Question
I have lower back pain, left side, but now it feels like it is a large region. It is constantly hurting, but it is unbearable when i am in my bed, horisontal position is worst. If i sleep on the left side, it is better. I do not have bladar problems, my left kidney is ok, i went to urologyst and he gave me medicine to relax my muscles, but they do not take away the pain. I can still move, but the pain is unexplainable. I can not find logical cycle, why or how it gets worse.It has its own logic, and as time passes, every position i take is a bad one in a few minutes...IT IS WORST WHEN I LAY DOWN.I CAN NOT GET UP, IT TAKES A LOT OF TRYING TO GET UP...ALWAYS FEELING LIKE I AM LOSING MY ABILITY TO CONTROL MY BODY... I did some exercises, i think it happened while i was on a weight machine, lifting 20 pounds, but it didn't hurt the very same day...so i do not know... What are possible diagnosis???

Answer
Hi Aleksandra,

It sounds like a combination of an intercostal muscle pull and floating rib cartilage damage.

Best thing you can do is ice it down as much as possible by using a warm moist towel over rotating ice filled Ziploc bags on the sore ares for 15 minutes every hour.
In a few days there should be marked improvement, however, rib injuries below the 7th take forever to heal due to poor blood supply so be patient and see a DC to get a rib belt an definitive diagnosis.

Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin