ChocolateButton
01-03-18, 19:22
Hi folks, I'm needing some reassurance here, sorry to ask for yet more help.
Anyhoo, for the past few days I've had a pain near the bottom left side of my ribs. It hurts if I pull my body certain ways (e.g. if I reach across my body towards the right with my left arm, if that makes sense?) and also when bending down or stretching my left arm forwards.
Tonight I narrowed the pain down to a specific rib area directly below my left breast... and discovered that the rib actually hurts if I lightly press on it.
So I googled "rib sore to touch". (I know, I know, but I was convinced it would just say pulled muscle). :blush:
The first result was a site listing 6 causes of rib pain. The causes were:
-Costochondritis
-Pulled Muscle
-Fibromyalgia
-Lung Cancer
-Pulmonary Embolism
-Pleurisy
I'll leave y'all to guess which 3 of the above list I'm most worried about!
I will add that:
- I do have Fibromyalgia (diagnosed in 2012)
- I recently finished antibiotics for a chest infection (therefore worried about pleurisy)
- I am currently wearing very fetching compression stockings (and will do for the next few weeks) cos I recently had a small operation (therefore worried about pulmonary embolism)
- I'm worried about lung cancer because, cancer.
So... just to calm me down a bit - I know none of you are doctors etc and if it doesn't go away I will see my GP (although it's usually a 4-week wait for an appointment here :huh:)
But... can someone please help me look logically at the above list of possibilities?
I've recognised in the last few months that I do have some degree of Health Anxiety ("well duh, that's obvious" I hear you cry :D ) but I guess I'm just trying to find ways to reassure myself before it gets too far out of control. Let me state that I'm not sitting here in a mad panic, it's just more I'm slightly worried at the moment, like it's niggling at the back of my mind but that's all.
Ta very much in advance...
Anyhoo, for the past few days I've had a pain near the bottom left side of my ribs. It hurts if I pull my body certain ways (e.g. if I reach across my body towards the right with my left arm, if that makes sense?) and also when bending down or stretching my left arm forwards.
Tonight I narrowed the pain down to a specific rib area directly below my left breast... and discovered that the rib actually hurts if I lightly press on it.
So I googled "rib sore to touch". (I know, I know, but I was convinced it would just say pulled muscle). :blush:
The first result was a site listing 6 causes of rib pain. The causes were:
-Costochondritis
-Pulled Muscle
-Fibromyalgia
-Lung Cancer
-Pulmonary Embolism
-Pleurisy
I'll leave y'all to guess which 3 of the above list I'm most worried about!
I will add that:
- I do have Fibromyalgia (diagnosed in 2012)
- I recently finished antibiotics for a chest infection (therefore worried about pleurisy)
- I am currently wearing very fetching compression stockings (and will do for the next few weeks) cos I recently had a small operation (therefore worried about pulmonary embolism)
- I'm worried about lung cancer because, cancer.
So... just to calm me down a bit - I know none of you are doctors etc and if it doesn't go away I will see my GP (although it's usually a 4-week wait for an appointment here :huh:)
But... can someone please help me look logically at the above list of possibilities?
I've recognised in the last few months that I do have some degree of Health Anxiety ("well duh, that's obvious" I hear you cry :D ) but I guess I'm just trying to find ways to reassure myself before it gets too far out of control. Let me state that I'm not sitting here in a mad panic, it's just more I'm slightly worried at the moment, like it's niggling at the back of my mind but that's all.
Ta very much in advance...