Before writing the doctor out completely, do a little self check of the shape of your rib cage.... (anything sticking out or in) I am now healing from surgery to my ribs and cartilage due to them healing out of place from an accident almost 9 years ago.. where the doc's told me... "we do nothing for ribs... take these meds."
I was trying to make a high G turn on my streetluge and turned so hard that my bottom ribs cracked against the top of my pelvic bone. Now, Im assuming they seperated from the cartilage in front. After about 8 weeks when the swelling went down I noticed this thing sticking out of the side of my chest sticking forward. My wife used to laugh that I had 2 kickstands keeping me from rolling over on her in the morning... ;-) The bad part was that it hurt to do anymore than about 10 situps and hurt worse the more I got in shape.
After 8 years of doctors telling me..."nothing could be done" I finally was able to convince a Thoracic Surgeon to cut the bump out. It sucks that he would not listen to me about where the bump came from... he was convinced it was a tumor... either way.. it is now out and I have a zipper looking scar to show for it.
If your ribs are obviously displaced... insist on getting them set right. Other wise some pain meds and alternating cold and hot packs to speed the recovery.
I feel your pain..
bob
