Pain under left ribs when breathing

As we all know, the human body has 12 pairs of ribs, which are symmetrical on the left and right, and the back end is connected to the thoracic vertebrae. If a child is calcium deficient, it will lead to rib valgus. Rib valgus can be improved by calcium supplementation if it is mild from the perspective of bones. If the left rib hurts when breathing, you should check whether there is costal cartilage inflammation or muscle strain, and use blood-activating and analgesic drugs appropriately. You should still apply appropriate hot compress and some Chinese medicine safflower oil or ointment.

Question 1

Costochondritis refers to a chronic nonspecific inflammation occurring in the costal cartilage, also known as non-suppurative costochondritis and costochondral hyperplasia. The cause of the disease is unknown, but it is generally believed to be related to strain or trauma. It occurs when people carry heavy objects, twist sharply, or squeeze the chest, causing acute damage to the costochondrial joint cartilage, or due to chronic strain or viral infection caused by colds, which leads to edema and thickening of the costochondrial joint surface cartilage due to aseptic inflammatory reaction.

Question 2

It is more common in women aged 20 to 30, with a male to female ratio of 1:9. The lesions are mostly located at the 2nd to 5th costal cartilages in the chest, with the 2nd and 3rd costal cartilages being the most common. The lesions may also invade the manubrium sternum, the inner side of the clavicle and the anterior and inferior costal cartilages. The affected costal cartilage may be felt as dull or sharp pain in the chest, with tenderness and swelling. The pain may worsen with deep breathing, coughing or movement of the affected upper limb, and may sometimes radiate to the shoulder or back. They may not even be able to raise their arms. However, there is no change in the local skin. The pain varies in severity and often lingers, affecting the patient's work and study. After the pain disappears, the swollen costal cartilage may even persist for months or years. Sometimes the pain will occur after fatigue. The onset may be acute or slow. The acute one may occur suddenly, with a feeling of stabbing pain, throbbing pain or soreness in the chest; the insidious one develops slowly, making the junction of the ribs and costal cartilage bow-shaped, swollen and dull pain without being noticed, sometimes radiating to the shoulders, back, armpits, neck and chest, sometimes with chest tightness and shortness of breath. The pain is relieved by resting or lying on the side, and the pain is aggravated by deep breathing, coughing, lying flat, holding the chest up and after fatigue.

X-ray and laboratory examination showed no obvious abnormality.

Question 3

There is generally no detailed clinical classification.

Most women with costochondritis seek medical attention for breast pain, as the pain of costochondritis often radiates to the breast. Therefore; costochondritis can easily be confused with breast pain. However, identification is not difficult. If it is a disease of the breast itself, lumps or cord-like objects can often be felt in the breast, or the local skin of the breast may become red. The pain of costochondritis is often aggravated by coughing, deep breathing, raising arms and leaning sideways, but breast pain is not affected by these factors.