Rib pain can have a variety of causes, from pulled muscles to fractured bones. Pain may be sharp, dull, or achy and occur after injury or develop over time. If your rib pain is severe, unexplained, and accompanied by other symptoms, seek medical treatment immediately:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pressure or tightening
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness
- Confusion or change in consciousness
- Coughing up blood
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain that radiates into the jaw, arm, or back
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
What causes rib pain?
There are many potential causes of rib pain such as injuries, inflammation, infection, cancer, and referred pain coming from organs such as the heart, lungs, spleen, or liver.
In outpatient clinics, musculoskeletal conditions are the most common cause of rib pain. In emergency rooms, serious conditions that mimic rib pain include pulmonary embolism (blood clot in an artery in the lungs).
The most common causes of rib pain include:
- Injuries: Trauma or an injury to the ribs, intercostal muscles, or other tissues overlying the ribs is a very common cause of rib pain. Costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to breastbone) can also be a cause.
- Infections: Upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, or pneumonia can lead to rib pain. Pain may be caused by the infection itself, a pulled rib muscle from coughing, or pleuritis (inflammation of the pleura) inside the chest wall.
Other conditions that can lead to rib pain include:
- Pulmonary embolism: Medical emergency in which the arteries that supply the lungs get blocked by a blood clot.
- Fibromyalgia: Associated with musculoskeletal pain in different parts of the body.
- Shingles: Caused by a viral infection that results in a painful rash and other symptoms.
- Other causes: Include sprains, peptic ulcer disease, mood disorders such as anxiety, and in some cases lung cancer.
How is rib pain diagnosed?
To determine the cause of rib cage pain, your doctor will take your medical history, perform a physical examination, and order different tests. They may ask you about your symptoms such as when, where, and how your pain started and what makes it worse.
Tests that may be ordered include:
- Bone scan
- Chest X-ray
- Computed tomography scan
- Magnetic resonance imaging scan
What are treatment options for rib pain?
Treatment of rib pain depends on the underlying cause. In some cases, avoiding activities and movements that aggravate the pain may be all that is needed. Other treatment options include:
- Musculoskeletal injuries:
- Pain medications
- Stretching
- Physical therapy
- Local injections of numbing medication.
- Pulled muscles:
- Cold compresses
- Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen
- Bone cancer
- Treatment options depend on the type of cancer and its stage
QUESTION
Medically speaking, the term "myalgia" refers to what type of pain? See AnswerHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/3-reasons-you-might-have-rib-cage-pain/
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003109.htm
Top When Should I Be Concerned About Rib Pain Related Articles
Respiratory Illnesses: 13 Types of Lung Infections
Is your cough caused by a cold, flu, pneumonia or something else? Learn causes of respiratory infection like bronchitis, pneumonia, SARS, Coronavirus COVID-19 bird flu, and more.
Bone Cancer
Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs in cells that make up the bones. Primary bone cancer that arises in bone cells is different than metastatic bone cancer, which is cancer that arises in another part of the body and then spreads to the bones. Hereditary and environmental factors likely contribute to the risk of bone cancer. Signs and symptoms of bone cancer may include pain, the presence of a mass or lump, and bone fractures. There are different types of bone cancer (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, pleomorphic sarcoma, fibrosarcoma). Treatment for bone cancer may include surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy, radiation, and/or a stem cell transplant. The prognosis for bone cancer depends on the type of cancer and the extent of spread.
Bone Density Scan
Bone density scanning measures bone mineral density, which helps a doctor decide whether a person is at increased risk of an osteoporosis-related fracture. The following risk factors may suggest the need for bone density scanning: advanced age, poor health, low body weight or thin stature, personal history of fracture as an adult, low physical activity, RA, and use of birth control pills.
Broken Bone
A broken bone is a fracture. There are different types of fractures, such as:- compressed,
- open,
- stress,
- greenstick,
- spiral,
- vertebral compression,
- compound, and
- comminuted.
Symptoms of a broken bone include pain at the site of injury, swelling, and bruising around the area of injury. Treatment of a fracture depends on the type and location of the injury.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are a common type of injury. Bones are some of the hardest tissues in the body, but they can break when they are stressed. Osteoporosis and cancer may cause bone fractures. The broken bone needs immediate medical treatment.
Bronchitis Quiz
What happens within the body when a person develops bronchitis? Take this quick quiz to learn the causes, symptoms, treatments, and complications of this common respiratory illness.
DVT Quiz
Take the Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism Quiz to learn causes, symptoms, and treatments for these two dangerous conditions.
How Many Ribs Does a Man Have?
The ribs are the series of long, flat, curved bones that form the protective cage of the thorax (chest). The human rib cage is made up of 12 paired rib bones, each of which articulates with the vertebral column posteriorly and terminates anteriorly as cartilage.
How Painful Is a Bone Bruise?
A bone bruise can be excruciatingly painful, severely limit movements, and take several months to heal. Learn about different types, symptoms, and treatment.
Pain Management
Pain management and treatment can be simple or complex, according to its cause. There are two basic types of pain, nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Some causes of neuropathic pain include:- complex regional pain syndrome,
- interstitial cystitis,
- and irritable bowel syndrome.
What Do You Do for a Broken Rib?
If you have a broken rib you must restrict activities, gently massage the affected area, take painkillers, and practice deep breathing exercises.