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).
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 )
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 ) 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...