How to treat pain in the ribs when inhaling

Pain in the ribs when you take a deep breath may be costal neuralgia, a symptom caused by damage to the intercostal nerves due to various reasons. Costal neuralgia can be divided into secondary pain and primary pain. Costal neuralgia may be caused by rib injury, degeneration, or tumors. Here's what rib pain looks like when you breathe in and how to diagnose it.

Common in intercostal neuralgia. It is a group of symptoms, referring to the damage of the thoracic nerve roots (i.e. intercostal nerves) due to different reasons, such as: thoracic vertebra degeneration, thoracic vertebra tuberculosis, thoracic vertebra injury, thoracic vertebra dura mater, tumor, ankylosing spondylitis and other diseases or rib, mediastinum, pleural lesions, intercostal nerves are compressed and stimulated by the above diseases, and inflammatory reactions occur, resulting in a syndrome with band-like pain in the chest, intercostal or abdominal areas.

When intercostal neuralgia occurs, pain can be seen radiating from the back to the front along the corresponding intercostal space in a semicircular shape; the pain is stabbing or burning. The pain worsens when coughing, taking a deep breath or sneezing. The pain often occurs in one nerve on one side. It can be treated with medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, etc.

【Clinical manifestations】

It is common in young women, with a male to female ratio of 1:9. The lesions are mostly located at the 2nd to 5th costal cartilages on the chest, with the 2nd and 3rd costal cartilages being the most common. It can also invade the manubrium sternum, the inner side of the clavicle and the anterior and inferior costal cartilages. The affected costal cartilages will cause dull or sharp pain in the chest, tenderness and swelling. The pain will worsen when taking a deep breath, coughing or moving the affected upper limb, and sometimes radiate to the shoulder or back. The patient may not even be able to raise his arm. However, there is no change in the local skin. The pain varies in severity and often lingers, affecting the patient's work and study. After the pain disappears, the swollen costal cartilage may even last for months or years. Sometimes the pain will recur after fatigue. The onset can be acute or slow. Acute cases may occur suddenly with a feeling of stabbing, throbbing or soreness in the chest.

【Diagnosis points】

1. The only symptom is local pain, which sometimes radiates to the shoulder or back. It is more common in the 2nd and 3rd costal cartilages. The pain worsens when coughing and moving the upper limbs.

2. Examination can reveal that the costal cartilage in the affected area is swollen, raised and tender.

Treatment principles

1. Symptomatic treatment, taking analgesics, and adding prednisone to relieve inflammation and pain.

2. Use novocaine and prednisolone for local blockage. If there is no tenderness, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a chest X-ray to exclude other chest problems, such as pleurisy.