The human chest is formed by ribs. Despite the apparent fragility of the bone structures of which it consists, the chest is a skeleton and a kind of protection for the heart and vital arteries. But its strength is far from unlimited. There are a number of diseases and reasons why pain in the rib appears. Consider the most common of them.
Pathology of the ribs
Ribs are the most commonly injured bones. This is due to the fact that they are quite thin and have a curved shape, which is easily susceptible to various damage. The bone structure of the chest protects the heart and blood vessels, as well as the lungs from injuries. In this case, as a rule, the ribs bear the entire load upon impact.
The most undesirable is an axillary blow on the left line, since it is there that fractures are localized most often. Injuries can be a fracture across or a fracture of the bone while preserving the whole periosteum, which feeds the bone.
Titz syndrome
Another disease that can cause pain in the right rib or left is Titz syndrome. This is a pathology localized in the cartilage of the chest, namely, where the bone is attached to the sternum. This disease is called chondropathy. It can occur as a result of an inflammatory process or reaction to minor injuries. This disease is characteristic of women aged 20 to 40 years.
Neoplasms
In some cases, the cause of pain in the ribs is neoplasms in the bone structures. Tumors can be both benign, for example, lipoma, chondroma, hemangioma, as well as malignant, such as chondrosarcoma or osteogenic sarcoma. Formations can appear on both sides of the ribs, they tend to gradually increase in size, becoming more noticeable. In some cases, the neoplasm is a metastasis of oncological pathology in organs or the result of the growth of a tumor from the pleura or lung.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis can also lead to pain under the ribs in front. Bone is a solid structure due to the inclusion of a large number of calcium salts in its composition. Osteoporosis develops when calcium ceases to enter the bone from the blood. As a result, the bone structure becomes soft. The causes of osteoporosis are:
- Hormonal problems such as hyperparathyroidism.
- Changes in the hormonal plan in postmenopausal women.
- Poor physical activity.
Spinal diseases
Osteochondrosis is one of the diseases that can cause pain in the ribs. In addition to the sternum, the ribs are attached to the spine on the other side. That is why pathologies of vertebral structures, such as osteochondrosis, lead to pain in the ribs. Osteochondrosis occurs as a result of excessive load on the base of the spine and weakness of the spinal muscles.
Most often, osteochondrosis affects people who are overweight, due to the increased load on their spine. The most common localization of osteochondrosis is the lumbar. However, pain in the ribs is characteristic of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region.
Drugs for treatment
The following drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Diclofenac, Ketorol, Meloxicam, etc.
- Drugs that are responsible for relaxing the muscles on the back, for example, "Midokalm".
- Cartilage products that connect the vertebrae, such as chondroitin sulfate.
Spinal hernia is a complication of osteochondrosis. The disk between the vertebrae is soft and resilient, which allows it to withstand intense loads, since it accounts for almost the entire weight of a person. Overweight, excessive stress, and also weak muscles can increase pressure on the disk. Because of this, its membrane is destroyed, and the cartilage protrudes beyond the vertebra. Such a growth can squeeze the spinal cord, nerves and lead to pain. In medical science, a hernia is also called radicular syndrome or radiculopathy.
Pleural Disease
The chest also protects the lungs, which are surrounded by another membrane called the pleura. Between the layers of the pleura there is a cavity in which a small amount of fluid protects the shell from friction during breathing. Pleurisy is an inflammatory process that is localized directly in the pleura. Inflammation can be exudative, that is, with the accumulation of fluid, as well as dry. Pain in the ribs is characteristic of the second option, when there is no fluid in the pleura, and inflammation is very pronounced. Pleurisy can occur as a result of tuberculosis, pneumonia, trauma and infections of viral origin.
In the inflammatory process, friction is formed between the two membranes of the pleura, which leads to pain. Treatment is carried out by taking antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Malignant neoplasms can also cause pain in the ribs. Moreover, the tumor can be both in the pleura and in the lungs. Education in the pleura is called mesothelioma and is rare. Much more often a lung tumor is diagnosed. It can be either benign or malignant. Regular smoking is considered the most common cause of lung cancer. With malignancy of the tumor, signs of intoxication occur, such as weight loss, weakness, loss of appetite, etc.
What does pain in the left rib mean?
Such pain can talk about pathologies of the spleen or stomach.
If she has a dull, aching character, she occurs periodically, then we can assume the initial stage of the disease.
With diaphragmatic hernia, the pain is sharp, it can be aggravated by movement of the body and breathing.
The left rib can also give off pain that arose due to inflammation of the gallbladder when it is displaced.
The most dangerous disease that gives to the left hypochondrium is myocardial infarction. The treatment of all these ailments requires urgent hospitalization.
Pathologies of nerves and intercostal muscles
The ribs are surrounded by nerve endings, the damage of which often leads to pain. Intercostal neuralgia is a symptom, but not the root cause of the disease. Quite often, neuralgia can be a consequence of osteochondrosis of the chest in the acute period, disc herniation, pleurisy, radiculopathy and infectious diseases.
In addition, neuralgia can occur against the background of herpes zoster as a result of chickenpox. This disease is most common in children. After a person recovers, the virus remains inactive in the body and leads to herpes zoster against a background of reduced immunity. Treatment consists of taking antiviral drugs and local medicines.
Another pathology of the nerves is fibromyalgia. This is a rare pathology, which is accompanied by aching muscle pain. Science has not yet established the exact causes of the disease. However, many are inclined to believe that in this case the mental factor is not excluded. Most patients with fibromyalgia are resistant to potent drugs and are prone to depression. Most often, women suffer from fibromyalgia. Treatment should be a comprehensive approach, involving sedatives and pain medications, psychotropic substances, physiotherapy and putting in order a lifestyle in general.
Pain during pregnancy
Quite often, during pregnancy, a woman has pain in her side and ribs, namely in the lower part of the sternum. This phenomenon has a physiological origin. The fetus develops and grows, which leads to an increase in the abdominal cavity. There is pressure on the diaphragm, as it rises slightly. The volume of the chest is a constant, respectively, with a decrease in its height, the width should increase. Such changes are possible due to the fact that the ribs are supple and flexible.
Externally, the expansion of the ribs can be almost imperceptible, but often causes discomfort and pain. You can’t take pain medications on your own during pregnancy, as this can be dangerous.
What does the pain in the right side in the ribs mean?
Often such pains report liver problems. This happens due to the abuse of fatty or spicy foods, alcohol. No less damaging to the liver is smoking. The gallbladder can also become inflamed. If it hurts on the right under the rib, you might think that there are problems with the pancreas. There may be other reasons - injuries, the consequences of surgery, appendicitis.
When you inhale, there may be pain in the right rib. If the pain is very severe with a sigh, then this may indicate cholecystitis, the onset of pneumonia or peritonitis.
Treatment
Emergency treatment requires only injury to the ribs. This is due to the fact that the broken parts can move and cause damage to the pleura, lung and heart. Such damage can lead to the following conditions:
- Hemothorax. This is an accumulation of blood between the membranes of the pleura. With hemothorax, severity occurs in the area of injury, and breathing is difficult. In a hospital setting, blood is removed.
- Pneumothorax. This is an accumulation of air in the pleura. This condition is dangerous, as the inhalation becomes painful. Air is removed through a puncture of the chest.
- Hemopericardium. It develops when the left side of the chest is injured. The broken part of the rib pierces the heart membrane, which leads to the accumulation of blood around. Blood puts pressure on the heart, reduces the frequency of heartbeat. There is severe weakness, breathing is difficult.
It is very important to quickly deliver the victim to the hospital if one of these conditions is suspected.