one time i couldn't breathe very well and when it stopped i felt a popping in my ribs.  Why?
370836
You probably slept on your chest and it got sore .
266309
Sounds like an allergic reaction to a food or drug.\nSounds like you are ok now.  Did the ER not provide you with any additional info?
294950
A sudden contraction or spasm of the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs makes you inhale quickly and involuntarily. It ends with "glottic closure" — the space in the throat near the vocal cords snaps shut, producing the typical sound. In most cases, only one of the two sides of the diaphragm is involved; it is left-sided in 80% of cases. \nMost likely hiccups are a reflex. Nerves inside the chest send signals to the diaphragm and muscles between the ribs to spontaneously contract during normal breathing. This "hiccup reflex" may be set off by many triggers, including:\n\nEmotional stress or excitement \nStretching of the stomach, as may occur after overeating, drinking carbonated beverages, or swallowing air \nAbrupt changes in the temperature (as with drinking a hot beverage) \nAlcohol binging \nSmoking
338648
This also happened to me.  Probably not a big deal, but you should see your doctor just to be sure.
803635
I am a massage therapist, I have had several people in with this type of pain.  It could be several muscle related issues.  Your intercostal muscles (the muscles between your ribs that help them go up and down wien you breath) may be in spasm, the medical term is costrocondritis. You have other breathing associated muscles called your serratus posterior that could be in spasm.  It may also be your lattisimus dorsi (latts) that are attached in the area you described.  Have you done any strenous lifting or wood cutting with an axe?  Your best bet is to take a deep breath (I know it hurts) and exhale while pulling your affected side arm over your head while bending to the opposite. So, if it is your right side take your right arm over your head and bend to the left and exhale.  This will stretch all the muscles I have mentioned and hopefully get them out of spasm.
92295
I had one about 9 years ago (at 21 age).  I was at the Statue of Liberty, it was really crowded and when I realized that I was at the stairs and that there were many people ahead of me and lots of people behind me I got panicked and started to hyperventilate, I couldn’t breath and I was sweating a lot.
462062
I have had this many times and it sounds like an anxiety attack. You become so afraid that you start breathing fast and hyperventilate. I was told to hold my breath and count to ten, after i had slowed my breathing down I didn't feel dizzy any more. I thought I was going to die when this started happening  to me and it seemed to get worse each time. When I realized I could control it and it was me being afraid that caused the problem, it has not happened again for several years. I am not a doctor, but these same symptoms happened to me.
1042009
From my experience, 5 broken ribs at 3 separate times, you should do nothing except to take it easy, lie on the side that is the least painful, try not to do anything exerting as it could puncture your lung and hurt real bad otherwise.  Don't lift heavy things...you will know what things not to do because your ribs will inform you quite loud and clear!  Don't tape them!  If you ask doctors, they will tell you the same thing.  Most doctors don't have you tape them because it can cause you to puncture your lung.  See a doctor and ask him, but if you are just going by Yahoo answers, don't wrap them!  You think having busted ribs are bad, try that while you are having bronchitis at the same time...coughing all the time...long wracking coughs, killer dude!  Lucky yours is on the bottom.  Good luck and I hope it feels better soon.
518151
no it because of the chemicals in the second hand smoke that you may be inhaling-ask far as your ribs being cracked you would have to consult with a doctor on what activities you can participate in from those you cant.  I am not licensed to tell you that
571645
Possibly a broken rib.  You can break a rib from something as simple as sneezing.  You can go get an x-ray just to be sure, but there's nothing that can be done for a rib fracture.
1121133
you should get a medical opinion for a question such as this.  I get the same thing but mine is acid reflux disease.  My husband on the other hand had  the same pain and turns out that the fluid between his ribs and chest wall was not there any more.  He thought he was having a heart attack.  so you see if could be a number of things.  I would get to a Dr. real soon.
496032
could be. but pain for 2 months? any trauma? did you fall? sound like a broken rib. any coughing? could even be pneumonia. go see your doctor.
895210
Could be a couple of things.  I would see a doctor.  First have you done any heavy lifting or weird stretching, if so it could be your intercostal muscles.  These are muscles that help you breather.  Very, very painful if torn.  You could also have an ulcer that is bleeding.  This will give off the same pain.  Again it could be a lot of different things.  I would see a doctor, even if the pain goes away.
357639
i think you might be sucking in air when you eat. i find that when i eat bread(the yeast in itcauses air)i get hiccups.
700471
I AM NOT A DOCTOR, but I did have, had the same systems a year ago.  I thought I was having chest pains and panicked.  Went to the ER, after my trying to explain the pain, (different country) and after an eternity found it was not my chest, but my lungs, I had an ammonia, (walking)  After a couple of days looking back since I am an older person, and if anyone has that little tickle (cough) in their throat check it out. Also dander from pets. Sorry pet lovers I have birds, dogs, cats, the list goes on because I live in the country..\n\nI also felt something different for at least a couple of months, but did not think anything of it, just a tickle in my throat\n\nHonestly I thought it was chest pains, but turned out to be my lungs.  Because I described where the pain was the doc's where checking out the heart, took like eons for them to know it was the lungs. Once x-rays and everything came back they started treatment, am grateful to be alive now.
727097
it sounds like trapped gas! try some gas ex. if this does not work you should see your dr. it may be something that needs attention, medically speaking.
454772
This could be caused from tension, and when your muscles relax, where the spinal column meets the back of the head it will crack and pop.  kinda like cracking the nuckles?