Suggest Treatment For Severe Sinus Infection, Cough And Excessive Sneezing

Posted on Fri, 19 Jun 2015

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

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 Answered on

Mon, 13 Jul 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Last week I had a really bad sinus infection that caused me to cough and sneeze a lot. I noticed a lot of soreness through my lower rib cage and through my back for a few days on both sides. Now that I am have recovered from that I had some slight pain in the lower right ribcage around where my 6,7,8,9, 10 ribs on the front side down from the sternum on the very front were they come together. Now it is just sore. When I lean back its sore bad and if I to u and palate I feel pain on the rib and right under it, it also feels sore when I cough and when I lay on my stomach i feel discomfort. I had some palpate the area and they said it feels as my muscle on ribs are swollen. No real pain/minor when pressing just below ribs but on the ribs in the very bottom down from the sternum it very sore to touch I've noticed today that only coughing affects it other then leaning back to stretch. I've sneezed a few times and it doesn't really bother it but I also have some slight soreness down in the abdominal near belly button kinda of straight down from the ribs, also notice a slight swell over the ribs too.

the soreness to a semi-hard palpation is down side of abdominal. The area I was sore from coughing and sneezing

Answered by Dr. Ralf Von Seckendorff (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Most likely musculoskeletal pain, but pleurisy to be ruled out

Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,

this is most likely musculoskeletal pain due to extensive coughing. This should get better by local warmth application and nsaid medication like ibuprofen.
However, if someone with your symptoms comes to my office i try to rule out pleurisy/ pneumonia by clinical examination (stethoscope) and eventually x ray of the lungs if there is any doubt.
In addition i would also do an ultrasound abdomen to rule out any condition of the gall bladder and liver, although that sounds less likely in your case.

Hope this is helping you , if you have any clarifications you can get back to me, if this was helpful please kindly rate my answer. Best regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ralf Von Seckendorff (1 hour later)

Thanks for the quick response. A few mintues ago I squatted down to look for something under my sink in the bathroom and noticed I could feel the soreness a little more but in general I noticed that my soreness in general has started to decrease in the past few hours.

it is now only painful/sore when I lean back and stretch like pressing my stomach and chest out while arching my back. after a few seconds of releasing this leaning back motion I still notice the pain/soreness and it gradually fades

Answered by Dr. Ralf Von Seckendorff (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Good sign if getting better

Detailed Answer:
Good thing if it is getting better, then probably musculoskeletal and pleurisy less likely. Still my advise above stands to get clinical examination by gp first if this persists. Best regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ralf Von Seckendorff (15 hours later)

Doc if its almost completely gone can I assume it was in fact rib/muscle injury? On a scale of 1-10 when it first occurred it was a solid 7, as of today its a 1 and has progressivily gotten better in the past 4 days

Doc just curious, if I am a weight lifter can exercising cause it to flare back up?

one last question doc, if someone is able to palpate my ribs and I feel a lot of pain and they can feel a swollen muscle or joint, that would indicate something musculskelton correct? the place on rib where it was palpated is about 3 inches right of the xipoid process.

once someone palpated the area it is now seemed to be inflamed feeling

Answered by Dr. Ralf Von Seckendorff (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes corrcect but pleurisy to be ruled out by stethoscope or x ray

Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,

yes the palpating pain makes musculoceletal cause more likely. However if any doubt about pleurisy i still stick with my recommendations given above.

Best regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D