I had a bad fall about a month ago. Broke 3 ribs. I'm slowly healing, doing better. Tho the ribs are around back, I have pain in front from sternum outward. I've been told I probably tore Costochondral cartiledge - the connecting cartiledge to the breastbone and between ribs. I've had good answers from my docs, with one exception.. A weird popping or thunking sensation around my ribs in several places.
Sometimes when I move there's a painless pop, or thunk, or clunk kind of feeling in different spots. It feels kind of linear .. Like along a rib. I've googled a lot to find explanations, and get partial answers, but nothing that quite describes what I feel.
Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks.posted by ecorrocio to Health & Fitness (10 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
![Fractured ribs clicking sound effect Fractured ribs clicking sound effect](https://radiologykey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ch50-1.jpg)
![Fractured Fractured](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BR4KYN/chest-x-ray-showing-rib-fractures-in-a-64-year-old-man-BR4KYN.jpg)
About 2 years ago I cracked a rib on the right side of my lower rib cage. This happened from. Like a crunchy popping sensation. It gets very tender if I sleep on my right side and also from my bra. Dec 24, 2017 Slipping rib syndrome is a condition where the ribs slip away from their usual position. It occurs because the ligaments that help to hold the ribs in the correct place are pulled out of position. A bruised rib lump or a popping sound is also a likely sign that you have cracked or broken rib. Bruised ribs coughing up blood A burning sensation, chest aches and discomfort under armpit or near the left or right breast may be symptoms of rib cage injuries. Rib fractures are one of the most common bone breaks in older adults. While there's no direct treatment for fractured ribs that remain in alignment, medical care is still important to avoid serious complications, according to the October issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Rib fractures can result from major trauma, such as a car crash. Rib fractures are a pretty common problem I see, and it’s not just the young dare-devil types! I often see folks in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s with multiple rib fractures. These are the result of a wide range of accidents – anything from falling off of a bench to getting bucked off of a horse.
Sometimes when I move there's a painless pop, or thunk, or clunk kind of feeling in different spots. It feels kind of linear .. Like along a rib. I've googled a lot to find explanations, and get partial answers, but nothing that quite describes what I feel.
Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks.
Yeah, not uncommon. Perhaps you'll be luckier, but mine never went away. It doesn't hurt, right? You'll get used to it, and a day will come when, while you will still be aware of it, it won't bother you. No big deal.
posted by halogen at 9:31 PM on February 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by halogen at 9:31 PM on February 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Halogen - just where you broke the rib or in other spots too?
posted by ecorrocio at 9:35 PM on February 3, 2017
posted by ecorrocio at 9:35 PM on February 3, 2017
I fell and broke my leg three years ago, right across the neck of the femur. It was surgically repaired, and when I could walk again, my hip would occasionally pop. It felt and sounded much like cracking a knuckle, but quite a bit louder, presumably because it's a much larger joint. It's been gradually going away. I think it's been several months now since the last time it happened.
posted by Bruce H. at 12:06 AM on February 4, 2017
posted by Bruce H. at 12:06 AM on February 4, 2017
I had the same pops and thinks when I broke two ribs a year ago, so my NotADoctor assessment is that it's probably typical. They did eventually go away, but it took quite some time, six months maybe.
posted by scantee at 6:56 AM on February 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by scantee at 6:56 AM on February 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
Just getting back to feeling 99.9% normal after breaking three ribs in early December. (side note: do NOT get the flu on top of broken ribs. UGH!) I had the same pops and thunks throughout the healing process. Very strange feeling, especially the thunks. Beginning in January they started to diminish and find that I might have it happen once a week or so especially when exerting myself.
My doctor said this is totally normal.
posted by WalkingHorse at 7:09 AM on February 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
My doctor said this is totally normal.
posted by WalkingHorse at 7:09 AM on February 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
I broke a rib lifting weights (spotter walked away) many years ago. Still occasionally get a knuckle-crack-like pop in my sternum.
posted by notsnot at 7:29 AM on February 4, 2017
posted by notsnot at 7:29 AM on February 4, 2017
Data points: took months to go away for me, and years for a friend.
posted by Leon at 10:39 AM on February 4, 2017
posted by Leon at 10:39 AM on February 4, 2017
I had a pin put into a broken bone beside a joint (in a limb) and I got the 'thunk' sensation too, for months afterwards. It felt to me like a ligament was twanging over the end of the pin. In my case it hurt like crazy but gradually hurt less, then not at all, then eventually either stopped or I stopped noticing it. Might be something like that with soft tissue rubbing over the end of a broken bone?
posted by spraypaint at 12:23 PM on February 4, 2017
posted by spraypaint at 12:23 PM on February 4, 2017
Thanks bone breakers!
posted by ecorrocio at 4:33 PM on February 4, 2017
posted by ecorrocio at 4:33 PM on February 4, 2017
Thanks for this question. Costal cartilege injury seems to be the answer for my chest pain - I couldn't find the right answer with google.
posted by bendy at 5:55 PM on February 4, 2017
posted by bendy at 5:55 PM on February 4, 2017
![Fractured ribs clicking sound effect Fractured ribs clicking sound effect](https://radiologykey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ch50-1.jpg)
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hi,get an xray chest to rule out rib fracture/dislocation.
It sounds like a chest infection. Seek a PCP and let them help you as this needs a clinical correlationregards
Fractured Ribs Clicking Sound Effect
This must be due to osteo-arthritis of the joints of the ribs with the spinal vertebrae. Get diagnosed and treated accordingly. DO Blood RA test , uric acid .