What Can Cause Pain Under The Rib Cage While Sitting?

Posted on Fri, 8 Mar 2019

Question: Just under my rib cage my insides feel like they are being compressed. This seems to happen when I a sitting down. Its very uncomfortable and seems to be accompanied by an onset of atrial fibrillation

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Can be a cardiac problem.

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Having pain under the rib cage can be due to a cardiac problem like ischemia even if your blood pressure and other parameters are normal.

The symptoms of heart attack include a squeezing type of chest pain with sweating and nausea/vomiting. The predisposing factors include smoking, stress, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, increased cholesterol, etc.

Still, it would be better to get the following investigations done to rule out cardiac-related problems.
1. Troponin -T and CPK-MB
2. ECG in all leads with a rhythm strip in lead 2
3. Echocardiography
4. Tread mill test
5. Thallium scan (Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy)

The other possibilities that need to be ruled out with the help of your physician are muscular pain, GERD, pleuritis, etc.

I hope this answers your query.

Wishing you good health.

Regards,
Dr. Praveen Tayal, Orthopaedic Surgeon

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar