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Rib cage pain - Overview

Alternative Names

Pain - rib cage

Definition of Rib cage pain:

Rib cage pain includes any pain or discomfort in the area of the ribs. See chest pain.

Considerations:

With a broken rib, the pain gets worse when bending and twisting the body. Such movement does not cause the pain in those who have pleurisy (swelling of the lining of the lungs) or muscle spasms.

Common Causes:

Bruised, cracked, or fractured rib
Costochondritis (inflammation of cartilage near the breastbone)
Osteoporosis
Pleurisy (the pain is worse when breathing deeply)

Rib

Reviewed last on: 1/22/2007
Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.