What is best thing for strained rib/painful breathing?
This is not really an is it normal question, I'm just asking advice. I pulled something in my rib on Friday, but it wasn't that bad then, it only hurt when I took a deep breath. Saturday, it was a bit worse, it hurt when I took a deep and somewhat deep breaths, and there became a few more sitting or lying positions which aggravated the pain. Now this morning, when I breathe any way except shallowly, the pain in my rib really is intense now, like a very sharp knife cutting into my rib, and taking deep breaths are now impossible, the sharp knife pain won't allow me to take anything beyond a moderate breath. And there are very limited positions I can sit or lie in now. I'm pretty sure that the reason the pain keeps getting worse is because I keep trying to take deeper breaths, which I'm sure is continuing to rip the tear in my rib muscles further. The thing is, I have to do deep breathing excersises. I have read on numerous different web sites that if you don't do deep breathing excersises and you continuously breathe shallow, you will get pneumonia. It can't be wrong if that many different sites are all saying the same thing. I am seemingly stuck between a rock and a hard place between further damaging my ribs or pneumonia. Any other suggestions I would appreciate.
Oh, and I can't afford to go to the doctor, I'm broke. And even if I can get them to bill me, which some doctors offices won't do, I won't have money for any medications they prescribe me, like pain killers or anti-flammatories, which I will need. Any suggestions?