Chest Wall & Rib Pain
Understanding the Condition
Chest wall and rib pain can be extremely limiting because nearly every breath, cough, twist, or upper-body movement may aggravate symptoms. Pain can arise from fractured ribs, injured muscles, irritated intercostal nerves, prior chest surgery, shingles, or other traumatic and postsurgical conditions. Some patients experience localized tenderness, while others describe burning or band-like pain that follows the course of a rib.
How It Develops & Common Causes
Acute rib fractures are a common cause of severe chest wall pain and can interfere with deep breathing and mobility. Persistent chest wall pain may result from intercostal neuralgia, post-thoracotomy pain, postherpetic neuralgia, scar-related nerve injury, or chronic musculoskeletal dysfunction. Effective pain control is particularly important when pain limits breathing, coughing, sleep, or rehabilitation.
Potential Treatments at Apico Pain and Wellness
Final treatment recommendations depend on the diagnosis, examination, imaging or testing when appropriate, medical history, previous treatment, and individual goals.
Explore related treatments
Inpatient Pain Consultation & Acute Pain ManagementHospitalized patients may have severe pain after surgery, trauma, fractures, acute illness, or worsening of a chronic pain condition.
Regional Anesthesia for Acute & Postoperative PainRegional anesthesia uses targeted nerve or fascial plane blocks to reduce pain in a specific part of the body.Questions? Call 855-932-7426
A member of our team will answer all your questions and help you find relief.