Synonyms
Rib joint blockage, rib blocking, blocked rib joint
Introduction
The term rib block describes the blockage, i.e. the restriction of mobility, of a rib joint. The costal joints are located between the ribs and the thoracic spine. The joints are secured by various ligaments that severely restrict the mobility of the joints.
However, this restriction is necessary to give the rib cage the necessary stability and to ensure that the body remains upright. Nevertheless, there is still a small range of motion, which allows, among other things, rotational movements of the upper body or bending movements. In the case of a rib blockage, as the name suggests, the joint between the thoracic spine and the affected ribs is blocked. The restriction of mobility leads to a feeling of stiffness and pain during various movements.
Causes
The causes of a rib block can be divided into two main groups. Rib blockages can be caused by injuries (traumas) of various kinds or signs of wear and tear. While injuries focus on causes such as falls, car accidents or lifting heavy loads, diseases such as osteoarthritis play a major role in wear and tear.
Falls, accidents or lifting heavy loads can cause the joint to shift into a position from which the joint cannot “go back”, resulting in rib blockage. Degenerative, i.e. wear-related diseases, such as arthrosis, promote the development of bony changes in the joint. During movement, the joint may become wedged, resulting in limited mobility.
Congenital malpositions of the joints can also lead to a rib blockage, but these are extremely rare. Rib blockages can certainly be caused by coughing. This is because the ribs are part of the bony protection of the chest and thus of the lungs and must move synchronously with every breathing movement.
The fine movement is only possible through the joint between the ribs and the spine. If the pressure or state of tension on the ribs changes enormously, as in the case of a cough, it is possible that one or more rib joints are released from their original anchoring position. If the parts of the joint are then slightly offset from each other, a rib blockage has occurred.
A rib blockage can also be caused by a fall. It is not important how the person falls or at what speed or height he falls. The intensity of the force exerted on the body must only be so great that a shock is exerted on the spine and the ribs that exceeds the holding function of the surrounding ligamentous apparatus and thus causes a displacement of the bony joint partners.
The more violent the fall, the more likely it is that the joint-forming parts of the ribs will be further displaced, possibly even causing the rib to break. Blocking the joint between the rib and the thoracic spine results in limited freedom of movement, since the joint normally allows a small amount of freedom of movement. This causes additional pain at the level of the blocked joint.
The pain follows the rib from the spinal column to the sternum in a belt-shaped pattern around the rib cage. Patients also often feel pain between the shoulder blades and in the back. The pain can be dull and pulling.
Typical for a rib blockage is that the pain can improve or worsen through certain movements and changes of position. For example, the pain also depends on the breathing mechanics, as the entire thorax is moved. When inhaled, the lung fills with air and thus expands along with the bony ribcage.
At this moment the affected person feels particularly strong pain and has the feeling that he or she can no longer breathe properly because of this. This can trigger a feeling of anxiety in the affected person, which further intensifies the problem. and Pinched nerve at the ribs One speaks of a rib blockage when one or more of the small joints connecting the ribs to the thoracic spine have become wedged.
In this respect, a rib blockage is an orthopedic phenomenon and has nothing to do with the heart. In this sense, a rib blockage is also not a dangerous emergency such as a heart attack.However, a rib block can easily be confused with heart problems, especially on the left side. For example, the symptoms of a rib block are similar to those of a heart attack with a twinge in the chest, a tightness in the chest area and pain when breathing.
The fear of a heart attack can lead to real panic states with shortness of breath and palpitations, which in turn makes it difficult to distinguish between them. Especially when such a seizure occurs for the first time, a doctor should be consulted immediately to rule out a heart attack or other serious heart diseases. If a rib blockage is present, the mobility of the affected rib is restricted.
This means that, if the person concerned inhales and the ribcage normally widens, it cannot lift like the other ribs. As a result, a blockage occurs at a certain point during inhalation, which the affected person perceives as pain. Reactively, the inhalation is stopped.
Depending on the point in time at which this “stop feeling” occurs during inhalation, affected persons breathe more or less shallowly and try to compensate for this by increasing their breathing rate. However, this does not increase the oxygen uptake, only the increased exhalation of carbon dioxide. This in turn leads to shortness of breath.
Tachycardia is mainly a reactive reaction to a rib blockage, as those affected feel acute pain and understandably usually become anxious as a result. Tachycardia is therefore a physiological reaction to the pain and not caused by the rib blockage itself. The more people affected are influenced by the symptoms of a rib blockage, the more tachycardia they perceive. Conversely, this means that affected persons should remain calm if possible in order to be able to causally address the cause of the pain and to protect their cardiovascular system.
