Diagnosis :
Your doctor will complete physical examination by paying close attention to your rib-cage. He will collect your medical history and order for chest X-ray and other related tests based on your symptoms.
Treatment :
Diagnosis is important before attempting to treat left rib cage pain. Often no treatment is required for rib cage pain since it resolves automatically in few days. If you have severe pain with other symptoms or if the pain does not improve after couple of days, then you need to check with your doctor.
- Medications – Over the counter drugs like Ibuprofen or paracetomol can help in reducing pain. You can take antacids to get relief from pain if it is due to acidity or indigestion.
- Surgery – In rare cases surgical intervention is needed for left rib cage pain. If the imaging test results confirm injury or broken ribs or if the cause of pain is splenomegaly your doctor may have to operate it.
Lifestyle Changes :
Choose a healthy diet plan. Avoid eating excess of acidic foods and fatty items since it can cause serious health problems and obesity. Watch what you eat and how much you eat. This simple technique will prevent most of the health issues.
Conclusion :
You need not panic if you experience any sharp pain in the left rib cage since it is not always an attack. Often pain would get resolved in few days if the reasons are mild. You need to check your GP if you have additional worrying symptoms. With prompt treatment and medications left rib cage pain can be treated and managed.