Rib Injuries
Most rib injuries are unexpected, often discovered when the person wakes up, makes a move, and experiences pain. Why did the rib come out? Why that one in particular? At Noble Chiropractic, our chiropractor Dr. Noble usually finds inflammation crowding the joint, keeping the rib from sitting where it’s supposed to.
Once it’s displaced, it creates a small injury to the ligament. When it’s not moving correctly, a really sharp and nagging pain results. In many cases, the inflammation is caused by some kind of pathogen, like a cold or the flu, or even an increased viral count from COVID.
A Muscular Response
When you experience a rib injury, many of the surrounding muscles don’t receive the needed electrical supply from the body, resulting in a shortening of the muscle. That puts tension on the rib, creating the displacement. Your arms might be up over the shoulder, blow drying your hair, and suddenly there’s pain.
Dr. Noble corrects the problem by doing a lot of work on the shoulder, and then adjusting the spine. He uses his laser method, in addition to adjusting, to get the shoulder strong and reduce the delay. In many cases, he’s able to correct the rib issue through the spine, without adjusting the actual rib, which promotes longer lasting stability.
Restoring Mobility
Another possible issue is the connection between the rib and the spinal segment may be stuck. If it’s not moving as well as it should, trying to get movement back into it can help the rib articulate better.
Dr. Noble may also adjust the rib in the front using the Arthrostim® tool to nudge the rib to where the sternum and intercostal intersect to help it move.
Natural Solutions
Sometimes we see rib fractures, and laser therapy and taping are very helpful. Kinesio taping is used in most cases, although wrapping a bandage around the entire rib cage may provide more stability in some cases. Laser therapy helps the bone heal a little faster.
Anterior rib injuries are usually quite painful and very inflamed. Dr. Noble recommends natural anti-inflammatories, such as Nutri-West® Total FLM®. Unlike products like ibuprofen, which inhibits the healing process, this is a plant-based blend that’s an effective anti-inflammatory.
Get Started Today
Call today to schedule an appointment and start the healing process.
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