The area between the ribs or intercostals of the body is very delicate because there are muscles, blood vessels, ligaments and nerves, so when one of them is compromised by a disorder, great pain is generated in the area and it can spread to other parts of the body. The most frequent involvement in this site is known as intercostal neuralgia, in which some nerve and its ramifications are compromised.
However, intercostal pain is also possible due to a sprain, that is, an injury to the ligaments, which are located around a joint and support the bones. The moment they stretch more than they should or break, the joint becomes inflamed and begins to hurt. If you don’t know much about this disorder, at FastlyHealwe provide you with all the information about intercostal sprain: symptoms, treatment and duration .
Table of Contents
Intercostal contracture: symptoms
The intercostal sprain arises with overexertion while there is a rotation of the waist . This can occur due to:
- To bad posture
- To a great accumulation of tension for a prolonged time generating the contracture
- Sudden changes in temperature
- To a blow to the rib area
- A chronic cough, because it causes sudden contractions.
Despite having the alteration in the part of the ribs, the pain may appear in other areas such as the back or chest; However, the most frequent symptomatology of an intercostal sprain is that the patient presents difficulties in breathing , which generally increases pain when inhaling, discomfort in the chest and in the costal area of the body, stiffness in the compromised side of the body, bruises and inflammation.
The symptoms of intercostal sprain can change from mild to severe in a few hours after the injury and can be confused with other pathologies of great importance, so it is essential to consult a doctor in case of any pain.
Treatment for intercostal sprain
To know the most appropriate treatment for each person and each case, it is essential to consult a doctor since he himself is in charge of prescribing the therapies according to the cause of intercostal pain. For example, if the sprain was caused by poor posture, treatment is likely to be limited to calming symptoms and correcting posture to improve the disorder, although drugs will always be prescribed to ease discomfort, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs .
In all cases it is important to see a professional to get rid of the back contracture, this reduces the pain and the recovery time is faster avoiding the damage that can be caused in other muscles. In addition, it helps to regain mobility and the tightness in the chest is released, favoring that you can breathe more normally.
Since the ribs are connected to the spine, an injury to the area can cause reflex pain in other parts of the body, so it is important that the massage therapist or physical therapist find the exact point of injury during treatment. Once this is achieved, the specialist must perform longitudinal maneuvers to the ribs to eliminate the contracture.
Intercostal sprain: duration
The recovery time for an intercostal sprain varies depending on both the patient and the cause that caused it. If the committed person quickly goes to a specialist after the disorder has occurred, the symptoms may disappear one or two days after the session with the professional, although it also depends on the physical condition and muscle block of each patient. In addition, it is important to take the medications prescribed by the doctor to help the disorder and improve the symptoms.
If the patient decides only to take drugs and not go to an expert, the recovery time is likely to be long-term, that is, between several weeks or months despite the patient resting . In these cases, there may be no more pain in the area, but the treatment is not entirely satisfactory, as the sprain may reappear shortly thereafter.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Intercostal Sprain: symptoms, treatment and duration , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.