can you rupture your spleen by coughing?- really anxious

[gordie1]

Hi ive had a really bad chest infection for the last week and been coughing a lot. Tonight while coughing I got a stitch like pain in my left hand side under my rib cage and it is worse when i take a deep breath, it honestly feels like a stitch and im frightened to cough now and im also worried i may have ruptured my spleen by coughing trying to do cbt and thinking i could have pulled a muscle im staying with my parents over the holiday and they are not sympathetic. Any ideas?

[nomorepanic]

I cracked 2 ribs when I had a really bad cough once so you could have done that.

I don't know about rupturing your spleen - I would have thought that was pretty serious and life threatening so I doubt you have done that.

[countrygirl]

If you ruptured your spleen you would be well dead! as you would have catastrophic blood loss - sportsmen have been killed by being hit by a ball at high speed in their spleen so you can completely forget about this as a reason for your pain.

As previous poster says they actually cracked ribs coughing and this is not uncommon but mostly you have just torn the muscles between your ribs. I have done this many many times when I have had had a bad cough. Try holding the painful area when you cough as the support can reduce the pain and apply heat to help the muscles heal.

Hope your feeling better soon.