What Are the Symptoms of Muscle Pain?

Muscle strain can be a very painful thing for you. There can be different symptoms of muscle pain. Before searching for pain management doctors in OKC, read on to know the symptoms. The symptoms of intercostal muscle strain may differ slightly depending on how the injury happened, including:

• Sudden, serious upper back/rib pain. Upper back pain or pain in the rib cage may be important and may occur unexpectedly, particularly if a sudden impact or a chest or back blow causes the injury. In addition, a sudden rise in physical activity can strain an intercostal muscle and lead to sudden, severe pain.

• The pain gradually worsens. Upper back pain may slowly grow over several days or weeks if repetitive, gradual pressure is put on the intercostal muscles. This muscle strain is most prevalent after rowing, swimming, or softball/baseball.

• Muscle tension and rigidity. Muscles can respond to injury by tensioning, causing upper back pain and stiffness with everyday movements such as bending or twisting the upper body. Tension in intercostal muscles can also lead to muscle spasms, improving pain.

• Breathing difficulty. Taking a complete breath with an intercostal muscle strain may be too painful, causing breathing to become shallow. Shorter and shallower breaths to prevent pain can eventually result in less oxygen traveling through the body, undermining healing. More serious complications of an intercostal muscle strain are uncommon.

• Delicacy. The impacted muscles and neighboring ribs may be touch-sensitive. Additionally, wearing tight clothes or carrying a backpack or bag over strained muscles can worsen the pain.

• Inflammation at the local level. The strained intercostal muscles can swell, improving sensitivity in the impacted region. In rare cases, this swelling may cause blood to pool or clot around the strained muscles, called a hematoma.

• Intercostal muscle injury can possibly lead to further complications. Although rare, such complications may include annoying an intercostal nerve or complications due to shallow breathing.

Diagnosing Intercostal Muscle Strain

Only a skilled healthcare professional can correctly diagnose an intercostal muscle strain. Typically, the diagnostic process for intercostal strain involves:

• A collection of medical history, including a review of present symptoms and data on when and how the pain began. A medical history may also include data on sleeping patterns, physical activity, exercise patterns, or any latest torso injuries.

• A physical examination in which the physician will feel the painful region by the side (called palpation) to check for tenderness and inflammation. A physical examination may require bending or twisting the torso to assess how pain is affected by motion and postures. In addition, a doctor may use a stethoscope to listen for indications of shallow breathing.

Consult pain management doctors in OKC and get rid of the pain in a jiffy.

**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.