Treatment and therapy | Pain in the ribcage due to coughing

Treatment and therapy

The treatment depends on the cause, as does the diagnosis. If the cause is purely muscular, for example due to a pulled muscle or sore muscles, painkillers and home remedies are often sufficient to alleviate the symptoms. Immediately after a pulled muscle or sprain, the first step is to cool the affected area with ice spray or ice packs.

In the further course of treatment, heat therapy makes sense to relax and loosen the affected muscles. In general, patients should take it easy on themselves, especially if, in addition to the pain, accompanying symptoms such as fever and fatigue occur. If, however, an incorrect posture or incorrect strain is the reason for the pain at the costal arch, a relieving posture, which often relieves the pain, should not be taken under any circumstances, but rather treated with the help of physiotherapy or physiotherapy.

Within the scope of physiotherapy, respiratory therapy is often used, but also relaxation exercises. In addition to the general measures, the triggering basic diseases or problems must of course be specially treated. Depending on whether the cough is caused by bacteria or viruses and what other symptoms occur, the doctor can prescribe appropriate medication. The same applies to lung or pleurisy inflammations, which are often treated with antibiotics. If there are complaints with the intestines, for example, antispasmodic or laxative drugs can be helpful to relieve irritation or constipation.

Duration

The duration of the pain at the costal arch when coughing depends very much on the underlying cause. A harmless muscle ache caused by an extreme and long-lasting cough can disappear after a few days, as soon as the cough has also stopped. How long those affected suffer from pain also depends on how quickly the triggering factor is found and treated accordingly.

The more severe the cause of the pain when coughing in the region of the costal arch, the longer the healing process often takes. For this reason, it is not possible to determine a specific period of healing without a specific diagnosis. In uncomplicated cases, the pain can last only a few days, but in more complex cases it can extend over weeks or months.