A WOMAN who had dry cough for two weeks coughed so hard she broke her rib.

The 66-year-old, from the US state of Massachusetts, went to her doctor suffering pain in her right side when her cough wouldn't subside.

She had originally been diagnosed with a viral respiratory infection – a cold or the flu – but after five days her symptoms had not improved so she returned to the GP.

Her doctor noticed she had a severe bruise across the right-hand side of her chest and she felt sharp pain in her side when touched.

A CT scan of her chest revealed she had a displaced fracture of her ninth rib, meaning the rib had broken and the two ends separated.

The break had also caused a hernia in her chest wall.

The injury was believed to be caused during a coughing fit, according to the report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Medics also took swabs from her mouth and throat which tested positive for whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways.

The woman treated with antibiotics and required surgery to repair her rib.

Whooping cough can last for two to three months, causes repeated coughing bouts and can make young children and babies, in particular, very ill.

It can affect people of any age but youngsters are particularly at risk of complications such as dehydration, weight loss, pneumonia, fits, kidney problems, brain damage and in very rare occasions death.

Early symptoms are similar to a cold and include a runny nose, sore throat and slight temperature.

After about a week intense coughing bouts develop – particularly at night.

People with whooping cough usually bring up a thick mucus and bouts of coughing can be followed by vomiting.

MORE CASE REPORTS

The strain of coughing can cause sight bleeding under the skin or eyes.

Anyone who thinks they have whooping cough should see their GP.

If you are having significant breathing difficulties, fits or signs of pneumonia call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.

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