Published on: 5/6/2025
Rib pain is usually felt along the side of the chest, near where the ribs are located. It can also be felt in the front or back around the rib cage.
Rib pain is often felt right over or along the ribs. Many times, people experience it along the side of the chest, where the ribs join together. This area is called the rib cage. Sometimes, the pain is felt in the front where the ribs meet the breastbone, as happens with costochondritis. In other cases, the pain might run along the nerves that lie between the ribs, which can make the pain spread from the front, to the sides, and even to the back. With conditions like a rib fracture or intercostal neuralgia, the pain can be sharp and move along the path of the rib and the surrounding muscles. The location of the pain can help doctors determine its cause, whether it is due to an injury, inflammation, or a problem with the nerves. If you or someone you know is having this kind of pain, it is important to tell a doctor so they can help figure out what is causing it.
(References)
Tulay CM, Yaldiz S, Bilge A. Do we really know the duration of pain after rib fracture? Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol. 2018 Sep;15(3):147-150. doi: 10.5114/kitp.2018.78437. Epub 2018 Sep 24. PMID: 30310391; PMCID: PMC6180016.
Kumar R, Ganghi R, Rana V, Bose M. The painful rib syndrome. Indian J Anaesth. 2013 May;57(3):311-3. doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.115585. PMID: 23983300; PMCID: PMC3748696.
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