Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Rib cage stiffness???

Hi Everyone!

I woke up extremely early today for the third day in a row. It feels as though I can't breathe deep because I'm so stiff in my ribs. It actually hurts like H***! Now I'm not sure what this is as I have pretty much only had trouble with my SI joints (which are still giving me greif).

It just seems like all of a sudden out of nowhere I'm so sore throughout my ribs that I can barely do my breathing exercises. I don't think I can handle another body part breaking down, but I'm not really sure why my ribs are in so much pain. Is this common with AS or did I just sleep funny for the last few nights???

On top of that, my left elbow has been feeling weird and sore for the last week.... Is that related to AS too????? Ahhhhhhhh.. It just hurts when I bend or straighten it..( I'm not sure what else I could do with it, but it sure is sore!)...

I'm so scared that this is all progressing to fast... but I figured that maybe one of you guys / girls would be able to share some experience or plain ol' just tell me it's all in my head.

Sorry for the little vent, I hope you all have some answers for me cause I sure don't..

Thanks in Advance!
Kristy

Hi Kristy,
I hate to say this but this is completely normal with A/S. Take your NSAIDS and you can also take some Tylenol and try to get moving. Also stand in a hot shower for twenty minutes. I am heading back to Ottawa becuase of the Iritis in both eyes, but if you need to vent give me a call or e-mail. The last thing to do is to lay down, you need to move gently. Try not to lift your children, unless necessary. I do fel for you and really can feel your pain.You might also try a heating pad to help ease the discomfort. I have to run and will chat later on MSN if you wish.

Sincerely,
Janet

Kristy,

sounds like it, have you or anyone else been sick getting sick cold fever etc?

You taking anything like MTX or Preddy? You have to watch yourself for infection

I get in the bath, and that helps a bit then do the exercises gently, or more the stretches, try and get the ribs to let go gently, I like the back rub stuff good old deep heat, even vicks or tiger balm.

Keep an eye on it, Get better soon


David

Remember that I am not an expert, but that is how my chest fused. Extremely sore to move my chest , even lay down.
Try to keep it moving.
A good chest exercise, is to wrap a towel around you chest, as tight as you can make it, then use your muscles to push against the towel.
Even now that my chest is fused, I still get it.

You may need to experiment, some people say hot and some say cold.

Another thing that helped me was vicks vapour rub on the chest. Or hot shower and tiger balm on the chest. The fumes help make breathing easier, and help relax your muscles.

Take Care
Wayne

Hi Kristy,

No, Im afraid it is not in your head. I am suffering from a bad flare right now, complete with iritis and my ribcage. After doing research I believe it is because of fusion and/or inflammation of the muscle and ligaments in the chest.

I am on MTX and prednisone. I also sleep with a pillow pressed against my chest and at times with a heating pad.

You need lots of rest, dont get fatigued (a mom, yea right...lol) liquids, your breathing excercises.

Janet is right do not pick up or lift anything heavy which involves using those muscles.

Hope I have helped a bit.

Lisa

This is pretty common with AS Kristy. And its also the bane of my life! Recently my chest expansion went down from 5 and a half inches to barely over one, which is bad enough but the pain, as I'm sure you're discovering is quite nasty. It doesn't matter what kind of mattress you have, lying in bed with this problem is extremely uncomfortable. It really feels like you're walking around with several broken ribs doesn't it? I sympathise because I know exactly what this feels like. The only things I can recommend is as mentioned before, keep up with your prescribed drugs. Sometimes it helps to wrap alternate hot and cold wet towels around the painful area. Also, my physio advises me to wrap a towel quite tightly around my chest and pull tight as I breath. Its a good excercise to help increase your chest expansion. On the bright side, it often quietens down after a period of flare. I hope it does for you. Good luck. Tim.

Kristy , sorry to hear your in pain hon, the folks here are right ,ya "GOT" to do those breathing excercise, I have had alot of trouble with my chest in the past and it was the breathing excerises that helped me the most.
At first i didn't think they did anything but when i went back to my old Rhummy Six months later ! the pain had gotten alot better and i had regain 4mm in my chest expansion. It dont sound like a lot, but 4mm gain compared to fusion ! i'll take the gain anyday.. Anyway just thought i'd add my 5 cents worth. take care .hope this flare does last long...

Keep on Kicking

Martin

"Trying to fly on broken wings"

Hi Kristy,

Most people with AS get rib pain at least at some point. The ribs have always been a pain in the AS for me. Worst thing is to have hiccups or sneeze/cough when you have rib pain. It's very important to keep doing the breathing exercises.

Hope it clears up soon for you,

Nina

I was hoping it was all in my head (or in the way I slept) but I guess to think that would be very naive. It's just going on lunch time now and I've loosened up quite a bit, there is just a hint of ouch in my left rib but I'm breathing a bit easier now.

Is a flare a constant pain? or is it just the off and on sort... Hmmmm.. I know when my SI joints were completly inflammed I had a lot of pain for most of the day but it seemed to ease a bit with movement. So with my ribs easing up after a night of sleep, is that an actual flare ? Silly question, I know, but I'm still getting used to all of this AS sh..stuff..

I really am glad to hear that I'm not imagining all of this stuff but it really sucks to hear that it is all happening for real!! lol.

I think the hot shower I took this morning really helped a lot and I did add some A535 cream in to the mix..


Thanks again for everything!

Kristy

Hi, Janet:

Costochronditis will make it feel like a handgrenade going off in your chest when you sneeze. Very common with AS.

Please do not mix Tylenol with NSAIDs! This combination can destroy the liver. And I don't even like NSAIDs alone for all the GI/skeletal damage they have done to me. Temporary pain relief is reasonable, but the NSD, long-term, will avoid acceleration of the disease like DMARDs and this combinatikon will be much more effective and thousands of times safer.

Don't do anything I did to get this way...
John



"Any teacher who can be replaced by a machine, should be."
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