Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment of Rib Pain
The pain in the rib cage of your body may be due to many reasons such as pulling a muscle or a rib fracture. It may also develop after an injury or without any explanation. This pain will be achy, sharp or dull and is felt just above the navel or below the chest. Moreover, this pain could be an indication of an underlying serious medical issue. Therefore, whenever you feel any such pain in and around your rib cage, immediate medical consultation is strongly recommended as you may need a thorough treatment for rib pain.
Causes of rib pain
Before knowing the exact treatment method for rib pain, it is ideal to know its subsequent causes. Now, the more common causes are pulled muscles around the rib cage or bruised ribs. Apart from these two, there are other causes of rib cage pain. Let’s have a look at them:
- Rib fractures
- Inflammation of the lungs lining
- Inflamed rib cartilage
- Serious injuries to the chest
- Muscle spasms
- Broken ribs
- Diseases that have an adverse effect on the bones, such as osteoporosis
Diagnosis of the rib cage Pain
In the primary stage of the treatment for rib pain, the doctors will diagnose your condition. You should explain to the doctor about the pain and the movements that are making the pain worse. Knowing the type of pain you are having and the area where you are experiencing the pain will help the doctors to determine what tests would be better for your condition.
Treatment options for rib cage pain
The treatment for rib pain will depend on the cause of the pain. If it is due to a pulled muscle or bruise or a minor injury, you can use a cold compress on the area of the pain in order to reduce swelling. If your pain is unbearable then you can use a pain reliever to reduce the pain to a certain extent. Even after using the pill, if the pain sustains, then you should consult the doctor because your doctor will be able to prescribe other medications that might help you.
If you experience pain while breathing or moving your body in certain positions, you should contact your doctor immediately without any delay. However, if the pain is due to a muscle strain then you can try some exercises by using the right exercising equipment and maintaining the right exercise posture. This will help in reducing the pain without any medication.
