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Rib pain
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
[ What causes rib pain?
Rib injuries and fractures
A rib fracture is a disruption of the integrity of the cartilaginous or bony part of one or several ribs. If one rib or a small number of ribs are broken, and the fractures are not accompanied by any complications or other damage, they usually heal on their own. This does not require any significant interventions or immobilization.
A broken rib will heal on its own within a few weeks. There is no need for any treatment. However, if you suspect that you have a broken rib and are experiencing rib pain, you should definitely see a doctor so that he or she can confirm the diagnosis and check that there is no damage to the lungs.
Tietze's syndrome
When certain conditions arise, an inflammatory process may occur in the cartilaginous part of the ribs, especially in the cartilages that attach to the sternum. Pain in the ribs with this disease may appear spontaneously and be quite intense, very similar to an attack of angina. But the localization of pain can be very diverse. With Tietze's syndrome, pain sensations may become stronger when pressing on the ribs near the sternum or directly on the sternum. Pain in myocardial infarction and angina does not depend on this.
Intercostal neuralgia
Muscle pain or neuralgia may become more severe when exhaling or taking a deep breath, and changes with changes in body position or chest movements. It is usually easily palpated.
The cause of compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves is deformation of the intercostal space. Even long-standing blows to the chest area, excessive tension of the internal and external muscles and ligaments of the chest, various types of curvature of the spine, herniated intervertebral discs of the thoracic region can lead to deformation of the intercostal space and pain in the intercostal nerves.
Muscle pain in the chest
Pain in the ribs can be caused not only by compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves, but also by excessive tone of one or more muscles. As a rule, these are the muscles that extend the back or the muscles of the shoulder blade and shoulder. Muscle pain is characterized by an increase in the intensity of pain when stretching the affected muscle (forward bending, movement of the shoulder blade or shoulder).
In some cases, muscle pain in the ribs is one of the symptoms of depression or anxiety. Tension in the extensor muscles is one of the characteristic signs of these conditions. And in this case, massage, gymnastics and blockades bring relief only for a while.
Osteosarcoma of the ribs and bronchogenic cancer, malignant tumors of the pleura (mesothelioma)
These diseases affect the pleura and manifest themselves as pain in the ribs, which is directly related to the act of breathing.
Fibromyalgia
Pain in the ribs, caused by muscle diseases, usually begins to appear when turning the torso or when raising the arms.
Pleurisy
This is an inflammatory process affecting the pulmonary sac or otherwise the pleura, where our lungs are located. The pain in the ribs is dull in nature. This is also accompanied by a pronounced limitation of the mobility of the chest.
Anatomy of the ribs
A rib is one of the paired, arched, flat bones that run from the spine to the sternum and form the rib cage in all vertebrates. Humans have 12 pairs of ribs, which are attached to the vertebrae by their condyles. 10 pairs of ribs are connected to the sternum by cartilage. The first 7 ribs are called "true" ribs, and the remaining 5 are called "false" ribs, with the 11th and 12th pairs of ribs being "free", meaning they are attached only to the spine and are not connected to the sternum. Some people may be missing the 11th or 12th pair, while others have a 13th pair of "free" ribs. The lower ribs may sometimes be surgically removed for cosmetic or therapeutic purposes (for example, to make the waist narrower - women tend to have smaller "free" ribs than men).
Who to contact?
Who should you contact if you have pain in your ribs?
If the pain in the ribs bothers you for more than three days and becomes constant, you must call a doctor to not miss the course and development of a serious disease. A traumatologist, neurologist or cardiologist will help you get examined, make a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.