Broken Ribs Pain: Can Coughing Cause Rib Pain?

Rib Pain Causes

Are you among those unfortunate people who have consulted numerous doctors to demystify the cause for a misaligned rib to find a permanent heal for that and ended up without any success so far? Then there’s something for you that you surely didn’t know already. The misaligned rib can occur due to something as a mundane as an acute coughing fit.

This may cause severe pain around ribs, and the even contribute to upper back pain. Don’t be surprised; the cause is scientifically justified. If the adjoining connecting vertebrae can get misaligned due to stress in the external inter-costal muscles so can the ribs and thoracic vertebrae due to even simple activities like twisting or turning the upper body, leading to upper back pain.[1]

Then the question arises that if it is treatable or not and if there is any measure that can be taken to prevent rib pain? Absolutely. The misaligned rib can be treated; it is not a malady that will heal by itself, there are certain tools for it like the broken rib compression brace. The broken rib compression brace can relieve misaligned, broken, injured or dislocated ribs, costochondral separation, inter-costal strain etc. This discussion throws light on the causes, symptoms, and diagnosis of rib pain that may arise due to muscle strain or pleurisy.

What may be the Causes of Rib Pain When Coughing?

The external and internal intercostal muscles are primarily responsible for respiration, and when some food gets trapped inside the pharynx due to the delayed closure of epiglottis, these intercostal muscles are responsible for coughing. But if you cough too forcefully, then it may lead to straining the muscles leading to severe pain in the ribs.

This is a condition where the cartilage in the rib cage is inflamed at the junction of the upper ribs with the cartilage that holds the sternum. This can lead you to experience pain and tenderness upon coughing, and the pain can range from dull and chronic to sudden and severe.

This can be defined as the inflammation of the outer membrane of the lungs known as Pleura which is essential to reduce friction between the lungs and the surrounding organs. You will not only experience pain during coughing but also when you are bending over or sneezing due to the degenerated friction if you have Pleurisy.

Due to old age several diseases like osteoporosis or osteoarthritis may occur which can cause acute rib pain while coughing. Decreased bone density is the prime cause for this.

If you are participating in extreme sports like rugby or volleyball, then you are more likely to damage your ribs, causing an extreme injury which can, in turn, result in straining the muscles or surrounding tendons and even bruises on the bone. Aside from coughing, if you have physical injuries over your bone, then you can even experience chronic rib pain while taking full breaths.

Without proper treatment or prevention, sore ribs can adversely affect your health and show additional symptoms like shortness of breath, fever, and extreme fatigue, chest pain that radiates to the left jaw or shoulder that can be a symptom for heart attack, dizziness and coughing up blood.[2]

You should immediately consult a doctor and get the scans done or take necessary preventives like using a broken rib brace so that the injuries don’t get complicated anymore.

Things that You Need to Know About the Broken Ribs

Broken ribs are commonly caused by direct contact, or you can merely say physical injuries like those from falls, vehicle accidents, child abuse or contact sports. Ribs also can be fractured or bruised by repetitive trauma from active sports like golf and rowing or from prolonged and severe coughing.

The pain associated with a broken rib worsens and becomes chronic when you take a deep breath, press the injured area, cough for longer durations or bend or twist your body. The complications involved vary depending on the number of broken ribs and depending on the types of ribs that break. Possible complications include torn or punctured aorta, punctured lung, lacerated spleen, liver or kidneys.  You may experience pain in right side under ribs or right rib pain that may turn severe with each passing time.

The reason why broken rib symptoms shouldn’t be taken lightly is that these small reasons can be a clear-cut indication of a deadly disorder which is commonly known as heart attack or Congestive Heart Failure. Whenever you experience difficulty in breathing, pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the centre of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, then it would be better to seek immediate medical attention.[3]

To protect broken ribs, protect yourself from athletic injuries, reduce the risk of household falls and strengthen your bones so that the decreased bone density does not lead to the breaking of bones.

Doctors as Saviors

The use of the broken rib compression brace is specifically dependent on the recommendation of doctors, and it is advisable to consult with your doctor frequently for examination of the sort of rib pain and investigation of any issues that you encounter that can be the justifiable cause for the diseases. Doctors recommend suitable times for using the broken rib compression brace or trusses along with recommendations for the times when the brace should be taken off such as while sleeping.

In some cases such as after surgery or a physiotherapy treatment, doctors recommend wearing the broken rib compression braces throughout the day which calls for the selection of a product which is comfortable to wear and gives appropriate value for money. 

The Utility of a Broken Rib Compression Brace

The broken rib compression braces are specifically designed to help treat injuries and pain caused by rib fractures, sprains and more providing advanced support and customizable compression to your sore rib cage. These are designed to treat and protect cracked, broken or dislocated ribs, sore or bruised rib cage and intercostals muscle strain.

Doctors offer bandages to wrap around ribs for compression to relieve pain and the bandages do help but are very difficult to put on by you whereas the braces are very comfortable to wear throughout the day and helps to reduce the pain and medication. So if you have been using an ice pack for your fractures or just the crack bands, then the braces would stand as a great option to switch.

Selection of the Best Compressor Brace for Your Ribs

If you want to purchase a product for your broken or sore ribs, then you should be aware of the benefits to expect from them. The catch here is that if you know what you are looking for in a product, then it is most likely that you will land up with a product of value to you! So, here are some of the points that need to be overseen before buying a cracked rib support brace:

• Look for the quality of the fabric. The material of the fabric should be ultra thin and of an ultra lightweight for increased comfort and breathability. Also, try to get a brace that is entirely Velcro compatible for customizable compression. Some companies prefer using the bamboo charcoal fabric that provides superior support while wicking away moisture and sweat. Make sure if you are paying then you are paying for the best.
• If you don’t want your compressor to cause pain under ribs, then buy something that stands as low-profile support and fits easily beneath clothing to avoid the adverse effects. Also, ensure that you buy the customizable ones so that you don’t worry what size you will fit in.
• Before you buy anything, you always need to think about how easy it will be regarding function as well as application. Always try to prefer single Velcro closure to make it quick and easy to apply, in comparison to most rib bandaging and wraps.
• If you are buying a broken rib belt to keep your fractured rib bones in place or to align your misaligned or dislocated ribs, then ensure the compression level that the brace offers. There should be two three-inch wide elastic panels for enhanced compression, and the brace should be made with a universal female design with a curved cutout that fits comfortably underneath a women’s chest.
• Lastly look for the price at which you are getting the comfort and all the additional things like the delivery date or the website reputation etc. that you check for buying every other product over the web.

With information about these above benefits, it would now be easier for you to select an appropriate broken rib compression brace for your convenience! Just don’t forget to pay frequent visits to the orthopaedic doctor!

References:
1..https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/symptoms-causes/syc-20350763

2..https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318115.php

3..https://www.healthline.com/symptom/rib-pain