The treatment
The treatment varies greatly with the underlying disease. A distinction must be made between symptomatic and causal therapy. Symptomatic therapy includes pain relief, which in many cases is necessary for left-sided rib pain.
In particular, if breathing is impaired by the pain and night sleep is disturbed, the pain should be relieved with medication. Drugs from the group of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, indomethacin or diclofenac are recommended. A causal therapy for rib injuries is not usually carried out. The ribs heal by themselves and should be spared for this period. Diseases of the left-sided thoracic and abdominal organs require a very individual therapy, ranging from antibiotics to surgical treatment
The duration
The duration of the pain can vary greatly. Injuries to the chest and ribs can be persistent and cause pain for several weeks. A broken rib can cause pain for up to 4-6 weeks.
Rib pain originating from internal organs often lasts as long as their therapy. With the response to drug therapy or after the operation, the pain subsides within a short time. The duration of the pain thus depends on the start of therapy and the response to therapy.
The prognosis
The prognosis for rib pain is usually good. Superficial pain subsides of its own accord within a few weeks and is thus considered to have healed. Potential diseases of the organs that cause left-sided rib pain also have a good prognosis. On the other hand, there are potential heart diseases that can be accompanied by complications and even death. They are only in rare cases the cause of rib pain.
Rib pain during pregnancy
A pregnancy can also be behind a rib pain on the left side. In the course of the pregnancy the child grows up to the upper abdomen and displaces surrounding organs. These changes can become noticeable in many areas of the body and cause discomfort.
In the upper abdomen, the uterus can exert pressure on the spleen and the diaphragm above it. The lower costal arch can also experience pressure from the inside, which can cause stabbing rib pain. The pain can only be relieved poorly during pregnancy, but it decreases immediately at the end of the pregnancy. You can find more information on this topic at Pain in the ribs during pregnancy.
