Pain in the Ribs and Costochondritis

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GPMCK

No doubt about it – severe pain in the chest or ribcage area can be pretty frightening. But it’s not always what you fear most – namely, heart disease or even a heart attack.

This pain may not be what you fear. Instead, you may have costochondritis, a condition in which the cartilage between your sternum and your ribs becomes irritated and painful.Costochondritis can be the cause of severe rib pain. It can be so bad you may think you may have a broken rib.What Can Cause Costochondritis?There is no one definitive cause for costochondritis.Costochondritis most often develops after you’ve had a blow to the chest or ribcage – like the type you might suffer in an auto accident. Anyone who plays certain sports that involve a lot of physical contact – like football (soccer) and American football – are more likely to have costochondritis than the general population.Sometimes costochondritis can come from a strain from lifting improperly or something that weighs too much.You can also get costochondritis if you have one of several medical conditions.One of these is fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia can cause general pain and stiffness around the body in the connective tissue and joints, including the area around the ribs and chest.Individuals who have a chronic cough due to lung or respiratory conditions is also more likely to get costochondritis. Repeated coughing can strain soft tissue around the ribcage and chest.Costochondritis IndicationsWhen there is discomfort in the area of the chest where the ribs are attached to the sternum, this can be an indication of costochondritis.There are generally two ways to experience the discomfort of costochondritis.The first is very intense pain that some people describe as a stabbing feeling. This type of pain often appears more on the left side than the right. Since the heart is located slightly to the left in the chest, many people fear their discomfort is being caused by heart problems.Taking a breath can be uncomfortable or even painful when you have costochondritis. Coughing can even cause intense pain.The other type of pain you might feel if you have costochondritis is a soreness in the chest area. This takes the form of a nagging ache that won’t go away. Taking a deep breath can be uncomfortable, and the area may be tender to the touch.Whenever there are chest pain issues, an immediate trip to the physician is in order.In many instances, your body will heal itself and the pain of costochondritis will heal on its own with time.Meanwhile, if your rib pain is too severe to endure, or if it causes you to lose sleep, you might talk to your doctor about pain relief medications.

George McKenzie is a former TV news anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host.

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