I have become a prodder !!

[missleelee6982]

Well what can I say. It all started a couple of weeks ago when I had flu. :mad: started to get pain in my lower right ribs. Now I can't stop prodding. It feels like there is a air bubble under my lower right rib. I think this is due to ibs. Now I can't stop prodding. I prod just under my breast bone. All down the side of my right ribs and my belly. I am finding it hard to stop. I have caused brusing and pain. Then my mind wonders thinking oh I have pain must be the c word. My friends can see me do it for no reason. It is causing my HA to go through the roof this month.

[cmclarke]

quit poking yourself! just go to the doctor if it's still there to ease your mind:)
(I have a two week rule, if a symptom lasts 2 weeks I get to call the doctor).

Did you cough and sneeze a lot when you had the flu? My intercostal muscles get sore when I cough a lot (muscles between the ribs, don't google:).

[Mindknot]

Yeah, I'm a prodder too, I know it's naughty, I'm stopping gradually...

You will certainly have made the pain worse, but also your intercostals can get tense - if you have not been breathing properly (i.e. shallowly because of the flu) they may have just tightened up a bit causing pain. It could also be IBS, your large intestine does a bit of a loop up there, could have been trapped wind. Advise treating the bruising as if you have injured yourself (you have) - hands off, apply frozen peas to reduce inflammation etc, and as cmclarke said, just go back to the doctor if symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks :)

[xofeatherxo]

Same thing with my boobs, honestly. I had a little bit of pain and decided to poke at them and check for lumps, but of course I couldn't just accept that they were lump free, I had to continuously check throughout the day, convinced that I missed something. They're so sore now and I'm still terrified I have breast cancer :(

Prodding is definitely not helpful. If anything it makes things worse, but when you think something's wrong with you it kind of makes you feel like you have some control of the situation. It's a hard habit to break. :/