There are dozens of possible causes for rib pain, so getting a quick diagnosis is sometimes difficult. First, let’s take a look at someof the obvious ones: rib pain causes from injuries.
Fractured (Broken) or Cracked Ribs – These are usually pretty easy to diagnose because the pain is severe and sharp. Many people say a fractured rib produces some of the worst pain there is. This type of pain usually follows a blow or trauma of some kind, like an accident or a fall. Symptoms are specific and obvious. Just drawing a breath will be painful, as will touching or applying pressure to the injured area.
Cartilage Injury – Cartilage is the soft tissue that connects your ribs to your sternum (breastbone). Rib pain can result from cartilage damage. Breathing, laughing and coughing will hurt when you have cartilage damage in your chest.
Soft Tissue Damage – The ribcage is crisscrossed by tendons,ligaments and muscles. If any of these is stretched or strained, rib pain will result. It may hurt to move or breathe,and the area could be sensitive to the touch.
Rib Pain Related to Your Bones
Joint Inflammation – When joints near your ribs become inflamed, it can feel like there’s pain in the joints themselves. Two conditions are particularly prevalent.
Osteoarthritis – Cartilage connecting the ribs to the breastbone wears out with age. The resulting inflammation causes pain.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – Joint pain and inflammation occurs because the immune systemlaunches an attac on itself.
Rib Pain Caused by Other Diseases, Disorders and Conditions
Ribcage pain is a symptom of a number of conditions related to thelungs. These include:
Pleurisy – Pleurisy means the lining between the lungs and the ribs has become infected. The resulting inflammation can cause sharp pain in the ribs.
Pneumonia – A laugh, a sneeze, a cough – all these can hurt when you have pneumonia. Even breathing can be painful.
Tuberculosis – There are a number of symptoms of tuberculosis, including ribcage pain. Some of the others are fever, coughing and fatigue.
Several types of cancer can cause pain in the ribs or ribcage area. The most common of these are lung cancer and multiple myeloma.
Lung cancer can cause rib pain in the upper back, along with other areas. Rib pain is a symptom in 80 percent of multiple myeloma cases.
Rib pain is often a symptom in several diseases related long term exposure to pollutants. Mesothelioma and asbestosis lead the list in this category.
In the case of mesothelioma, rib pain results from asbestosis damage to the pericardial lining of the heart or the pleural lining of the lungs. Asbestosis comes from scar tissue that accumulates in the bottom half of the lungs following years of exposure to asbestos.
Rib Pain Can Also Result from These Conditions
The following causes for pain in the ribs fit into the “miscellaneous” category:
Gallbladder problems like gallstonesor a gallbladder attack
Nerve issues (especially caused by damage to the spinal column)
Shingles, which often starts with acute pain in the ribcage area of the torso.Shortly afterward, an extremely painful rash begins to appear elsewhere on the body.
Stress and anxiety that causes deep breathing that sometimes strains the muscles around the ribcage,resulting in soreness.
Chest pain from angina is always a concern. Angina is a classic symptom of heart disease and may be a sign of an impending hesart attack.
In Summary
The conditions and diseases listed above make up only a partial list. Some are relatively minor and require little or no treatment, others can be very dangerous. If your rib pain persists for more than a few days, or seems to be getting worse, it would be a good idea to consult your doctor.