Rib Pain and Chiropractic
Your ribs are attached to the mid back bones/ thoracic vertebrae (individual bones making up the spine). The ribs protect vital organs such as the lungs and the heart. There are ten pairs of ribs that attach to the sternum through cartilage, and there are two floating ribs in the lower rib cage.
Rib pain is common complaint treated by chiropractors. The most common cause of rib pain is usually due to muscle strain, fractures, inflammation, misalignment of the ribs or thoracic vertebrae.
Types of rib pain
Muscle strain is a common cause of rib pain- intercostal muscle strain (muscle that sits between the ribs), if the intercostal muscle is contracted or stretched the muscle may be strained. A sudden sharp pain or pulling sensation may be felt when there is tension on the muscle. Tenderness to touch may also be felt when there is an intercostal strain. A common cause of an intercostal muscle strain is lifting heavy objects.
A rib fracture is another common cause of rib pain. This will usually be due to a direct impact or accident to the chest area. Breathing in or any kind of movement will cause pain along the rib.
Cartilage inflammation or costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage where the ribs attaches). The pain tends to be present on both sides of the sternum (chest bone), the pain can also be on one side of the sternum. Pain may be in the back or abdomen which radiates from the chest, and pain may be present with taking a deep breath in or stretching.
Misalignment ribs, thoracic vertebrae may cause rib pain. This may be a sharp pain, an achy sensation or restricted range of motion. Muscle spasm will also tend to occur.
Your chiropractor will assess the rib pain, and reach a diagnosis allowing them to carry out the most appropriate form of treatment and healing plan for you. If there is a misalignment, muscle strain, dysfunction of the thoracic vertebrae your chiropractor may perform a variety of techniques to relieve your pain and restore your range of motion. Some techniques your chiropractor may use include a manual chiropractic adjustment, soft tissue therapy, gentle mobilisations, drop piece, the activator, dry needling, corrective exercises and stretching.
If you are experiencing rib pain, come visit one of our friendly chiropractors at Bespoke Chiropractic. Our chiropractors will help diagnose your cause of rib pain and provide you with a treatment plan to get you on the road to recovery.