Pain in center of rib cage. Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

08.08.202311.06.2023 by alexxlab

What causes pain in the center of the rib cage? How can costochondritis be identified and treated? Get the facts about rib cage pain symptoms and management.

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Understanding Rib Cage Pain

Rib cage pain can be a concerning and uncomfortable experience, but it is often treatable. This type of pain can arise from a variety of causes, ranging from minor injuries to underlying medical conditions. Understanding the potential sources of rib cage discomfort and the appropriate steps for identification and treatment is crucial for managing this health issue effectively.

Causes of Rib Cage Pain

The most common causes of rib cage pain include:

Muscle Strain or Bruising: Activities that strain the muscles or lead to impact in the rib cage area, such as sports injuries or falls, can result in pulled muscles or bruised ribs.
Rib Fractures: Broken ribs, typically caused by trauma or severe impact, can lead to significant pain in the rib cage.
Costochondritis: This condition involves inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone, leading to rib cage pain.
Underlying Medical Conditions: Certain conditions, such as osteoporosis, lung diseases, and even cancer, can cause pain in the rib cage area.

Identifying the Cause of Rib Cage Pain

When experiencing rib cage pain, it is important to seek medical attention. Your healthcare provider will likely begin by asking about your symptoms, including the type of pain, its location, and any events or activities that may have triggered it. They may also perform a physical examination, checking for tenderness, swelling, or other signs of injury or inflammation.

Depending on the suspected cause, your doctor may order diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans, to obtain a clearer picture of the underlying issue. These imaging studies can help identify fractures, abnormal growths, or other structural problems that may be contributing to your rib cage discomfort.

Treating Rib Cage Pain

The treatment for rib cage pain will depend on the underlying cause. For minor injuries, such as muscle strains or bruised ribs, over-the-counter pain medications, cold compresses, and gentle stretching or exercise may be sufficient. In the case of rib fractures, your doctor may recommend immobilizing the area with a compression wrap or brace to allow for proper healing.

For conditions like costochondritis, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and rest may be the primary treatment approach. In more severe or persistent cases, your doctor may consider corticosteroid injections or other interventions to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

Preventing Rib Cage Pain

While some causes of rib cage pain, such as underlying medical conditions, may not be entirely preventable, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing this type of discomfort:

Engage in Regular Exercise: Strengthening the muscles in your core and chest can help support the rib cage and reduce the risk of injury.
Practice Good Posture: Maintaining proper posture can help distribute weight and pressure more evenly across the rib cage, decreasing the strain on individual ribs.
Use Proper Lifting Techniques: When lifting heavy objects, be sure to use your legs and avoid putting excessive strain on your upper body and rib cage.
Seek Prompt Treatment for Injuries: If you experience an injury to the rib cage, such as a fall or impact, seek medical attention right away to prevent the development of chronic pain or complications.

When to Seek Medical Care

If you are experiencing persistent or severe rib cage pain, it is important to seek medical attention. Some signs that you should see a healthcare provider include:

Sudden, intense pain in the rib cage area
Pain that is worsening or not improving with self-care measures
Pain that is accompanied by difficulty breathing, chest pain, or other concerning symptoms
Pain that is disrupting your daily activities or quality of life

Your healthcare provider can help determine the underlying cause of your rib cage pain and develop an appropriate treatment plan to help you find relief and prevent further complications.

Conclusion

Rib cage pain can be a concerning and debilitating condition, but it is often treatable. By understanding the potential causes, seeking prompt medical attention, and following the recommended treatment plan, you can effectively manage rib cage discomfort and improve your overall health and well-being.

Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

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Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. D. — By April Kahn — Updated on February 6, 2023

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Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Tests for bone cancer. (2018).
cancer.org/cancer/bonecancer/detailedguide/bone-cancer-diagnosis
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Broken ribs.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/home/ovc-20169623
Muscle contusion (bruise). (2014).
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00341
Sprains, strains, and other soft tissue issues. (2015).
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Feb 6, 2023

Written By

April Kahn

Edited By

Frank Crooks

Apr 29, 2019

Medically Reviewed By

William Morrison, MD

Share this article

Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M.D. — By April Kahn — Updated on February 6, 2023

Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

Health Conditions
- Featured
  - Breast Cancer
  - IBD
  - Migraine
  - Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  - Rheumatoid Arthritis
  - Type 2 Diabetes
- Articles
  - Acid Reflux
  - ADHD
  - Allergies
  - Alzheimer’s & Dementia
  - Bipolar Disorder
  - Cancer
  - Crohn’s Disease
  - Chronic Pain
  - Cold & Flu
  - COPD
  - Depression
  - Fibromyalgia
  - Heart Disease
  - High Cholesterol
  - HIV
  - Hypertension
  - IPF
  - Osteoarthritis
  - Psoriasis
  - Skin Disorders and Care
  - STDs
Discover
- Wellness Topics
  - Nutrition
  - Fitness
  - Skin Care
  - Sexual Health
  - Women’s Health
  - Mental Well-Being
  - Sleep
- Product Reviews
  - Vitamins & Supplements
  - Sleep
  - Mental Health
  - Nutrition
  - At-Home Testing
  - CBD
  - Men’s Health
- Original Series
  - Fresh Food Fast
  - Diagnosis Diaries
  - You’re Not Alone
  - Present Tense
- Video Series
  - Youth in Focus
  - Healthy Harvest
  - No More Silence
  - Future of Health
Plan
- Health Challenges
  - Mindful Eating
  - Sugar Savvy
  - Move Your Body
  - Gut Health
  - Mood Foods
  - Align Your Spine
- Find Care
  - Primary Care
  - Mental Health
  - OB-GYN
  - Dermatologists
  - Neurologists
  - Cardiologists
  - Orthopedists
- Lifestyle Quizzes
  - Weight Management
  - Am I Depressed? A Quiz for Teens
  - Are You a Workaholic?
  - How Well Do You Sleep?
- Tools & Resources
  - Health News
  - Find a Diet
  - Find Healthy Snacks
  - Drugs A-Z
  - Health A-Z
Connect
- - Breast Cancer
  - Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  - Psoriatic Arthritis
  - Migraine
  - Multiple Sclerosis
  - Psoriasis

Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. D. — By April Kahn — Updated on February 6, 2023

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

How we reviewed this article:

Tests for bone cancer. (2018).
cancer.org/cancer/bonecancer/detailedguide/bone-cancer-diagnosis
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Broken ribs.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/home/ovc-20169623
Muscle contusion (bruise). (2014).
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00341
Sprains, strains, and other soft tissue issues. (2015).
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Feb 6, 2023

Written By

April Kahn

Edited By

Frank Crooks

Apr 29, 2019

Medically Reviewed By

William Morrison, MD

Share this article

Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M.D. — By April Kahn — Updated on February 6, 2023

What causes chest pain

Pain is the body’s signal of a problem. People often complain about chest pain, but they cannot really describe the nature of pain, duration, frequency, localization, possible cause. There are many organs in the chest, the disease of which can manifest itself…

Pain is the body’s signal about a problem. People often complain about chest pain, but they can’t really describe the nature of the pain, duration, frequency, localization, and a possible cause.

There are many organs in the chest, the disease of which can be manifested by pain syndrome, incl. and the chest itself. Let’s take it in order.

Heart and great vessels – their pathology is in the first place in terms of mortality. This is an acute myocardial infarction, dissecting aortic aneurysm; angina pectoris and rest, myocarditis, endocarditis, pericarditis. With these diseases, there may be sudden death / in the first two cases / with severe acute pain in the chest. The pain can be paroxysmal, short-term / during physical exertion or neuropsychic stress / and, most often, is relieved by taking nitroglycerin or sedatives. If the pain is prolonged, aching, it is either inflammation of the membranes of the heart, or neuro-circulatory dystonia, or dyshormonal cardialgia. It is also necessary to take into account the presence or absence of cardiac arrhythmias, fever, changes in the analyzes.

Mediastinum – it may contain enlarged lymph nodes that put pressure on the surrounding organs and disrupt their function.

Digestive system – primarily diseases of the esophagus / GERD, diverticula, oncological diseases /, diaphragmatic hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm, gastric or duodenal ulcer, acute pancreatitis, cholelithiasis – these diseases can transmit pain impulses from the abdominal cavity to chest. In this case, the pain can be both acute, paroxysmal, and aching, prolonged. As a rule, these pains are associated with nutrition / increase or decrease /.

Respiratory system – acute chest pain occurs with pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism, chest trauma, dry pleurisy. Pain of varying degrees can be with pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, exudative pleurisy, tuberculosis, oncological diseases of the lungs and pleura.

Nervous system – leaving the spine, the nerves pass through the intercostal spaces. Therefore, diseases of the spine / osteochondrosis, scoliosis, arthrosis, tuberculosis / can lead to dysfunction of the nerves, their swelling and pain. The appearance of neoplasms / for example, neuromas / can also be manifested by pain.

Other diseases – myeloma, characterized by changes in the bones and blood count, can also manifest as pain in the flat bones.

Shingles / herpes zoster / before the appearance of characteristic rashes gives pain in various areas, incl. chest. Retrosternal goiter is a possible cause of chest pain.

As you can see from this brief description, not everything is so simple and obvious with chest pain syndrome. Therefore, it is better to contact our clinic, where good specialists and modern equipment will help to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

The article was prepared by the physician-therapist ACMD-MEDOKS Plotnikova N.I.

What diseases cause chest pain? – reference book Omega-Kyiv

Chest pain is not a symptom of a specific disease, but may indicate damage to various organs and systems of the human body.

As a rule, it becomes possible to determine the true cause of chest pain only after a comprehensive diagnosis of the body.

Pathologies of the heart;
Osteochondrosis;
Diseases of the esophagus;
Pathology of the bronchopulmonary system.

Chest pain in diseases of the cardiovascular system is the most striking symptom, and occurs in many pathologies. Depending on the location and strength of the attack, you can determine the cause. Severe and pressing pain in the chest may indicate cardiac ischemia or angina pectoris. As a rule, pressing pain is so severe that breathing is lost and shortness of breath occurs. Choking pain occurs due to increased stress on the heart muscle and lack of oxygen. To determine the disease, it is necessary to conduct an ECG.

Chest pain, also accompanied by myocardial infarction. The peculiarity of the pathology is in the partial necrosis of the tissues of the heart muscle. As a rule, pain during a heart attack is sharp, cutting. Quite often, retrosternal pain during a heart attack can radiate to the left arm. The pain is not relieved by taking nitroglycerin and requires immediate hospitalization. As a rule, in case of a heart attack, before the doctors arrive, it is necessary to take the most comfortable position (lying on a bed with a raised torso and bent knees). This position of the body reduces pain and does not overload the heart.

With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, the pain is localized in the chest, and often resembles the symptoms of angina pectoris. Pressing discomfort and severe pain occur due to pinching of nerve endings by intervertebral discs. The pressure is due to the loss of shock-absorbing properties of the disks.

Pathologies of the digestive system can also be accompanied by severe chest pain. In diseases of the stomach and diffuse spasm of the esophagus, spontaneously occurring pain in the chest is observed. As a rule, the pain can be aggravated by eating and swallowing saliva. Localized pain in the chest or interscapular space, but can be felt in the neck, ears and jaw.

Diseases of the respiratory system are often accompanied by pain in the chest. The main pathologies of the lungs with this symptomatology are thromboembolism, lung collapse and pulmonary hypertension. A feature of thromboembolism is blood clots that enter the pulmonary arteries and block normal blood flow.

Pain in center of rib cage. Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

Understanding Rib Cage Pain

Causes of Rib Cage Pain

Identifying the Cause of Rib Cage Pain

Treating Rib Cage Pain

Preventing Rib Cage Pain

When to Seek Medical Care

Conclusion

Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

How we reviewed this article:

Read this next

Rib Cage Pain: Causes, Identification, and Treatment

How we reviewed this article:

Read this next

What causes chest pain

The article was prepared by the physician-therapist ACMD-MEDOKS Plotnikova N.I.

What diseases cause chest pain? – reference book Omega-Kyiv

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