Rib Pain

The body has two sets of ribs on either side of the chest. The ribs act as a protector of your heart and lungs and other essential organs.

Your rib cage is made up of about 12 pairs of rib bones which are held together by muscle and tissue which are attached to your vertebrae and your sternum at the bottom.

Not all of your rib bones attach to the vertebrae and the sternum and some attach to rib bones direct. In all there are about 7 rib bones which are essential to your heath and well being. These rib bones attach directly on to your sternum.

The bones that form the rib cage are quite fragile and are easily broken if broken singly. Together when knitted together they form a strong cocoon around your essential organs.

Broken ribs

Ribs can be broken by punching them. Car accidents can also cause broken ribs by the pressure on impact caused by wearing a seat belt. Violent sneezing can also cause ribs to be broken as can laughing or coughing.

Rib Cage Pain symptoms

The pain on having a broken rib or broken ribs is usually felt as a sharp stabbing pain over the area. This is usually heightened when breathing or coughing.

Pain cage pain relief

This can usually be relieved by over the counter medications such as ibuprofen and paracetemol. Under no circumstances should ribs be bound or strapped as this can cause serious respitory problems and can increase the chances of chest infections developing.

After the rib has repaired itself then it may be beneficial to have a few sessions with a chiropractor or osteopath to help rebuild muscle and ligament mobility. Pain may still be felt after the first few initial session but as the joints and muscles become more flexible then this pain will gradually decrease.