Why do ribs hurt for no reason

Rib cage pain can be caused by a variety of things, ranging from pulled muscles to a rib fracture. The pain may occur immediately upon injury or develop slowly over time. It can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. You should report any instance of unexplainable rib cage pain to your doctor immediately.

The most common causes of rib cage pain are a pulled muscle or bruised ribs. Other causes of pain in the rib cage area may include:. If your pain started after an injury, your doctor might order an imaging scan such as an X-ray. A chest X-ray can show evidence of fractures or bone abnormalities. Rib-detail X-rays are also helpful.

If any abnormalities, such as an abnormal growth, show up on your X-ray or during your physical examination, your doctor will order a soft tissue imaging scan, such as an MRI. An MRI scan gives the doctor a detailed view of your rib cage and surrounding muscles, organs, and tissue. Your doctor will order a bone scan if they feel that bone cancer may be causing the pain.

For this examination, they will inject you with a small amount of radioactive dye called a tracer. Your doctor will then use a special camera to scan your body for the tracer. The image from this camera will highlight any bone abnormalities.

If the rib cage pain is due to a minor injury, such as a pulled muscle or bruise, you can use a cold compress on the area to reduce swelling. A compression wrap is a large, elastic bandage that wraps around your chest.

The compression wrap holds the area tightly to prevent further injury and greater pain. However, these wraps are only necessary in rare cases because the tightness of the compression wrap makes it difficult to breathe. This can increase your risk of pneumonia. If bone cancer is causing the pain, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you based on the type of cancer and origin of the cancer.

Your doctor may suggest surgery to remove or biopsy abnormal growths. In women, a breast exam may be done to look for any masses that could spread to the ribs. A number of laboratory tests may be considered depending on your history and physical exam.

This may include markers for rheumatoid conditions and more. Blood chemistry including a liver panel, as well as a complete blood count may give important clues. Imaging tests are often needed if trauma has occurred, or if there are any signs to suggest an underlying cancer or lung disease. A regular X-ray may be helpful if something is seen, but cannot rule out either a fracture or lung cancer.

Rib detail exercises are better for visualizing the ribs, but can still easily miss rib fractures. In order to diagnose many rib fractures or stress fractures, an MRI may be needed. A bone scan is another good option both for detecting fractures and looking for potential bone metastases.

A chest computed tomography scan CT scan is often done if there is concern over lung cancer or pleural effusion. With cancer, a positron emission tomography PET scan can be good both for looking at bony abnormalities and other soft tissue spread, such as tumors in the mediastinum. Since abdominal conditions such as gallbladder or pancreatic conditions may cause rib cage pain, an ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen may be done.

Procedures may be needed to diagnosis some conditions that can cause referred pain to the rib cage. An electrocardiogram ECG may be done to look for any evidence of heart damage such as a heart attack and to detect abnormal heart rhythms. An echocardiogram ultrasound of the heart can give further information about the heart and also detect a pericardial effusion fluid between the membranes lining the heart if present.

If a person has had a choking episode or has risk factors for lung cancer, a bronchoscopy may be done. In this procedure, a tube is inserted through the mouth after sedation and threaded down into the large airways.

A camera at the end of the scope allows a healthcare provider to directly visualize the area inside the bronchi. Endoscopy may be done to visualize the esophagus or stomach for conditions involving these organs. The treatment of rib cage pain will depend on the underlying cause. Sometimes this simply requires reassurance and advice to avoid activities and movements that aggravate the pain.

Rib fractures are difficult to treat, and many healthcare providers are leaning against only conservative treatments such as wrapping the rib cage due to the potential for complications. For musculoskeletal causes of rib cage pain, a number of options may be considered ranging from pain control, to stretching, to physical therapy, to local injections of numbing medication.

Rib cage pain can signal a number of different musculoskeletal conditions as well as non-musculoskeletal conditions within or outside of the chest.

Some of these conditions can be challenging to diagnose. Taking a careful history is often the best single "test" in finding an answer so the underlying cause can be treated. It can be frustrating to be asked a thousand questions that are sometimes repeated more than once , but in the case of rib cage pain, is worth the time it takes to make sure your healthcare provider has all of the clues possible to diagnose, and subsequently treat, your pain.

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Ear conditions. Digestive problems. Cold, flu and RTIs. Headaches and migraines. Hair loss. Insect bites and stings. How we can help. Who we are. NHS partners. Download our app. Next review: Aug 18, What is rib cage pain? You may be experiencing a sharp pain, or a dull ache, in one of the following areas: At the top, middle sternum or bottom of your rib cage Under your right rib cage Under your left rib cage As well as the initial pain, you may also be experiencing: Tender to touch areas of your chest Shortness of breath, or pain when taking a deep breath or coughing Pressure throughout your chest area Discomfort when in certain positions Pain during exercise A doctor will need to talk through your symptoms with you in order to identify the cause of your pain, as your rib cage comprises of the ribs themselves and muscles that hold the ribs together, both of which are possible sources of pain.

What are the causes of rib cage pain? The symptoms of a heart attack include: Chest pain towards the middle and left side of your chest Difficulty breathing Pain throughout your jaw, arms and shoulders Nausea and dizziness Heart attacks are more common in those aged over 40, particularly in those with underlying heart conditions. More commonly, rib cage pain can be attributed to: Broken, fractured or bruised ribs — if your pain has come on suddenly, or following an accident or injury, this is a likely cause and worth mentioning to a doctor Pulled or inflamed muscles between the ribs Pleurisy — rib cage pain can often originate from the organs the ribs protect.

Pleurisy is the inflammation of the linings of the chest and lungs, causing the two to painfully rub against each other.