What are the Most Common Causes of Chest and Rib Pain?

Chest pain is a common discomfort for many individuals that can be related to multiple diseases, illnesses, and disorders. Due to the concerns of heart diseases and serious illnesses, any chest discomfort should be reviewed by a medical professional. Most chest and rib pain is due to less serious problems including heartburn and indigestion.

A bruised rib can be an extremely painful experience. This can occur easily through accidental falls or sports injuries. Most individuals who suffer from this type of injury complain of chest and rib pain. An x-ray exam is typically required to determine the level of injury. Most rib injuries can take between four to six weeks to completely heal.

Indigestion and heart burn is a condition that plagues many people. This is typically related to poor eating habits and spicy foods. Indigestion is a common cause of pain in the chest, primarily because of acid and gasses that come from the stomach area. This pain can be worse if the individual suffers from ulcers in the esophagus.

The flu can cause symptoms of chest pain and discomfort. This is typically caused by excessive coughing and overall body aches experienced with the flu. Chest and rib pain can occur with small muscle spasms that are accompanied with coughing. Continued coughing for several weeks could be a sign of more serious ailments including bronchitis and pneumonia. This type of illness typically requires medical treatment and antibiotics to resolve the infection.

Many heart diseases are common contributors to chest and rib pain. The symptoms of heart failure include tightness of the chest, pain in the chest or rib area, and shooting pain throughout the arm. If an individual has any of theses symptoms he should seek immediate medical attention.

Smoking can cause also cause chest pain in an individual. This is primarily due to the toxic effects that smoking has on the lungs and body. Smoking for extended periods of time can lead to a smoker's cough. This is a daily cough that can last for several minutes or long periods throughout the day. Continued coughing puts stress on the chest muscles and rib cage that, in turn, creates soreness and pain.

Asthma is a chronic condition that plagues many people. An asthma sufferer experiences tightness in his chest area and has difficulty breathing. If not properly treated, this can lead to chest and rib pain. Most asthma sufferers use special inhalers to prevent breathing discomfort during an attack.