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Rib Cage Pain?

book-worm

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book-worm Apprentice
book-worm
Posted

I feel like sutch an idiot pestering this forum with questions all the time, but hear we go again.

Does anyone else get bone pain in there rib cage?

I started getting mild pain in my rib cage and just below my shoulder blades yesterday, it

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overnormal Newbie
overnormal
Posted

Hi, I'm a newbie, but YES I have strange rib cage pain when I ingest ANYTHING I knowingly or unknowingly cannot tolerate. That's one of my keys to figuring out my sensitivities.

I feel like sutch an idiot pestering this forum with questions all the time, but hear we go again.

Does anyone else get bone pain in there rib cage?

I started getting mild pain in my rib cage and just below my shoulder blades yesterday, it

annacai Newbie
annacai
Posted

Rib cage pain is what brought me to this site.I have been complaining of rib cage pain for years. Recently, I was diagnosed with severe vitamin D deficiency and then with osteomalacia as a result of vitamin D deficiency. The physicians have paid attendion to the bone pain in my back and the bone pain in my legs but have still not done anything about the bone pain in my ribs. I believe that the rib pain is also from the osteomalcia. Articles that I found on the web indicated that people with celiac/sprue are at high risk of experiecing osteomalcia, partially because of absorption issues (so someone with gluten intolerance can be vitamin D deficient even if they sun and supplement).

The pains that you describe sound like the pains that I experienced as a result of severe vitamin D deficiency and osteomalcia as result of vitamin D deficiency. I still believe that the rib is part part of this. :)

I feel like sutch an idiot pestering this forum with questions all the time, but hear we go again.

Does anyone else get bone pain in there rib cage?

I started getting mild pain in my rib cage and just below my shoulder blades yesterday, it

masterjen Explorer
masterjen
Posted

I have had rib-cage pain also! I have areas of sharp pain when I press on the lower edge of the ribs on the left side, and higher up on both sides I have a sense of pressure/heaviness that can become worse for no rhyme or reason that can spread into my back and cause breathlessness - not short of breath, more like feeling winded. I am being sent for a bone scan (some kind of nuclear medicine test :o ) to check for problems with the ribs themselves. My GI specialist said that this type of discomfort, in her experience, is not typically associated with celiac. It is a relief to me to read that others with celiac have similar rib pain! Now my mind is somewhat eased, as maybe my rib situation is not anything serious after all (well, you know what I mean <_< )

annacai Newbie
annacai
Posted

Have you guys had your vitamin D levels checked? Could you be suffering from vitamin D deficiency, even osteomalacia as a result of vitamin D deficiency?[/b B)

I have had rib-cage pain also! I have areas of sharp pain when I press on the lower edge of the ribs on the left side, and higher up on both sides I have a sense of pressure/heaviness that can become worse for no rhyme or reason that can spread into my back and cause breathlessness - not short of breath, more like feeling winded. I am being sent for a bone scan (some kind of nuclear medicine test :o ) to check for problems with the ribs themselves. My GI specialist said that this type of discomfort, in her experience, is not typically associated with celiac. It is a relief to me to read that others with celiac have similar rib pain! Now my mind is somewhat eased, as maybe my rib situation is not anything serious after all (well, you know what I mean <_< )

Wenmin Enthusiast
Wenmin
Posted

This was a very real problem for me before being diagnosed. Doctors said it was costocondritis. It is the swelling of the cartilage in the ribcage. This is the first sign for me when I've been accidentally glutened. Usually lasts for 1-2 days.....

Wenmin

annacai Newbie
annacai
Posted

I searched this entire forum using the term "osteomalacia" and found some very interesting and helpful posts. I am also going to check out the "costocondritis." In my life diagnoses are seldom either/or things. Instead they turn out to be both/and as in you have lupus, autoimmune thyroiditis, and glueten intolerance, and .....

This was a very real problem for me before being diagnosed. Doctors said it was costocondritis. It is the swelling of the cartilage in the ribcage. This is the first sign for me when I've been accidentally glutened. Usually lasts for 1-2 days.....

Wenmin

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book-worm Apprentice
book-worm
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for all this guys,

It

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

If the pain continues, or is cause shallow breathing, please see a doctor.

My friend kept blowing off the pain, and ended up being hospitalized. It was pleurisy that was compounded with pnemonia. I think she had the pleurisy first and developed the pnemonia from the shallow breathing.

  • 2 weeks later...
nyctexangal Rookie
nyctexangal
Posted

I too have had rib pain/costochondritis for 3 1/2 years. It's turned my life up side down. Just finally figured out that it's caused by my undiagnosed Celiac. SO thankful to finally get diagnosed. I'm finding that magnesium is helping the pain. I believe this pain is due to deficiencies due to Celiac malabsorption- as well as anything that irritates the stomach. Just my newbie thoughts. =)

Hugs to all- you can check out my little costochondritis blog if you like:

Open Original Shared Link

Jamie15 Newbie
Jamie15
Posted

I have pain in my rib cage usually right after I eat gluten. It's how I know I've eaten it even though sometimes I can't even figure out where it came from. It's interesting to see that others have it too. I was also diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. I now have normal D levels, but I still get that pain in my ribs anytime I've been glutened.

  • 5 months later...
eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Hi, I am only one month gluten free. I have had terrible rib cage bone pain for several years and it radiates through the whole rib cage. My feet and leg bones also ache. This is the only pain that has not subsided with the gluten free diet but then again I am only one month "clean". I had suspected it is the malabsorption problem but not sure what to do about it except continue with vitamin supplements, D, magnesium, zinc, calcium and potassium. I'm just relating this to verify that it is happening to me too. I am very grateful to all who post as it has helped me tremendously in my first month out of the "fog" of gluten. Also it is reassuring to learn that others have the same atypical symptoms as I do. Very worried about my bones but can't afford a bone scan. I had read about using "bone broth" to supplement the vitamins and minerals nutritionally so that is what I am trying. Today I made chicken broth....and was very happy to be able to have the energy to do that. My first post....to all my new gluten-free soulmates. :)

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Welcome to the site Eatmeat4good,

I think you are probably right about the mal-absorption problems. It does take some time for things to heal and absorption to improve. the chicken broth sounds like a good idea. I think I'll give that a try today. Maybe I'll even add some rice and quinoa when it's done.

julandjo Explorer
julandjo
Posted

Just chiming in to add that I too have had tons of rib/chest pain. For years. Not a single doctor or specialist has been able to figure out why. I was dx'd Celiac in June, but couldn't convince my dr. to do the bloodwork for vitamin/mineral deficiencies until August. My vit. D was very low (25), but still I had to push the issue to get an rx for a high-potency D supplement (nice, huh?). The pain has begun to improve! I am noticing, however, that not only is the pain brought on by various food triggers, it's always there for several days during a big hormonal shift (around ovulation and menstruation). Like clockwork. Any ideas why this might be?

SaraKat Contributor
SaraKat
Posted

I have the terrible rib cage pain too- mainly on the left side. It started in Oct 2009 and I had so many tests done and finally in August 2010 I was dx'd with celiac after the rheumatoligst did a random blood test. I have been gluten-free (I have had some mistakes) since 9/1/10 and the pain seemed to be going away, but it has been back for the past 3 weeks really bad again. I am ready to go back to the Dr.

I was on the Stairmaster the other night and the pain was so bad when I was breathing out I had to get off. It is like right at the lower part of the left rib cage and then sometimes wraps around the back. It hurts at night when I lay on my stomach- it feels like something is being pushed in. It is a very hard feeling to describe.

For me, I don't have malabsorption yet- aside from anemia, all my other levels were normal- is there anything else I should have checked? I had calcium, potassium, B12, D. Maybe I am missing something.

I have also been experiencing some cramp like feelings under the left breast lately too. When it happens it is so painful it almost takes my breath away. Anyone get that? It usually lasts for 30 seconds then goes away.

  • 1 month later...
deezer Apprentice
deezer
Posted

I too have celiac disease and also have pain that seems to come from just below or near the bottom of my left side rib cage - and sometimes the right as well.

It seems to be aggravated by driving - that makes it the worst. Sitting upright for long periods of time also effects it. If I am up and moving around all day, I generally feel fine.

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone gotten any relief from this pain?

julandjo Explorer
julandjo
Posted

I too have celiac disease and also have pain that seems to come from just below or near the bottom of my left side rib cage - and sometimes the right as well.

It seems to be aggravated by driving - that makes it the worst. Sitting upright for long periods of time also effects it. If I am up and moving around all day, I generally feel fine.

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone gotten any relief from this pain?

Well, since the last time I posted in this thread, I did two things: I stopped eating sunflower seed butter (it had trace amounts of soy), and I started taking a folic acid supplement. I have no idea whether it was one of these things that helped, or if it was just a matter of a little more healing time, but my chest/rib pain is now 90% gone. I still get a few twinges of it during hormone shifts or if I accidentally get a food I shouldn't (a little bit of celery last week did it to me). But it's so, so much better!

It had gotten a little better once I started prescription Vit D. A few months later I added in the folic acid - my bloodwork showed that my level was within the normal range but I decided to supplement that anyway. I don't know what actually did the trick, but there's at least a few ideas for you. Good luck!

  • 3 weeks later...
Bella001 Explorer
Bella001
Posted

I get rib pain also! Mine is on my right side. It lasts anywhere from 2-30 minutes. Seems to relate to be glutened now. We went out to eat and I tried to be careful...don't think the waiter did :( Anyway, got home and went to bed. I was woke up by really bad shooting pains and it was hard to take a deep breath. Felt sore the next day.

I think it's related to gluten for sure.

okieinalaska Apprentice
okieinalaska
Posted

I too have had rib pain, mostly on the right and slightly and then sometimes slightly under my ribcage. That's why I thought it was gallbladder problems! Then lately I get like a charley horse in the muscles on the right side just over my rib cage. It doesn't have anything to do with my heart and it goes away pretty quickly. It's like the muscles seize for a few seconds. This has happened twice in a month maybe. Weird.

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

Costochondritis - inflammation of the cartilage in the ribcage. One of the charming symptoms of sero negative arthritis along with the sjogren's and the tendonitis.

I don't get it as much now, but it's one of those oh just let me die now sort of things if it coincides with a chest cold and asthma or if you sustain an accidental impact to the ribs. :ph34r:

  • 8 months later...
mree213 Newbie
mree213
Posted

I have found a wonderful treatment for my rib pain, it is called Rolfing. it has helped tremendously with all my pain issues. Rib pain and pelvis pain was my main issues that helped me find out I had Celiac. Look for a Rolfer with years of experience for best results.

Aseyan Newbie
Aseyan
Posted

Wow... I never thought my occasional rib cage pain could be related to this! I swear, 99% of my unknown issues that I just put up with are celiac in disguise...

quincy Contributor
quincy
Posted

Costochondritis - inflammation of the cartilage in the ribcage. One of the charming symptoms of sero negative arthritis along with the sjogren's and the tendonitis.

I don't get it as much now, but it's one of those oh just let me die now sort of things if it coincides with a chest cold and asthma or if you sustain an accidental impact to the ribs. :ph34r:

this is interesting I was not aware of inflammation of the cartilage but I experienced this up to and after my dx in april 2010.

I thought I had gall bladder disease because the pain first appeared on the upper right and then radiated around the back of the right rib cage. Turns out I also had osteopenia so I wonder if that was also causing the aching. I also have right hip pain and inflammation of the hip joint but this too has subsided alot since going gluten free.

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

I feel like sutch an idiot pestering this forum with questions all the time, but hear we go again.

Does anyone else get bone pain in there rib cage?

I started getting mild pain in my rib cage and just below my shoulder blades yesterday, it

Twinklestars Contributor
Twinklestars
Posted

I also get bad pain in my rib cage. A doctor once diagnosed me with a fracture because the pain was so bad (and he didn't do an xray). I had been doing some pretty physical stuff and my pain was severe and very real so I think he just assumed. When I accidentally glutened myself last week one of the first things that happened was sharp pain in my rib cage. Nice to know there might be a reason for it! :D

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