Winter blues

[bacony]

According to my doctor I do not have pleurisy this time, but have broken one or more ribs in a particularly hardcore bout of coughing. I don't particularly believe her, the last time I broke some ribs an undisclosed weight of welshman in plate armour had fallen on me while I was lying on the ground and I just don't think that some mere coughing

Comments

[lucian_albrecht]

I can confirm breaking ribs coughing is perfectly possible, so it could well be that.

[doctor_kaos]

Sure is. I cracked a rib last year doing it.

[eriathwen_bob]

Pleurisy has a very distinct sound on auscultation (listening with a stethescope) - it sounds like "creaking, stepping on dry snow".

And there goes last week's learning being useful!

[bacony]

Aye, and if she had tried auscultation anywhere near where the pain was I would have lent her opinion more credence. As it was she resorted to tapping my back, which operation proved that I have a nice echoing back...

[eriathwen_bob]

And also that you don't have a punctured lung or fluid there. Which with an infection or broken ribs are possible.

[batelf]

As the hard-working brain-thing one of a Thursday night I concur with the gingerbread plan. And cast a Yeah vote from Doktor Nameless as well (so what if I'm not actually his proxy, it's not like he's going to read this).

[marcushill]

Sue's latest bout of what was initially suspected to be pleurisy turned out to be costochondritis, the treatment for which is taking things easy and over the counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories, much like the treatment for broken ribs.

[lucian_albrecht]

Yeah, my nurse said of my broken ribs "well, there's not much they could have done anyway"..

[doctor_kaos]

We obviously have the same nurse.

[lucian_albrecht]

well, mine's in Yorkshire so I expect a certain amount of "stop mithering!" from her ;)