Intercostal Muscle Strain: Muscle Spasm In Rib Cage

Intercostal muscle strain is a type of soft tissue injury caused by overstretching or tearing the muscles between your ribs. It usually occurs as a result of repetitive movements such as lifting heavy objects, coughing, or sneezing. This can lead to pain and tenderness in your chest area that may limit your ability to perform everyday tasks such as breathing deeply and reaching overhead. If left untreated, the pain from an intercostal muscle strain can become chronic and interfere with your quality of life.

Intercostal Muscles Anatomy: Breathing And Rib Stability

The intercostal muscles are located between each of the ribs, forming a band that runs along the entire length of your rib cage. These muscles help to keep the ribs stable and facilitate breathing by contracting during inhalation and relaxing during exhalation. They also play a role in movements such as side bending, twisting, and reaching.

Symptoms Of Intercostal Muscle Strain

The following are common symptoms of intercostal muscle strains:

Pain in the rib cage area: Pain is typically localized to the area between your ribs. It may feel sharp and intense or dull and achy. The pain can worsen with deep breathing and movements such as coughing, sneezing, or reaching.

Difficulty in breathing: The pain may make it difficult to take deep breaths. As a result, your breathing might become more shallow, causing your chest area to feel tight or restricted. This can make activities such as running or swimming more challenging.

Tenderness: You may experience tenderness to the touch in the area between your ribs.

Swelling: The strain can also cause swelling in your chest area due to inflammation of the intercostal muscles.

Muscle tightness: You may also experience tightness in the affected muscles, making movement difficult.

Intercostal Muscle Strain Pain Locations

Intercostal muscle strains can cause pain in various areas of your body. This is because the muscles that make up the ribcage are connected to numerous other muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Pain may be felt in your back, upper ribs, lower ribs, abdomen, or shoulder blade area. Additionally, you may experience referred pain in your shoulder or arm, as the nerve endings from the intercostal muscles travel to various other parts of the body.

Intercostal Muscle Strain Causes

Direct trauma or chest injury: Direct trauma or chest injury can cause intercostal muscle strain. This could result from a direct blow to the chest, such as in contact sports or a car accident. It could also develop gradually from overstretching or repetitive movement.

Poor posture and body mechanics: Poor posture and body mechanics can cause the muscles between your ribs to become overstretched. For example, slouching while sitting or standing for long periods can lead to muscle strain due to the sustained contraction of the intercostal muscles.

Weakened or overused muscles: Weakened or overused muscles are more likely to experience intercostal muscle strain. This is especially true if you’re involved in activities that involve repetitive motions, such as rowing or swimming. These types of activities can cause the muscles to become weak and fatigued, making them more vulnerable to injury.

Coughing or sneezing: Coughing or sneezing can also cause intercostal muscle strain. These activities require the contraction of the muscles between your ribs to expel air from your lungs. If you already have weakened or overused muscles, coughing or sneezing can put additional stress on them and cause an injury.

Diagnosis

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s essential to seek medical attention immediately. Your doctor will evaluate your symptoms and perform a physical exam to determine if you have an intercostal muscle strain. This may include checking for tenderness in the area between your ribs and assessing your range of motion in the affected area. Your doctor will also likely order imaging tests such as X-rays or an MRI to further assess the extent of the injury. These imaging tests will show any signs of muscle damage or torn ligaments.

Common Treatments For Intercostal Muscle Strain

Minor intercostal muscle strains will typically heal on their own with proper rest. Generally speaking, most doctors will take a conventional approach to treating such strains by recommending one or more of the following treatments:

Cold or hot therapy: Applying a cold or hot pack to the affected area can help ease pain and reduce swelling. Cold therapy is recommended for the first 48 hours after the injury to help reduce inflammation. You can use cold therapy by wrapping an ice pack in a towel and applying it to the affected area. After 48 hours, switch to hot therapy, such as applying a heated pad or taking a warm bath. This will help relax the muscles and improve circulation, promoting better healing.

Pain medications: Your doctor may prescribe over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help reduce discomfort. These medications can temporarily alleviate pain but it’s important not to resume usual activities just because the pain has subsided, as this may exacerbate the injury.

Injections: In some cases, your doctor may suggest a corticosteroid injection to help reduce inflammation and pain. These injections are typically used when the pain is severe.