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What Causes Soreness And Pain In The Ribs?
Question: I woke up around 4:30 with a pain --lower back--just under the rib cage---its very sore hard to take a deep
breath------can I put ice on it or warm it?
breath------can I put ice on it or warm it?
Brief Answer:
you'd better find out what's causing it first
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
ice or warmth may help with some disorders but they won't affect the others and sometimes they may even cause worsening. The most important thing is to find out what's causing the pain. Common causes on this area can be caused by various disorders but the list I'll present is not exhaustive.
- renal colic is a common cause particularly if you've got a history of colics. An ultrasound scan of the kidneys during pain will provide helpful clues. Clinical examination is usually sufficient to diagnose this disorder.
- hepres zoster (shingles) is another potential cause that may affect part of the body. It's unilateral and the symptoms should extend only up to the midline (not further). The rash may appear after a few days.
- musculoskeletal pain; either degenerative disc disease or muscle sprain/strain may cause back pain. If the pain is significant then even breathing may be painful.
- injury (?). If you can recall even a low impact injury then this could be a potential cause. Sometimes the pain is worse after a few hours although the injury might have been considered to be insignificant at first.
- pleuritis. This is not a diagnosis. It's a syndrome that may be caused by various disorders including infections, tumors, etc. Clinical examination and a chest x-ray will help.
Regarding your question about ice or warmth, there is no 'safe' answer. For example a muscle sprain may benefit from ice during the first 2-3 days but a renal colic won't be affected at all. I hope you got some idea of what might be going on.
Kind Regards!
you'd better find out what's causing it first
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
ice or warmth may help with some disorders but they won't affect the others and sometimes they may even cause worsening. The most important thing is to find out what's causing the pain. Common causes on this area can be caused by various disorders but the list I'll present is not exhaustive.
- renal colic is a common cause particularly if you've got a history of colics. An ultrasound scan of the kidneys during pain will provide helpful clues. Clinical examination is usually sufficient to diagnose this disorder.
- hepres zoster (shingles) is another potential cause that may affect part of the body. It's unilateral and the symptoms should extend only up to the midline (not further). The rash may appear after a few days.
- musculoskeletal pain; either degenerative disc disease or muscle sprain/strain may cause back pain. If the pain is significant then even breathing may be painful.
- injury (?). If you can recall even a low impact injury then this could be a potential cause. Sometimes the pain is worse after a few hours although the injury might have been considered to be insignificant at first.
- pleuritis. This is not a diagnosis. It's a syndrome that may be caused by various disorders including infections, tumors, etc. Clinical examination and a chest x-ray will help.
Regarding your question about ice or warmth, there is no 'safe' answer. For example a muscle sprain may benefit from ice during the first 2-3 days but a renal colic won't be affected at all. I hope you got some idea of what might be going on.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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