There is a dull pain under the ribs when breathing

The dull pain under the ribs when breathing is a symptom that is very consistent with costochondritis. However, it is difficult to determine whether you have costochondritis based on this symptom alone. It is best to have a comprehensive understanding of the condition of costochondritis and then make a comprehensive judgment based on your own situation. Only in this way can you draw a preliminary conclusion. Let’s first look at the symptoms of costochondritis.

Costochondritis, also known as Tieze disease or Tieze syndrome, painful non-suppurative swelling of the costal cartilage, sternal cartilage pain, and chondrodysplasia, is a common disease, which is divided into nonspecific costochondritis and infectious costochondritis. The most common clinical condition is nonspecific costochondritis, which accounts for more than 95% of outpatient visits. It is a nonspecific, non-suppurative inflammation of the costal cartilage. It is a non-suppurative costochondritis lesion that occurs at the junction of the costal cartilage and the sternum for unknown reasons. It is a self-limiting disease with localized pain and swelling. It is more common in adults aged 25 to 35 years old, mostly women, with a male to female ratio of 1:9. Elderly people also get sick. It often occurs at the junction of the 2nd to 5th costal cartilages. It is usually multiple and can be seen beside one side of the sternum, or symmetrical on both sides. In single cases, the 2nd costal cartilage is common. Infectious costochondritis, also known as suppurative costochondritis, is a rare surgical infection.

Clinical manifestations

1. Nonspecific costochondritis

In the early stage of the disease, patients feel chest pain. After a few days, swelling, bulge, dull pain or sharp pain appear in the affected costal cartilage. The site of occurrence is mostly the 2nd to 4th costal cartilage beside the sternum, with the 2nd costal cartilage being the most common, and occasionally it can also occur in the costal arch. This disease often affects a single rib, but occasionally multiple ribs or both sides of the ribs are affected at the same time. There is obvious local tenderness, and the pain radiates to the scapula or side shoulder, upper arm, and armpit of the back. The pain is aggravated by deep breathing, coughing, activity, chest straightening, and fatigue. Acute cases may occur suddenly, with a feeling of stabbing, throbbing or soreness in the chest; insidious cases develop slowly, causing the junction of the ribs and costal cartilage to become bow-shaped, swollen, and dull pain without any changes in the skin. The pain varies in severity and often lingers. Because the lesion is located in the upper part of the breast, there is also referred pain in the breast on the same side, and female patients mistakenly think they have breast pain and seek medical treatment. However, diseases of the breast itself can often be identified by feeling a lump or cord-like object in the breast, or by local redness of the breast skin. The course of the disease may last for several hours or days, but it may relapse and usually heal itself within a few months, but in some cases it may last for several years.

2. Infectious costochondritis

The local skin will become red, swollen, hot and painful, with chest pain being the main symptom. Most of the symptoms are of this type first, with varying degrees of severity. Patients are afraid to take deep breaths or cough due to chest pain, which can easily lead to lung infection. Soft tissue necrosis can form abscesses, and rupture of abscesses can form sinus tracts. Patients often have obvious systemic infection symptoms.