Rib pain is most often associated with various types of injuries that occur during falls and communication injuries. Rib pain caused by pressure on the nerve endings in this area is also quite common. What are some other causes of rib pain? How is the treatment going?

Rib painis very unpleasant and painful. The ribs are the scaffolding on which the chest is built and which creates a protective space for the soft organs located deep inside it, i.e. the heart, large blood vessels, lungs, esophagus and some abdominal organs, especially the liver, spleen and partially the kidneys. The human chest is made up of the thoracic spine, the sternum and 24 ribs.

Rib pain - causes

Ribs can hurt for many reasons.

The most common cause of rib pain is an injury such as a bruise, crack or fracture. Then severe pain occurs not only when touching the sore spot, but also when inhaling air. When the ribs are fractured, the pain also makes it difficult to freely turn the torso.

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Pain in the ribs on the right or left side of the body may be related to the malfunctioning of internal organs that somehow stick to the ribs.

Pain in the ribs, and in fact the entire chest, also occurs with a strong cough, pleurisy, bronchitis and pneumonia. Inflammation in the lungs, especially when combined with pleural effusions, can irritate the chest wall, causing severe pain.

The cause of rib pain is also neuralgia, i.e. an incorrect reaction of the intercostal nerves to various stimuli that should not cause pain. It results from their damage. This form of neuralgia is called intercostal neuralgia, and is often a complication of shingles.

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Diseases of the digestive system, including the gallbladder, pancreas and liver, are also often responsible for the pain under the ribs. This is called pain suffered, which appears in a place distant from the diseased organ.

Aching ribs and pain around them may also be present in neoplastic diseases, especially lung cancer, but also in other types of tumors,in the advanced stage of the disease, when the neoplasm spreads to the ribs or invades the chest wall.

Rib pain - injuries

In most cases, the cause of rib pain is straightforward to determine and arises from the injuries that led to a fracture (fracture) or contusion of the ribs.

A rib may be bruised in a fall or traffic accident. The ribs then hurt under pressure. Pain worsens when the injured person wants to take a deep breath or tilt the body backwards. At the site of the injury, there is a very distinct bruising of the skin, which indicates an internal stroke.

If a rib is broken, the pain is more severe, worsening with each breath, which can lead to severe breathlessness.

A cracked rib leads to a restriction of the body's mobility, and the injured person is forced to assume a semi-sitting position, because this body position reduces pain and facilitates breathing.

Rib pain - what to do?

Any pain that affects the chest should prompt us to visit a doctor and quickly determine the cause of the ailments and determine whether the situation may be dangerous to he alth.

The most information for a doctor is provided by honest answers to the questions he asks. The doctor does not ask out of sheer curiosity, but to determine whether the pain in the ribs is strong, weak or moderate, where exactly the pain is felt, in what situations it occurs and how long it lasts, whether it appeared after an injury, accident, etc. This allows a preliminary diagnosis to be made.

If the doctor has doubts or wants to confirm his diagnosis, he or she orders additional tests. Chest X-ray is most often performed, which allows to diagnose, for example, damage to the ribs, pneumonia. When a doctor orders a chest X-ray, also in a lateral position, he may suspect a lung cancer.

The ECG is also a frequent test, thanks to which it is possible to diagnose abnormal heart function. Your doctor may recommend an abdominal ultrasound if you have symptoms of cholecystitis or a chest CT scan if you suspect lung cancer.

Rib pain treatment

Treating rib pain always depends on its cause. In the case of traumatic rib pain, immobilization and magnetotherapy to accelerate the regeneration of bone tissue are recommended. The pain in the ribs in a child as a result of a posture defect eases during rehabilitation, while pregnancy pain in the ribs is recommended to rest and exercise, e.g. yoga.

Rib pain - when to stay alert?

The chest is the area in which the key ones are storedthe proper functioning of the organ system, especially the heart and lungs, therefore every case of pain within it should be alert.

Pain located in the ribs or in the chest wall in general, point-like, sharp and aggravated by coughing or torsional movements, is typical of irritation to the chest wall. The pleura covering the lung is particularly sensitive to the action of irritants. The reasons for such irritation can be various - it may be, for example, a fracture of the rib as a result of an injury or pleural effusion in the course of pneumonia.

Such ailments should be consulted quickly with a doctor, but if they are not accompanied by other disturbing symptoms (dyspnea, fainting, etc.), they do not pose a direct he alth risk.

Particular vigilance should be aroused by the so-called pain of a coronary nature. It is often described as a feeling of wrinkling, heaviness or pressure in the chest, usually on the left side, caused and aggravated by exercise, stress, heavy meals, sudden changes in temperature and similar stimuli.

Ailments of this kind originate from myocardial ischemia and should prompt immediate consultation with a doctor. However, immediate help requires very severe pain between the ribs, which does not go away after 15-20 minutes. rest or after taking nitroglycerin. If the pain is accompanied by a feeling of numbness in the left arm, neck or jaw, an ambulance should be called as soon as possible, as these are the classic symptoms of a heart attack.

About the authorAnna Jarosz A journalist who has been involved in popularizing he alth education for over 40 years. Winner of many competitions for journalists dealing with medicine and he alth. She received, among others The "Golden OTIS" Trust Award in the "Media and He alth" category, St. Kamil awarded on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, twice the "Crystal Pen" in the national competition for journalists promoting he alth, and many awards and distinctions in competitions for the "Medical Journalist of the Year" organized by the Polish Association of Journalists for He alth.

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