What This Could Be?

Posted on Sun, 24 Jun 2012

Question: Sharp pain under right rib cage when i cough and only with the cough and when i lay down on that side. It has been hurting for 4 days now and i don't show any other symptoms. Any idea what this could be?

Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (2 hours later)

Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. The most common cause is either a cough related muscle pull in the rib-cage / upper abdomen and gallstones or gall bladder problems. Your age and profile fits such a situation, especially if you are overweight.

2. An abdominal ultrasound (USG) will help distinguish between gall bladder, liver, pancreas, duodenum / colon and kidney related problems.

3. A chest X-ray and ECG is always advised to rule out lung, rib cage and heart related problems.

4. Sleep apnea requires a sleep study to identify the cause of the airway obstruction during sleep. If your cough is dry, try an anti allergic and a cough suppressant under medical supervision. I will not recommend anti-spasmodics and mild painkillers before thorough examination and investigation because they can mask the origin of your discomfort. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if any infection is detected.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D