Understanding the Causes of Ribcage Pain

7. Pleurisy

Pleuritis or pleurisy affects the pleura, a sheet-like layer of tissue that serves as the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. In healthy individuals, these layers slide across each other as people breathe. However, when these sheets become inflamed, they rub together, causing strong pain just under the rib cage and sometimes into the upper back. This can affect breathing and posture. Because it's easily treated with antibiotics, not many people experience pleurisy or have mild symptoms that go away with time. Within two weeks, most people no longer experience the pain. A doctor can identify it and rule out bronchitis or other conditions via blood tests and scans.