I have been suffering from some type of chest and back pain for the past 3 months and Im not sure how it started. I went to a Chinese hospital and got an X-ray but the results showed no visible fracture or injury. I am young and on a budget but desperately need to have a doctor look at my problem. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced doctor or good hospital for me? Again, I am quite limited as far as what I can spend but can't take this pain much longer. I now live in JingAn and have been in Shanghai for about 5 months.


(The pain is very sharp and affects my chest and right shoulder blade at the same time. It hurts to exhale or inhale deeply and is sometimes relieved when my chest makes a loud popping sound. I want to think it is related to a rib because of the simultaneous throbbing but I am not sure if it is bone or muscle)

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

From the sounds of it, yes, you are correct, it is a rib issue. One of your rib heads is out of alignment and the pain radiates to both ends. This then causes a chain of events involving your muscles, which in turn help keep the rib head from moving back into place.

A regular medical doctor will be no use. You need a chiropractor, osteopath or physical therapist, none of which are inexpensive in Shanghai.

Start taking ibuprofen daily (600mg 3x daily for 5 days) to help reduce the inflammation and get yourself a strong Chinese massage. This should help and you may be lucky enough that everything will move back in place, but unlikely.

Lay on your back and press your finger tip firmly along the right and left side of your sternum, from top to bottom, moving along a few mm's each time. You should feel a sharp, stabbing pain at some point. This is the rib that is out of alignment. In some cases, you can press the palm of one hand on that spot and push down with your other hand and move it back. If this does not work, roll up a hand towel into a tube and lay on top of it placing it underneath your sternum. Have a friend gently use both of their hands and push down on your back directly above where the towel is located.

If none of this works, stand up, your back against a wall and have your friend place the palm of their hand on the spot that is hurting, push with the other hand, until you get movement.

If none of this works, then you need to see a professional. I know one doctor that specifically knows how to deal with this issue but he charges 600 - 800 rmb.