What are the common causes of chest wall pain. How can you differentiate between serious and non-serious chest pain. When should you seek emergency medical care for chest wall pain. What are the available treatment options for chest wall pain.

Understanding Chest Wall Pain: An Overview

Chest wall pain is a common condition that affects the muscles, bones, or soft tissues within the chest area. It can manifest in various forms, ranging from a tight sensation to sharp, stabbing pains. The duration of chest wall pain can vary significantly, lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days. In some cases, the pain may only be noticeable during movement or when touching the affected area.

While chest pain is often associated with heart problems, it’s important to note that many instances of chest wall pain are not related to cardiac issues. In fact, estimates suggest that nearly a quarter of the population will experience chest wall pain from sources other than heart conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding the various causes and characteristics of chest wall pain to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

Common Causes of Chest Wall Pain

Chest wall pain can stem from a variety of sources, each with its own unique characteristics and treatment requirements. Let’s explore some of the most common causes:

Musculoskeletal Injuries

Injuries to the muscles or bones of the chest are a frequent cause of chest wall pain. These injuries can occur suddenly, such as from a fall or blow to the chest, or develop gradually over time due to factors like poor posture or a sedentary lifestyle. Some key indicators that chest wall pain may be due to a musculoskeletal injury include:

• Pain localized to a specific area
• Pain that spreads to different regions
• Tenderness when touching the affected area

The severity of pain can vary depending on the extent of the injury. Mild muscle injuries may result in a mild, intermittent ache, while more severe cases, such as bone fractures, can cause intense and persistent pain.

Angina

Angina is a type of chest pain that occurs as a symptom of an underlying heart condition. It results from a disruption in blood flow to the heart and is characterized by:

• A feeling of tightness in the middle of the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Pain lasting for several minutes
• No relief from massages or deep breathing

Several factors can increase the risk of developing angina, including:

• Advanced age
• Excess weight or obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Unhealthy diet
• Diabetes

It’s crucial to note that angina can be a sign of a heart attack, which requires immediate medical attention.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis refers to inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs, where they connect to the breastbone. This condition can cause:

• An intense burning sensation
• A dull ache
• Sudden chest pain
• Pain that worsens with movement

While costochondritis usually resolves on its own, a doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory pain medications to alleviate discomfort. Some individuals may also benefit from stretches or massages to manage the symptoms.

Breast Pain

Breast pain can affect one or both breasts and is more common in pregnant and lactating individuals. It can also occur during menopause or menstrual periods. Various factors can contribute to breast pain, including:

• Hormonal changes
• Infections
• Blocked ducts (in breastfeeding individuals)
• Breast inflammation

The pain typically worsens when pressure is applied to the affected area. While breast pain can sometimes resolve on its own, it may require treatment in some cases. Some individuals find relief through massaging the area or using warm compresses.

Recognizing Asthma-Related Chest Pain

Asthma is another condition that can cause chest pain or tightness. During an asthma attack, individuals may experience:

• Chest pain or tightness
• Breathlessness
• Dizziness
• Throat tightness

While asthma is more commonly diagnosed in childhood, it can develop at any age. Severe asthma attacks typically require medical treatment or the use of an inhaler to manage symptoms effectively.

Other Chronic Conditions Associated with Chest Pain

Several other chronic conditions can contribute to chest pain. The onset of pain may be sudden or gradual, and its duration can vary from weeks to months. Some additional conditions that may cause chest pain include:

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Tietze syndrome (a rare inflammatory disease)
• Sickle cell disease
• Liver or gallbladder disease

The appropriate treatment for these conditions depends on the specific diagnosis. In many cases, addressing the underlying cause through medication or other interventions can help alleviate chest pain symptoms.

When to Seek Emergency Care for Chest Wall Pain

While many instances of chest wall pain are not life-threatening, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. It’s crucial to seek emergency care if you experience:

• Intense pain in the center of the chest lasting longer than a few minutes
• Pain that spreads to the back, neck, or shoulders
• Additional symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, or confusion
• Loss of consciousness or fainting

These symptoms could indicate a heart attack and require prompt medical evaluation. However, a heart attack is not the only reason to seek emergency care. Other signs that chest wall pain requires immediate medical attention include:

• Chest pain accompanied by a fever
• Difficulty breathing
• Intense chest pain following a fall or blow to the chest

Diagnostic Approaches for Chest Wall Pain

Diagnosing the cause of chest wall pain can be challenging based on symptoms alone. For this reason, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional when experiencing chest pain. The diagnostic process may involve:

1. A thorough medical history review
2. Physical examination
3. Imaging studies (e.g., X-rays, CT scans, or MRI)
4. Blood tests to check for markers of inflammation or heart damage
5. Electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess heart function

By conducting a comprehensive evaluation, healthcare providers can differentiate between various causes of chest wall pain and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

Treatment Options for Chest Wall Pain

The treatment of chest wall pain depends on its underlying cause. Here are some common approaches:

Home Remedies

For mild cases of chest wall pain, particularly those related to musculoskeletal injuries, home treatments may provide relief:

• Hot therapy: Applying heat to the affected area can help relax muscles and reduce pain
• Cold therapy: Using ice packs can help reduce inflammation and numb the area
• Rest: Avoiding activities that exacerbate the pain can promote healing
• Over-the-counter pain medications: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help manage pain and inflammation

Medical Interventions

For more severe or persistent chest wall pain, medical treatments may be necessary:

• Prescription pain medications
• Physical therapy to improve strength and flexibility
• Corticosteroid injections for inflammatory conditions
• Treatment of underlying conditions (e.g., asthma medications, heart disease management)

In some cases, a combination of home remedies and medical interventions may be recommended for optimal pain management and recovery.

Preventing Chest Wall Pain: Lifestyle Modifications

While not all causes of chest wall pain can be prevented, certain lifestyle modifications may help reduce the risk of developing some types of chest pain:

• Maintaining good posture to prevent musculoskeletal strain
• Engaging in regular physical activity to strengthen chest muscles
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation or yoga
• Following a heart-healthy diet to reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues
• Avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol consumption
• Managing chronic conditions effectively (e.g., asthma, diabetes)

By adopting these healthy habits, individuals may be able to minimize their risk of experiencing certain types of chest wall pain and improve their overall well-being.

Causes, treatments, and pain management

Chest wall pain may result from an injury to the muscles, joints, or cartilage. In some cases, home treatments such as hot or cold therapy may help.

The cause of chest pain is difficult to diagnose from symptoms alone. For this reason, it is important to contact a doctor for this complaint.

This article will look at some causes and treatments associated with chest wall pain.

Chest wall pain refers to pain inside of the chest. It may affect the muscles, bones, or soft tissue in the chest. In some cases, the pain might involve organs, such as the heart and lungs.

Chest wall pain can cause different sensations, ranging from tightness to sharp, stabbing pains. It may also come and go and vary in duration from hours to days.

In some cases, chest wall pain may only occur with movement or in response to touching the area.

Chest pain can occur with heart disease or a heart attack. However, many instances of chest wall pain are not due to a heart problem. In fact, some estimates suggest that nearly a quarter of the population will experience chest wall pain from something other than a heart problem.

For example, a common cause of chest wall pain is an injury to the muscles, joints, or cartilage.

Chest wall pain warrants emergency care if person experiences:

• intense pain in the center of the chest that lasts for longer than a few minutes
• pain that spreads to the back, neck, or shoulders
• other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, or confusion
• loss of consciousness or fainting

These symptoms could indicate a heart attack and, therefore, require immediate medical care.

A heart attack is not the only reason to seek emergency care. Some other signs that chest wall pain requires emergency care include:

• chest pain with a fever
• difficulty breathing
• intense chest pain following a fall or blow to the chest

Several medical conditions can cause chest wall pain. The sections below will look at some of these in more detail.

Musculoskeletal injuries

Injuries to the muscles or bones of the chest can cause pain in the area. These injuries can be sudden, such as from a fall or blow to the chest, or occur over time, such as from bad posture or a sedentary lifestyle.

Signs that the cause may be an injury include feeling pain in a specific location or having pain that spreads to different areas. Another sign is if the area is painful to touch.

With mild muscle injuries, the pain can be a mild, intermittent ache. In more severe cases, such as from a bone fracture, the pain can be intense and persistent.

Angina

Angina is a type of chest pain that occurs as a symptom of an underlying heart condition. It occurs when there is a disruption of blood flowing to the heart.

Some factors that increase the risk of angina include:

• being older
• having excess weight or obesity
• being physically inactive
• eating an unhealthy diet
• having diabetes

Angina causes a feeling of tightness in the middle of the chest and shortness of breath. It lasts for several minutes and does not get better with massages or deep breathing.

Angina can indicate a heart attack, which requires emergency medical care.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis refers to inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs, where they connect to the breastbone. It can cause an intense burning sensation, a dull ache, or sudden chest pain. The pain may worsen with movement.

Costochondritis usually goes away on its own. A doctor can prescribe anti-inflammatory pain medications to reduce the pain. Some people might also benefit from stretches or massages.

Breast pain

Breast pain can cause pain in one or both breasts. Pregnant and lactating people are more likely to experience breast pain. Some people also experience breast pain during menopause or periods.

Several factors can cause breast pain, such as hormonal changes or infections. Blocked ducts and inflamed breasts are specific problems in people who are breastfeeding.

The pain tends to get worse when a person presses on the affected area. It can sometimes resolve on its own, but it may require treatment. Some people find relief from massaging the area or using a warm compress.

Asthma

An asthma attack can cause chest pain or tightness. Some other symptoms include breathlessness, feeling dizzy, and throat tightness.

Asthma is more common in childhood, but it can develop at any age.

A severe asthma attack usually requires medical treatment or an inhaler.

Other chronic conditions

Several other chronic conditions can cause chest pain. The pain may appear suddenly or develop slowly over time. It might come and go and may last for weeks or months.

Some other conditions that may cause chest pain include:

• arthritis
• fibromyalgia
• Tietze syndrome, which is a rare inflammatory disease
• sickle cell disease
• liver or gallbladder disease

Treatment depends on the condition a person has, but taking medication to treat the underlying cause usually helps.

Infections

Some infections may also cause chest pain. For example, pneumonia can cause chest pain with a fever and breathing difficulties.

Infections in the bones or muscles may also cause pain. Chest pain following a recent illness could indicate that an infection is the cause.

Infections usually require medical treatment, and the treatment will depend on the cause. For example, a person may need to take antibiotics for a bacterial infection. Resting may help ease the pain, but serious infections may require hospitalization.

Lung injuries

An injury to the lung might include a collapsed or punctured lung. Another potential lung-related cause of chest pain is pulmonary embolism, wherein a blood clot from elsewhere in the body travels to the lungs, causing chest discomfort.

Lung injuries might cause breathing problems. The pain might follow a blow to the chest, such as from a fall or vehicle accident.

Lung injuries can be life threatening, so they require immediate medical treatment.

Mild pain may go away on its own without medical care if there are no other symptoms.

More severe pain, however, usually requires treatment. A person needs medical care if chest pain occurs after a blow to the chest or alongside any other symptoms of a heart attack.

To diagnose the cause, a doctor may:

• ask about the person’s symptoms and medical history
• examine their chest
• take a blood sample
• administer X-rays or other imaging tests

Home treatments can be helpful if emergency care is not necessary. These include:

• applying an ice pack to the chest
• using heat packs
• massaging the area
• doing gentle stretches
• taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen

Many causes of chest wall pain are not a cause for concern.

However, when chest pain does not go away on its own or gets worse, a person needs medical care.

Look out for symptoms of a heart attack or other conditions that require emergency care.

Causes, treatments, and pain management

Chest wall pain may result from an injury to the muscles, joints, or cartilage. In some cases, home treatments such as hot or cold therapy may help.

The cause of chest pain is difficult to diagnose from symptoms alone. For this reason, it is important to contact a doctor for this complaint.

This article will look at some causes and treatments associated with chest wall pain.

Chest wall pain refers to pain inside of the chest. It may affect the muscles, bones, or soft tissue in the chest. In some cases, the pain might involve organs, such as the heart and lungs.

Chest wall pain can cause different sensations, ranging from tightness to sharp, stabbing pains. It may also come and go and vary in duration from hours to days.

In some cases, chest wall pain may only occur with movement or in response to touching the area.

Chest pain can occur with heart disease or a heart attack. However, many instances of chest wall pain are not due to a heart problem. In fact, some estimates suggest that nearly a quarter of the population will experience chest wall pain from something other than a heart problem.

For example, a common cause of chest wall pain is an injury to the muscles, joints, or cartilage.

Chest wall pain warrants emergency care if person experiences:

• intense pain in the center of the chest that lasts for longer than a few minutes
• pain that spreads to the back, neck, or shoulders
• other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, or confusion
• loss of consciousness or fainting

These symptoms could indicate a heart attack and, therefore, require immediate medical care.

A heart attack is not the only reason to seek emergency care. Some other signs that chest wall pain requires emergency care include:

• chest pain with a fever
• difficulty breathing
• intense chest pain following a fall or blow to the chest

Several medical conditions can cause chest wall pain. The sections below will look at some of these in more detail.

Musculoskeletal injuries

Injuries to the muscles or bones of the chest can cause pain in the area. These injuries can be sudden, such as from a fall or blow to the chest, or occur over time, such as from bad posture or a sedentary lifestyle.

Signs that the cause may be an injury include feeling pain in a specific location or having pain that spreads to different areas. Another sign is if the area is painful to touch.

With mild muscle injuries, the pain can be a mild, intermittent ache. In more severe cases, such as from a bone fracture, the pain can be intense and persistent.

Angina

Angina is a type of chest pain that occurs as a symptom of an underlying heart condition. It occurs when there is a disruption of blood flowing to the heart.

Some factors that increase the risk of angina include:

• being older
• having excess weight or obesity
• being physically inactive
• eating an unhealthy diet
• having diabetes

Angina causes a feeling of tightness in the middle of the chest and shortness of breath. It lasts for several minutes and does not get better with massages or deep breathing.

Angina can indicate a heart attack, which requires emergency medical care.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis refers to inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs, where they connect to the breastbone. It can cause an intense burning sensation, a dull ache, or sudden chest pain. The pain may worsen with movement.

Costochondritis usually goes away on its own. A doctor can prescribe anti-inflammatory pain medications to reduce the pain. Some people might also benefit from stretches or massages.

Breast pain

Breast pain can cause pain in one or both breasts. Pregnant and lactating people are more likely to experience breast pain. Some people also experience breast pain during menopause or periods.

Several factors can cause breast pain, such as hormonal changes or infections. Blocked ducts and inflamed breasts are specific problems in people who are breastfeeding.

The pain tends to get worse when a person presses on the affected area. It can sometimes resolve on its own, but it may require treatment. Some people find relief from massaging the area or using a warm compress.

Asthma

An asthma attack can cause chest pain or tightness. Some other symptoms include breathlessness, feeling dizzy, and throat tightness.

Asthma is more common in childhood, but it can develop at any age.

A severe asthma attack usually requires medical treatment or an inhaler.

Other chronic conditions

Several other chronic conditions can cause chest pain. The pain may appear suddenly or develop slowly over time. It might come and go and may last for weeks or months.

Some other conditions that may cause chest pain include:

• arthritis
• fibromyalgia
• Tietze syndrome, which is a rare inflammatory disease
• sickle cell disease
• liver or gallbladder disease

Treatment depends on the condition a person has, but taking medication to treat the underlying cause usually helps.

Infections

Some infections may also cause chest pain. For example, pneumonia can cause chest pain with a fever and breathing difficulties.

Infections in the bones or muscles may also cause pain. Chest pain following a recent illness could indicate that an infection is the cause.

Infections usually require medical treatment, and the treatment will depend on the cause. For example, a person may need to take antibiotics for a bacterial infection. Resting may help ease the pain, but serious infections may require hospitalization.

Lung injuries

An injury to the lung might include a collapsed or punctured lung. Another potential lung-related cause of chest pain is pulmonary embolism, wherein a blood clot from elsewhere in the body travels to the lungs, causing chest discomfort.

Lung injuries might cause breathing problems. The pain might follow a blow to the chest, such as from a fall or vehicle accident.

Lung injuries can be life threatening, so they require immediate medical treatment.

Mild pain may go away on its own without medical care if there are no other symptoms.

More severe pain, however, usually requires treatment. A person needs medical care if chest pain occurs after a blow to the chest or alongside any other symptoms of a heart attack.

To diagnose the cause, a doctor may:

• ask about the person’s symptoms and medical history
• examine their chest
• take a blood sample
• administer X-rays or other imaging tests

Home treatments can be helpful if emergency care is not necessary. These include:

• applying an ice pack to the chest
• using heat packs
• massaging the area
• doing gentle stretches
• taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen

Many causes of chest wall pain are not a cause for concern.

However, when chest pain does not go away on its own or gets worse, a person needs medical care.

Look out for symptoms of a heart attack or other conditions that require emergency care.

Chest pain when moving: causes, what to do, treatment

The modern way of life is high speeds, a lot of things to do, events and constant movement. During the day, a person can walk up to 15 kilometers without even noticing it, but not if he has pain in the chest in the middle when moving. In such a situation, each step will bring discomfort, and there can be no talk of comfortable well-being. If you have such a symptom, it is best to understand the causes and understand what to do to improve your condition.

Chest pain when moving: causes

The causes of pain and discomfort in the chest may be problems with the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the digestive system, heart and lung pathologies. In each case, the pain will have a different character and different accompanying symptoms.

Cardiovascular diseases

If during movement there is pain in the chest in the middle, first of all, the doctor will suspect you have a heart pathology. While walking with pathologies of the heart, the muscle may not have enough nutrition, as a result of which pain occurs. The cause may be atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and even myocardial infarction. In this case, it starts to hurt from the back wall of the sternum, gradually the pain passes into the arm and neck, it starts to hurt in front of the chest. This creates a sensation of burning and pressure.

Diseases of the spine

Chest pain during movement is often accompanied by diseases of the spinal column. The problem may be the presence of an intervertebral hernia, calcification of the ligaments, osteochondrosis and other pathologies. Depending on the cause, a person may have difficulty raising their arms, tingling of the skin or numbness of its areas will be felt. With scoliosis, the picture is complemented by a significant or slight curvature of the spinal column.

Lung diseases

If you have chest pain when moving, you can suspect a pathological process in the lungs – pneumopleurisy, pneumothorax, or a neoplasm. Pain in the sternum can be accompanied by cough, shortness of breath, shortness of breath even at rest. Each condition does not tolerate delay, so you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

If a person has a chest pain when moving, such pain may be a reflection of the pathological processes of the digestive system. There can be a lot of reasons, including peptic ulcer, the onset of gastritis or its exacerbation (in a chronic course), intestinal obstruction and other diseases. First, the pain occurs in the abdomen, then it goes to the chest, and in the process of movement it intensifies even more.

Chest injuries

Often, when moving, there is pain in the chest when a person is injured. You need to be concerned about your condition if you have recently:

The reason can be both that you unsuccessfully turned or lifted something heavy, while damaging a muscle or ligament, which causes pain behind the sternum when walking and even inhaling, or in a newly appeared crack or fracture. How much it hurts on the right side of the chest when moving will depend on how severe the injury is. The condition is especially dangerous if not only the structures of the musculoskeletal system were damaged, but also internal organs, which is fraught with very serious consequences. In such a situation, you should immediately visit neurologist who will probably refer you to X-ray or MRI .

Neoplasms

“The right side of the chest hurts a lot when moving” – with such a complaint, patients come to the doctor who, after diagnosis, have a neoplasm in one or both lungs, in the stomach or other organs. The nature of the neoplasm can be different, and the cause of the pain syndrome is that the tumor, growing, strongly presses on nearby tissues. Because of this pressure, discomfort, pain, a feeling of heaviness appear. Depending on the location of the neoplasm, accompanying symptoms join – cough and shortness of breath, if the lungs become the place of formation, digestive problems, if the stomach, etc.

How to relieve pain. First Aid

If during movement there is pain in the chest on the right, you need to understand how to alleviate the condition. First of all, make sure you have peace and rest. A warm bath and a light massage on the area where the pain has arisen can also be helpful. Such methods are optimal if the pathology of the spine turned out to be the cause of the pain syndrome on the left side. Medical assistance may consist of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. The most important thing is to use methods of getting rid of pain only to relieve the condition before visiting the doctor, but in no case do not use them constantly, ignoring the need to visit a doctor.

Diagnostics

When a patient goes to the doctor with a complaint that there is pain in the middle of the chest during movement, the first thing to do is a questioning and examination. To confirm or refute the diagnosis, you will need to undergo a series of studies – from those whose task is to visualize the organs and structures of the chest (CT, MRI, X-ray, gastroscopy, etc. ), to those that will help determine the state of health by the composition of blood, urine or feces.

Treatment

If there is pain in the chest when moving the hands, the doctor will prescribe you a treatment depending on the pathologies that caused the pain. For problems with diseases of the digestive tract, to alleviate the condition, you need to cure an ulcer or gastritis before the pain subsides. In the case of lung pathologies, antibiotics or even surgery will be required. Treatment of the spine in a condition where movement causes pain in the chest on the left side may include taking anti-inflammatory drugs, applying ointments, massage and exercise, which prescribes neurologist for each case individually.

You can make an appointment with specialists online , as well as by phone 8 (812) 901-03-03.

Chest pain

Chest pain can be caused by a number of reasons. To begin with, it should be noted that we will analyze only the pain that is not related to the pathology of internal organs, primarily the heart (angina pectoris, heart attack) or acute diseases of the pleura and lungs (pleurisy, pneumonia), as well as large vessels (aortic aneurysm, thromboembolism pulmonary artery). These diseases are acute life-threatening conditions and they are dealt with by specialists of the appropriate profile. We are approached by patients with chest pain of a long-term chronic nature, and they have already been examined by most specialists (cardiologists, internists, neurologists, vascular surgeons), but no pathology has been identified.

Divide chest pain into:

1. Pain along the anterior surface of the chest wall

2. Lateral pain

3. Pain on the posterior surface, usually between the shoulder blades

4. Girdle pain

5. Cancer pain (lung cancer, rib metastases)

I. Pain along the anterior surface of the chest along the sternum, especially on the left side, can mimic acute cardiac pathology or dissecting aortic aneurysm, while there are no changes on the ECG and analyzes also do not show acute coronary circulation disorder. If the patient has had previous heart surgery, then as a rule, pain in the sternum is due to damage to the costosternal joints or the sternum itself after sternotomy.

In addition, pain in the costosternal joints can be caused by arthrosis, intercostal neuralgia with irradiation of pain in the sternum also causes similar pain.

Costochondritis is a condition defined as a painful chronic inflammation of the costochondral junctions of the ribs or chondrogrenal joints of the anterior chest wall. This is a clinical diagnosis that does not require special diagnostic studies in the absence of concomitant cardiopulmonary symptoms or risk factors. Costochondritis is often confused with Tietze’s syndrome. The difference is that the affected joints show swelling, swelling under the breastbone, and/or redness of the skin over the painful area.

On palpation, pain is reproduced in the affected areas of the cartilage, which can spread into the chest wall.

Tietze’s syndrome is an inflammatory process that causes visible enlargement of the costochondral junction. This condition causes severe pain when coughing and breathing deeply. Tietze’s syndrome is not life-threatening or contagious, but it is persistent and painful. Costochondritis and Tietze’s syndrome are often mistaken for each other, but are two completely different conditions.

The chest wall consists of the sternum in front, the spine (12 thoracic vertebrae) behind, limited by 12 paired ribs and costal cartilages. The ribs are made up of bone and cartilage, with the cartilage serving as an elastic bridge between the bony part of the rib and the sternum. There are three types of ribs: The first seven pairs of ribs are called “true ribs” because they are directly attached to the sternum. The eight to tenth pair of ribs are called “false ribs” because they are not attached to the sternum, but are attached to each other. Finally, the eleventh and twelfth are called “floating ribs” because they are only attached to the back of the vertebrae. Each rib is attached to the back of the spine: rib 1 is attached to vertebrae 1, rib 2 is attached to vertebrae 2, and so on.

Anteriorly, the costal cartilage of the first rib is connected to the manubrium (handle of the sternum) by a rigid fusion of bone and cartilage. The next seven pairs of ribs articulate with the sternum through cartilage at the synovial joints. Ribs eight through ten are attached anteriorly to the cartilaginous portion of the rib below them. The bottom two ribs do not connect to any structure in front.

Ribs move with breathing or movement of the upper limbs. The intercostal nerves provide innervation to the chest wall.

In the clinic “ANESTA” blockades of the rib-sternal joints with the introduction of steroids are performed. With insufficient efficiency, ablation of the anterior branches of the intercostal nerves innervating this zone is performed.

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II. Pain on the side of the chest

The most common cause of pain on the lateral surface of the chest is intercostal neuralgia associated with nerve damage to the herpes virus (shingles). Such pain can also have a girdle character in the form of periodic lumbago along the intercostal nerves. At the same time, in the affected area and scars after a herpes infection, the patient feels a constant burning sensation and bursting pain.

Postherpetic neuralgia of the intercostal nerves is very difficult to treat, especially if the case is advanced and the patient applied 6 months after the illness. In such cases, the ANESTA clinic, in addition to systemic therapy, performs ablation of the intercostal nerves, in case of ineffectiveness, ablation of the dorsal (sensitive) ganglia of the spinal roots, which form the corresponding nerve.

III. Pain in the back of the chest

Pain on the back surface (interscapular region). The most likely cause of the pain is damage to the facet joints of the thoracic spine, costotransverse joints, or neuralgia of the dorsal nerve of the scapula.

Spondylarthrosis – arthrosis of the facet joints (popular name – osteochondrosis)

Spondylarthrosis refers to the wear of the vertebral or facet joints, the function of which is to stabilize the posterior column of the spine. In more than 90% of cases, facet arthrosis manifests itself secondarily and occurs as a result of degeneration and shrinkage of the intervertebral discs, which leads to a loss of the natural height of the disc. Thus, the facets are squeezed towards each other and gradually wear out. In about 10% of cases, facet arthrosis manifests itself primarily in adolescence (idiopathically) in the form of scoliosis or congenital lordosis of the sacral spine (hyperlordosis). Osteoarthritis of the facet joints can be accompanied by acute pain.

Regular physical therapy or injection of a steroid mixed with a local anesthetic into the joints often helps relieve pain symptoms. If these methods of treatment did not lead to an improvement in your health, the ANESTA clinic also applies denervation (thermal ablation) of these joints, i.e. the nerve endings that innervate the facet joints are eliminated, which can significantly reduce pain symptoms.

Pain along the edge of the scapula, interscapular region, radiating to the shoulder girdle may be associated with neuralgia of the dorsal nerve of the scapula.