Are My Ribs Okay?

Posted on Thu, 23 Jul 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 Answered on

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : Currently freaking out. I went to urgent care on Monday because i thought I may have had a kidney infection, I was just having flank pain and I was peeing a lot. My urine culture came back perfect, and my blood work came back perfect too, but my abdominal x ray showed I’m constipated and have a lot of gas in my stomach and intensities, but she said that my lower left ribs looked not as solid as my other ribs and it was weird for a 21 year old. She wants me to get a chest, abdominal, and pelvic CT on Friday and I am freaking out. I asked her if she thinks it’s cancer and she said absolutely not, but now I think my bones are deteriorating or I have bone cancer. I had two chest x rays back in March and XXXXXXX and they never mentioned my ribs looking like this. My moms a doctor and said it could’ve just been the gas covering them in the x ray, but now I’m having pain on both my left and right side. I’m so nervous and need some reassurance. Are my ribs okay? I’m experiencing pain in them now. I’m very healthy

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (-3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I don't think it's significant

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.

In a 21 yr old, there's practically no reason to have diffuse thinning of ribs. Neither osteoporosis is common, nor is malignancy like multiple myeloma.

So I think it's just an artefact, as your mom correctly pointed out. A normal xray in XXXXXXX also helps. The pain may be psychological after hearing the report, or may be muscle pain.

So overall, I don't think there's anything to worry.

Hope this helps.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj