Published on: 5/6/2025
Pain in the left rib cage can be caused by conditions such as costochondritis, intercostal neuralgia, or sometimes a rare tumor like a solitary plasmacytoma.
There are a few reasons why you might feel pain in the left side of your rib cage. One common cause is costochondritis, which is when the cartilage connecting your ribs to your breastbone becomes inflamed and sore. This condition can make the area tender, especially when you press on it or move in certain ways. Another possibility is intercostal neuralgia. This is when the nerves that run between your ribs get irritated or pinched, leading to a sharp, burning, or persistent pain along the rib cage. In rare cases, pain in the rib cage can be caused by tumors in the bone, such as a solitary plasmacytoma. This is an unusual growth that might sometimes be mistaken for other conditions like heart pain (angina). These causes affect the left rib area differently, so if you are having ongoing or severe pain, it is important to talk with a healthcare provider who can help figure out what is causing your pain and suggest the best treatment options.
(References)
Schumann JA, Sood T, Parente JJ. Costochondritis. [Updated 2024 Apr 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Fazekas D, Doroshenko M, Horn DB. Intercostal Neuralgia. [Updated 2023 Aug 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Yao J, He X, Wang CY, Hao L, Tan LL, Shen CJ, Hou MX. Solitary plasmacytoma of the left rib misdiagnosed as angina pectoris: A case report. World J Clin Cases. 2022 Jul 16;10(20):7037-7044. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i20.7037. PMID: 36051148; PMCID: PMC9297416.
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