I am in a deep pain and stress due to the lower right Rib pain?

I am a 37 year old male.
I have two main problems:
1. Lower right Rib pain and tension.
2. Urinary Incontinence.

1. Lower right Rib pain.
I am in a deep pain and stress due to the lower right Rib pain i am experiencing since 10 years. I had Xray and ultrasound recently and the results are normal. Will CT scan or MRI reveal any muscle damage/ dislocation to my Rib?
Before that i would like to tell my medical history, i have suffered from Phobia, anxiety, major depression It took a toll on my health and most importantly caused muscle tensions and migraine headaches…I feel my lower right rib has been deformed due to continuous tension over the years, It has compressed more inside the body and i feel poky and pain while breathing and sitting.There is redness is that area.
when i touch the right and left ribs, i can see the difference in their positioning….the left rib can be felt and seen in normal position, whereas the right rib is compressed inside and i don’t feel the rib bones as much as the left side.
I am taking SSRI antidepressant called Lexapro (for anxiety, depression), and it helps 50% in reducing the tension but not enough to relax that area.
What should i do? I have taken Baclofen and it helps to some extent but makes me sleep for long hours and some drowsiness.
at times i feel like taking Muscle relaxants to relax those lower right rib but i know they can be addicting and harmful in long term. Is there Surgery option to put the ribs back in place so as to fix this issue once for and all ? Can CT Scan and MRI find out the Compression and deformed position of the right lower rib?

I am seriously had enough of it, since this rib pain and tension causes me Anxiety and even depressed feelings. I find it difficult to do physical exercises like jogging, Gym due to this and stress makes it worse. Relaxation exercises only helps partially for very brief duration like 30 mins or so.

2. Urinary incontinence
Since a year, i have developed urinary incontinence .I don’t know exact reason for it. It could be the Lexapro drug, but i am taking Lexapro since 7 years. For incontinence i was prescribed Solifenacin 10mg, and its effective upto 70%. I cannot quit lexapro because it is the only Antidepressant which helped me significantly with anxiety and depression. I have relapsed into depression in past due to lexapro withdrawal.

I will really appreciate your advice and options(including surgery if possible) so i can discuss them with a Specialist doctor at my place.

6 Comments on “I am in a deep pain and stress due to the lower right Rib pain?

  1. Hi..
    Thanks for the query..

    It is clear that stress and anxiety is the cause of all the problems that you are having and it is also possible that pain in ribs is only due to stress and not a pathology..
    If x ray and ultrasound are normal then what is there to be worried for
    So first thing that you should do is to consult a Psychologist and get evaluated so that he can do proper counselling sessions and titrate your medicine doses for optimum action..
    Also start doing yoga, meditation and breathing exercises that you can learn from a trained practitioner.
    The only thing that you need to work is your stress and anxiety and once you start getting relief all other problems will get better on its own..

    Hope this helps..

  2. İn my opinion you should get examined for a back scoliosis / kyphosis posture by physical examination and x ray on the whole back..as the problem of a depresses rib and continous muscle spasm that relieved by muscle relaxant and relaxation training could originally be caused by postural deformity.

  3. Thanks for your responses Dr. Honey & Dr Ayman, You did point out rightly that anxiety disorder is root of the issue.
    But i have overcome anxiety significantly with medication and counselling, but still have the pain and stress in that area. The tension headache which i had earlier resolved 90% after treatment,
    whereas regarding the ribs its not the same case. They are compressed inside and due to the poking and pressure on the internal tissues cause significant discomfort and pain. The compression has happened over years of anxiety disorder and resulting stress.
    I have been on relaxation therapy, Yoga, counselling etc but have been unable to get any significant relief from the pressure and pain caused by the compression and deformity.
    One of the Orthopedic surgeon i asked online sometime ago in another site, suggested a CT scan and said the following :
    “once we have documented that the rib or ribs are actually compressed
    or bent and digging into the soft tissues or pleura –(this will need a CT scan) then they can certainly be surgically straightened out with plates or some other form of internal fixation. But we need evidence before we do so.”
    I will get a CT scan by consulting a orthopedic surgeon,
    I take baclofen as needed and although it helps for few hours, but its not a long term solution.
    This issue is effecting my quality of life at work and social life.

  4. Hi
    Can you upload your ribs x ray ?
    Incontinence is due to stress and depression as Lexapro is not really doing a great job in that matter so you can consult your psychologist to add an anti histamine
    Good Luck

  5. Dr Ahmed Fawzy….I have not kept record of the Xrays of my ribs, but it was normal as per the Radiologist. SSRI’s have been linked to incontinence in small percentage of patients. I didnt have incontinence before that.

  6. I recommend you to consult a psychologist, and to try to do a complete relaxing life style modification

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