cmorg011
05-02-2007, 09:43 AM
Hello, all- how are you?
So, has anyone ever observed a bony "bump" on their ribs? Some months ago, I woke up with sharp pain in my right side when I breathed in; thought that I pulled something somehow. Perhaps last month or the month before, though, I noticed that I have a small bump on one of my ribs in the area where the pain was concentrated. For a while, it would hurt when I breathed in deeply sometimes, but nowadays, it doesn't bother me for the most part- only sometimes, if there is pressure on that side or something. (The fact that it has gotten "better" through time makes me think that it is some kind of injury healing?)
I went to the emergency room one afternoon to have my back and side X-rayed because I was having this pain and was scared that maybe I had fractured something... The doctor who saw me said that there was no sign of fracture or injury healing on the X-ray and that the bump did not even show up on the X-ray! (How can this be?) Yet, he said that sometimes just continual strain on a particular side of our bodies can cause extra calcification on that side, e.g., rib. (If this is the answer, though, why didn't it show up on X-ray?!)
My biggest fear is that this is some kind of tumor or something! (I know that bone cancer is quite serious...) :( ... I e-mailed my PCP today to ask her to obtain and review the X-rays herself, but is there anything else that I should do?
Sorry, I know that this could be "off-subject" of osteoporosis- but, perhaps this is a fracture or something? I don't know. The doctor @ the emergency room didn't even seem to believe me when I said that I had osteo.
So, has anyone ever observed a bony "bump" on their ribs? Some months ago, I woke up with sharp pain in my right side when I breathed in; thought that I pulled something somehow. Perhaps last month or the month before, though, I noticed that I have a small bump on one of my ribs in the area where the pain was concentrated. For a while, it would hurt when I breathed in deeply sometimes, but nowadays, it doesn't bother me for the most part- only sometimes, if there is pressure on that side or something. (The fact that it has gotten "better" through time makes me think that it is some kind of injury healing?)
I went to the emergency room one afternoon to have my back and side X-rayed because I was having this pain and was scared that maybe I had fractured something... The doctor who saw me said that there was no sign of fracture or injury healing on the X-ray and that the bump did not even show up on the X-ray! (How can this be?) Yet, he said that sometimes just continual strain on a particular side of our bodies can cause extra calcification on that side, e.g., rib. (If this is the answer, though, why didn't it show up on X-ray?!)
My biggest fear is that this is some kind of tumor or something! (I know that bone cancer is quite serious...) :( ... I e-mailed my PCP today to ask her to obtain and review the X-rays herself, but is there anything else that I should do?
Sorry, I know that this could be "off-subject" of osteoporosis- but, perhaps this is a fracture or something? I don't know. The doctor @ the emergency room didn't even seem to believe me when I said that I had osteo.
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osteoblast
05-02-2007, 01:01 PM
cmorg-You are probably doing the right thing to have your pcp follow up on the xrays and figure out where to go from here. It sounds like something you want to get to the bottom of. Check the bump regularly and be sure to advise your dr. if you note any changes.
Sometimes emergency room drs and staff are under too much pressure and perhaps the drs. don't have the depth of knowledge needed for all the areas they are called on to examine. Maybe a radiologist needs to look at your xray- ask the pcp.
I recently spoke to a woman who took her 84 year old mother to the emergency room. Her mother had fallen and was concerned she broke her hip. After waiting for hours at the emergency room the xrays were finally done and the dr. told the elderly woman- your ok you can go. First thing next morning the emergency room called the elderly woman's daughter and said we missed something on the xray yesterday would you bring your mother to the hopital as soon as possible. Her mother was told at the hospital that she had broken her hip.
The elderly mom is now 96 and sometime after the first hip fracture , broke her other hip. My acquaintance said her mom is doing ok now considering. She gets around with a walker and still has quite a bit of independence. Amazing!
In any event, I think your idea to pursue this further is a good idea. I hope the best for you.
Sometimes emergency room drs and staff are under too much pressure and perhaps the drs. don't have the depth of knowledge needed for all the areas they are called on to examine. Maybe a radiologist needs to look at your xray- ask the pcp.
I recently spoke to a woman who took her 84 year old mother to the emergency room. Her mother had fallen and was concerned she broke her hip. After waiting for hours at the emergency room the xrays were finally done and the dr. told the elderly woman- your ok you can go. First thing next morning the emergency room called the elderly woman's daughter and said we missed something on the xray yesterday would you bring your mother to the hopital as soon as possible. Her mother was told at the hospital that she had broken her hip.
The elderly mom is now 96 and sometime after the first hip fracture , broke her other hip. My acquaintance said her mom is doing ok now considering. She gets around with a walker and still has quite a bit of independence. Amazing!
In any event, I think your idea to pursue this further is a good idea. I hope the best for you.
DesertBloom
05-05-2007, 08:49 PM
Hi cmorg: There are a lot of soft tissue masses that don't show up on an x-rays. I had one on my lower lumbar area that is still extremely painful, and it took 3 tests before they actually saw the mass on the films. The lump could be seen by the Drs, but no one knew what it was. I had x-rays, and a ultra sound and nothing showed up. My osteo Dr, finally took over and, ordered a ct scan with and without contrast and they decided it was a fatty tissue mass from one of my back surgeries, and not cancer, since there was no fluid in it. Supposedly the radiologist should be able to tell whether or not it looks like cancer, so that is how they determine whether or not to do a tissue biopsy. My problem is that it is so painful and is only getting worse. The only thing anyone can come up with is that this mass must be sitting on my sciatic nerve causing the pain. I would like to have it removed, thinking it would stop the pain, but no one is willing to give it a shot, because of the possible nerve involvement.
So it's best to stay on top of this to see what it is. If you can't get an answer to it, the last option would be a biopsy, but I would try other things first to avoid this unless it becomes necessary. Have you ever had any cancer treatment? It didn't sound like it from your post, but I hate to assume. If so, lumps in that area aren't unusual as a result of chemo or radiation. But hopefully that doesn't apply.
If it was a broken rib it should show up on an x-ray, but it wouldn't surprise me too much if the Drs don't take it that seriously since rib fractures are usually only treated with a rib belt until it heals. Since your lump sounds like hard tissue, then biopsing it would be harder to do, but still doable. If it was some type of calcification it would show up on a ct scan or mri.
Good luck following through on this, I hope you get to the bottom of it.:wave:
So it's best to stay on top of this to see what it is. If you can't get an answer to it, the last option would be a biopsy, but I would try other things first to avoid this unless it becomes necessary. Have you ever had any cancer treatment? It didn't sound like it from your post, but I hate to assume. If so, lumps in that area aren't unusual as a result of chemo or radiation. But hopefully that doesn't apply.
If it was a broken rib it should show up on an x-ray, but it wouldn't surprise me too much if the Drs don't take it that seriously since rib fractures are usually only treated with a rib belt until it heals. Since your lump sounds like hard tissue, then biopsing it would be harder to do, but still doable. If it was some type of calcification it would show up on a ct scan or mri.
Good luck following through on this, I hope you get to the bottom of it.:wave:
spinewhine
05-06-2007, 12:23 PM
Are you taking any osteo meds? I just finished two years on Forteo. Sometime during the last year, I got a little extra bone growth on a middle toe. I showed it to the doctor and he said it was an exostosis -- some new bone growth. I asked if Forteo had caused it and he said it probably had. He said it was nothing and that the extra bone would probably be resorbed. I had earlier showed it to my internist, who had told me the same thing -- about it being an exostosis that was nothing.
I don't know if this is anything like what you have experienced. I had no pain and just noticed a slight protrusion when I touched my middle toe.
Maybe you should seek out a bone specialist to discuss your situation with.
I don't know if this is anything like what you have experienced. I had no pain and just noticed a slight protrusion when I touched my middle toe.
Maybe you should seek out a bone specialist to discuss your situation with.
cmorg011
05-16-2007, 10:56 PM
Hey, guys! :) - thank you all for your replies.
I hounded (and I mean hounded) my physician to have her look at my X-rays herself. She said that a radiologist looked over my x-rays after I saw the emergency room guy, and that there have been some small fractures ("old" ones) in my rib(s) in that area. She said that I don't have cancer and that the bump is likely the biproduct of healing in that area. (Phew!)
Desert Bloom, I am sorry to hear about your painful bump! :( ... it is very unfortunate that no one will give it a shot for you. I truly hope that it gets better somehow.
No, I am not on any meds yet- thank you for asking- I am going to see a specialist in July to see if he thinks I should go on something.
You guys are so awesome! ;)
I hounded (and I mean hounded) my physician to have her look at my X-rays herself. She said that a radiologist looked over my x-rays after I saw the emergency room guy, and that there have been some small fractures ("old" ones) in my rib(s) in that area. She said that I don't have cancer and that the bump is likely the biproduct of healing in that area. (Phew!)
Desert Bloom, I am sorry to hear about your painful bump! :( ... it is very unfortunate that no one will give it a shot for you. I truly hope that it gets better somehow.
No, I am not on any meds yet- thank you for asking- I am going to see a specialist in July to see if he thinks I should go on something.
You guys are so awesome! ;)