Why Do My Back, Chest, and Ribs Hurt?

Various muscles in the back and chest are used during activities such as throwing a ball, lifting weights, washing windows, and painting walls. This may result in the stretching or tearing of any of these muscles or their tendons (fibrous bands that connect the muscles to bone) may result in the chest, back or rib pain. 

• Other symptoms include:
  • Tenderness
  • Swelling
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Muscle tightness
• Treatment includes:
  • Over-the-counter painkillers
  • Hot and cold therapy
  • Breathing exercises

Caused by the degeneration of the thoracic spine, which is associated with degenerative diseases such as thoracic osteoarthritis. This is commonly associated with aging. The intervertebral foramina (the opening where spinal nerves leave the spinal canal) becomes narrow in a condition called foraminal stenosis. Because of the narrowing of the spinal canal, the spinal nerve gets compressed, causing pain that radiates from the spine to the back, ribs, and chest.

• Other symptoms include:
  • Stress fracture
  • Tingling and numbness in the feet
  • Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which the vertebra slips forward to the bone below it and compresses the nerve)
• Treatment of thoracic spondylosis includes:
  • Relieving the pressure on the nerve that is getting compressed
  • Surgical procedures help relieve pressure, such as discectomy (removal of the injured disc), laminectomy (removal of the bone spurs of the lamina), and laminoplasty (changing the position of the lamina)

The inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib to the sternum (breastbone). The junction where the cartilage is connected to the rib is called the costochondral junction. The person may have chest pain that increases on lying down, coughing, deep breathing, or physical activity.

The exact cause of costochondritis is not known, but it may be caused by the following conditions:

• Chest trauma
• Arthritis (including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis)
• Severe coughing
• Infections

Any chest pain should be taken seriously, and you should immediately consult your doctor.    

• Other symptoms of costochondritis include:
  • Severe pain while lying down
  • Pain worsens when there is pressure on the chest
  • Increased pain during physical activities, coughing, or deep breaths
• Treatment of costochondritis includes:
  • Pain alleviation by using over-the-counter pain medications
  • Physical therapy and rest

Avoid vigorous exercise for a few weeks. Some people may need prescription medicines such as narcotic pain medications, antidepressants, and anti-seizure drugs.

Arthritis in the costovertebral joints (joints between the ribs and vertebrae) is caused by the wear and tear of the joint. 

• Other symptoms include:
  • Severe pain
  • Stiffness in the joint
  • Swelling
  • Difficulty in movements
• Treatment of arthritis in the costovertebral joints includes:
  • Over-the-counter pain medication
  • Surgical procedures such as resection arthroplasty

It causes severe pain, swelling, stiffness in the joint, and difficulty in movements.

Causes pain and tenderness, especially in the muscles and bones of the chest, the area around the breastbone, and the rib cage. The chest pain caused by fibromyalgia may mimic a heart attack. The pain may be intense, sharp, or like a stabbing or burning sensation and may be associated with shortness of breath.

• Other symptoms include:
  • Severe pain
  • Fatigue
  • Cognitive difficulties
  • Difficulty in movements
• Treatment of fibromyalgia includes:
  • Over-the-counter pain medication
  • Antidepressants to ease fatigue and pain associated with fibromyalgia
  • Physical therapies, occupational therapy, and counseling may help to improve your abilities

Several conditions such as pulmonary embolism, pleurisy, lung infections, and any tumors in the lungs may cause pain in the chest and ribs.

• Pulmonary embolism: A condition where a blood vessel in the lung gets blocked by a blood clot. It is a life-threatening condition and requires prompt medical attention.
  • It may have symptoms such as:
    • Coughing
    • Sweating
    • Shortness of breath
    • Headaches
    • Light-headedness
    • Rapid breathing
  • Treatment options may include:
    • Anticoagulants (blood-thinner) medications such as heparin, warfarin, low-molecular-weight heparin, and fondaparinux
    • Thrombolytic therapy
    • Compression stockings
    • Occasionally, surgery or interventional procedures to improve circulation and lower the risk of future blood clots
• Pleurisy: A condition where the pleura, a thin layer of tissue that separates the lungs from the chest wall, gets inflamed. This causes severe chest pain that worsens during breathing, coughing, and sneezing.
  • Treatment of pleurisy includes:
    • Pleurisy treatment focuses primarily on the underlying cause. 
    • If bacterial pneumonia is the cause, doctors prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.
    • Pleurisy may resolve on its own if the cause is a viral infection. 
  • Pleurisy pain and inflammation are typically treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Lung tumors: May result in pain in the chest and upper back region. Many other conditions such as acid reflux disease, heart disease, prolapsed intervertebral disk, and fractured ribs may also cause pain in the upper back, chest, and rib regions. If you experience chest pain, immediately consult your physician and get treated for the cause of the pain.
  • The treatment used in lung tumors include:
    • Surgery
    • Chemotherapy
    • Radiation therapy
    • Radiofrequency ablation
    • Targeted drug therapy
    • Immunotherapy