Suffering from rib pain? Chiropractic may be the answer for you.
Musculoskeletal rib pain
Musculoskeletal rib pain refers to injury to the muscles, joints or bones around the ribs. Among other causes, these can include strains across the intercostal muscles, fractures in the ribs, or overloading and injuring the rib joints themselves.
Symptoms can vary amongst individuals. The pain can be dull or sharp, and on one or both sides of the ribcage. This can refer from the sides of the ribs to the back or front, and vice versa. One of the most common symptoms is a painful or catching sensation upon taking a deep breath. This is because as we breathe, our ribs are supposed to expand and contract. However, if our ribs are injured, they can become inflamed and dysfunctional or ‘stuck.’ This stops them from expanding as they would normally do, thus causing some aggravation when attempting to take a deep breath.
So how can chiropractic help rib pain?
At North Adelaide Chiropractic, Dr Joshua will be sure to go through a detailed history and examination to diagnose the cause of your rib pain. Since ribs travel from our spines, it is likely that if a rib joint is fixated or dysfunctional, so too is the spinal body that the rib is attached to. Chiropractors are specially trained to identify and treat these spinal dysfunctions as well as the ribs.
For muscle strains and rib or spinal joint dysfunctions, patients can find excellent results from their chiropractor’s soft tissue therapies and adjustments. If required, the chiropractor can also send you for bulk-billed x-rays to rule out other conditions.
Costochondritis
Costochondritis is a common cause of mechanical chest pain that refers to inflammation of our sternum and the cartilage surrounding it. There is no known cause for it – however, some believe that trauma, infection or illness can be factors related to the onset of costochondritis.
Chiropractic can help with costochondritis through a number of ways, and treatment options will be dependent on how the patient progresses. Gentle mobilisation techniques and stretches for the chest can ease tension, while kinesiotaping can give much needed support throughout the recovery period. Moreover, since the ribs attach to the sternum and the thoracic spine, an assessment of the ribs and spine may be required as well. For example, since our ribs attach to the sternum, an injured rib may put extra stress into the sternum. While it may not directly cause costochondritis, a dysfunctional rib can aggravate and slow down the healing process. See above for what a chiropractor can do to treat dysfunctional ribs.
If you want to receive the best treatment for your rib pain or costochondritis near the Adelaide CBD, call North Adelaide Chiropractic today on 8361 8182. We also accept walk-ins – you can find us conveniently located on Tynte Street, just off O’Connell Street.