By Melbo on Friday, June 02, 2000 - 01:11 pm:

Those who know me would automatically answer "YES!". However, I am referring to my ribs. I haven't been able to detect them for a while but I know they're there
because they're killing me. I was rushed into hospital with severe chest pains just over a year ago, but when they found nothing they said it was probably the
hypermobility in the small connective joints holding the ribs to whatever they hold the ribs to. I am not known for my body building prowess and so don't often have
cause to flex my ribcage. Does any body else suffer likewise or is it just me?
I am not being treated for the hypermobility, but am for prolapsed discs and chronic sciatica in the left leg. Can anyone tell me if it's possible that my discs won't
stay in place due to HMS? It makes sense to me but the rheumatology/physio depts at the hospital haven't made the connection so I'm wondering if I'm wrong. (It's
not outside the realms of possibility!)
Cheers, bye.

By Jonathan B on Friday, June 02, 2000 - 01:11 pm:

Weird's good
sorry I can't add much to what gwen said although my HMS does affest the intercostal muscles particularly at the bottom of my rib cage.
Good luck finding the help you need people here will help if they can as well
Take care,
Jonathan B

By Gwen on Friday, June 02, 2000 - 01:12 pm:

Melbo, I think the name of your rib condition is costochondritis. Have a look at postings by Katrina Osborne who has similar problems. I think it very likely your
prolapsed disc is due to hypermobility. I had a disc rupture in 1984 from a very minor accident, which was undiagnosed for two years because I have a hypermobile
spine and can touch the ground, do straight leg raises etc, all the things people with ruptured discs aren't supposed to be able to do. Even after surgery I can still do
all these things. I was diagnosed as having HMS (although it wasn't specifically named) in 1991 but have had differing diagnoses since. Most admit that my spine is
hypermobile but that I'm not particularly so elsewhere, even though I can hold hands up and down behind my back even after damaging both rotator cuffs. It seems
to me that the majority of doctors simply don't know very much about hypermobility, especially at the lower end of the hypermobile range. My own GP told me
outright that he wasn't interested in reading articles on hypermobility that I gave him. He told me to "take them to physios or people who deal with that sort of thing"
(!!!!!!!!!!) I hope you have more success than I am. There are some very good articles put out by both EDNF and the English HMSA website. Also look up Medscape
and Medical Matrix. Gwen

By Debbe on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - 06:06 am:

My 19 year old daughter has been diagnosed with HMS and the area of her body that it seems to effect the most is her ribs. She has a lot of pain in her rib cage. In fact she can actually feel her rib cage shifting around. Her lower ribs also dislocate at times and get stuck underneath her other ribs. In the past five years she has had the ninth rib and cartilige on each side removed because her ribs would sometimes stay dislocated for up to twenty minutes. The pain was unbearable at times. She has seen a lot of different doctors including a genetic specialist. All anyone can tell me is that she should exercise to build up and strenghten her connective tissues. She also has very bad chest pains at times that feels as if she is having a heart attack - the doctors have also blamed that on HMS.
People and other doctors look at her like she is crazy when she tells them about her rib problem.

Good Luck -
Debbe

By Eppie on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - 08:56 am:

Debbe,

First, and unfortunately, you cannot strengthen connective tissue with exercise.

Second, after the birth of my son, I too experienced rib popping/dislocation (among other things). Five rounds of prolotherapy have really settled things in that area. They are non-weight-bearing joints, so they respond well to treatment (although they are in constant motion b/c we all have to breathe :).

Please email me if you have questions.

By Debbe on Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 06:42 am:

Eppie,
Thanks for responding - it's alsways nice to know that there are people out there that understand what you are going through.
The doctors want my daughter to stop taking the pill because she has been having migraine headaches for the past three months. She is afraid that she might get pregnant and that she would have complications because of her rib problems.
We will have to look into prolotheraphy and see if there are any doctors in our area who offer that treatment. WE live in New York State. Is prolotheraphy covered by medical insurance? Are the treatments painful?

Thanks again

Debbe

By Debbe on Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 06:51 am:

Eppie,
I was just reading other messages and came across some on polycystic ovarian syndrome. My daughter has many cycts on her ovaries - that is why she is taking the pill. No one has every mentioned to us that there was a connection between HMS and
ovarian cysts. What do you do about your cysts? Before my daughter went on the pill she was in a lot of pain every month. She was even hospitalized and given iv antibiotics once.

Debbe

By iggie on Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 10:39 am:

Hi Debbe,

Re. PCOS and HMS - I don't know of any research stating that there is a correlation between the the two syndromes co-exisiting, but I believe the unopposed oestrogen pre-menstrually in PCOS leads to greater mobility in joints. At this time, joints I can deal with normally are worse; nerve compression symptoms increase; and my knees are more likely to collapse (? due to patellar subluxation).

There is a huge amount of understanding and advice by sufferers of PCOS. I would definitely recommend looking at forums.obgyn.net/pcos/ - PCOS can affect the body and health risks in many ways, not to mention causing emotional distress and fatigue. Being informed can be a great tool with sceptical doctors!!

Good Luck!

Iggie

By Joany on Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 12:59 pm:

Trained 'buikspieren' (what is the English word for the muscles in that part of your body between your chest and your hips, I suppose they aren't called bellymuscles) are supposed to keep your ribs better aligned. That's what they told me only today, so I can't speak out of experience yet.

By Eppie on Friday, October 20, 2000 - 11:55 am:

Trunk muscles or your "powerhouse" in Pilates-ese.

By Joe Leitinger on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 06:24 am:

I got hurt in a 30 ft fall, 2 and a half years ago, left side got crushed, 14 breaks in 9 ribs, plus shoulder and lung. Ribs are plated, left side sticks out from ribs being displaced. Doctors say I have severe nerve damage to left chest area, live on pain meds. Doctors say they can kill nerves to chest, by several different means. Really hoping for another option, anyone have any good ideas?? thanks Joe