Cough-Induced Rib Fracture in a Postmenopausal Woman Without Clinical Evidence of Osteoporosis: A Case Report

Cough-induced rib fractures are rare conditions and are seldom reported in the medical literature. This case involves a 54-year-old postmenopausal woman who experienced a persistent dry cough lasting 16 days, which progressed to acute, localized chest pain in the right hemithorax. Symptoms started after an initial chest infection. She developed a fracture of her right fifth rib due to a cough, a rare but serious complication of hard work by the cough. The patient achieved a favorable outcome through conservative management, which remains the preferred initial approach for cough-induced rib fractures. The patient's clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and treatment plan are presented herein. The case, therefore, overemphasizes the consideration of rib fractures in patients presenting with protracted or severe coughing with chest pain.