A bump between the ribs can be a sign of serious pathologies. In this area, a person has a large nerve node, which is called the solar plexus. It is responsible for the transmission of signals from organs to the central nervous system. This zone is extremely sensitive to external influences. Therefore, a tumor or induration in this place is often accompanied by severe pain. We will consider the most common causes of such neoplasms in the article.
Lipoma
Lipoma (wen) is a tumor that consists of adipose tissue. It is of good quality. Malignancy (malignancy) of a lipoma is extremely rare, mainly after injury to the tumor.
Lipoma looks like a round bump between the ribs. It has a soft texture, mobile and painless. The tumor is characterized by slow growth. The color of the epidermis in the area of education is usually not changed, sometimes it is notedpinkish skin tone.
Usually a lipoma does not cause much discomfort to a person. However, in advanced cases, the tumor can grow to a large size and put pressure on internal organs and tissues. Treatment of wen is exclusively surgical. The tumor is removed with a scalpel or laser.
Inflammation of the xiphoid process
A bump between the ribs in the middle can be a sign of inflammation of the xiphoid process of the cartilage of the sternum. The inflammatory process can occur on its own or as a complication of diseases of the heart, lungs, stomach.
Cartilage bulges in the area between the ribs. The appendix hurts when pressed. If the disease is provoked by pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, then the pain syndrome is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Treatment is carried out with the help of non-steroidal drugs, as well as synthetic analogs of adrenal hormones. If the inflammation is the result of another pathology, then it is necessary to treat the underlying disease.
Herniated diaphragm
A bump between the ribs in the area of the solar plexus is often a manifestation of diaphragmatic hernia. This pathology occurs due to the displacement of the loops of the intestine or stomach into the retrosternal region. The following reasons can provoke the appearance of a hernial sac:
- Decreased tone of the diaphragmatic muscles. This often occurs in bedridden patients due to a sedentary lifestyle.
- Operations on the digestive tract. Errors during surgery canlead to displacement of organs.
- Increased abdominal pressure. This symptom is noted after pregnancy and difficult childbirth, as well as in people who systematically lift weights. Organs can be squeezed out into the diaphragmatic opening and with a strong cough, constipation, overeating, sedentary work.
- Diaphragmatic foramen sprain.
A diaphragmatic hernia looks like a lump in the esophagus. A person feels pain behind the sternum, he is often worried about heartburn, belching, hiccups, nausea. However, not always the patient has the whole set of hernia symptoms. Often this pathology goes unnoticed.
You can only get rid of a hernia by surgery. Organs that have fallen into the chest region are moved to their original place. Without treatment, the hernia may be strangulated and tissue necrotized.
Abdominal hernia
A bump in front between the ribs can be a symptom of a hernia in the abdominal wall. In this case, parts of the internal organs protrude into the skin. Outwardly, it looks like a small growth in the solar plexus.
Often such a hernia does not cause discomfort to the patient. However, when organs are infringed, acute pain, nausea, and weakness occur. This condition requires emergency surgery, as death can occur due to tissue necrosis.
Injuries
A bump between the ribs can form as a result of an injury. Even a small bruise in this area sometimes leads to the formation of puffiness. Often, a hematoma forms at the site of impact, which hurts.when pressed.
A fairly common injury is a torn ligament in the area between the ribs. Most often this happens as a result of lifting weights. After all, the main load in this case falls on the muscles in the solar plexus. Usually, such an injury is accompanied by sharp pain and swelling.
Injuries are treated with oral analgesics and topical ointments. After the removal of acute symptoms, physiotherapy sessions are prescribed.
In children
A bump between the ribs in newborns is not always associated with pathology. In infants, the xiphoid process often protrudes. This is a variant of the norm and does not need treatment. Usually such a symptom disappears on its own at the age of about 1 year.
However, it is important to remember that a bump between the ribs in a child can also be associated with pathology:
- herniated diaphragm;
- congenital deformities of the chest.
Diaphragmatic hernia in infants are congenital. Such a defect is formed during fetal development. This can pose a danger to the baby's life. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out an operation to reduce the hernia as soon as possible.
If a baby is diagnosed with a deformity of the chest, then in the future this may affect the respiratory function. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out treatment in a timely manner. General massage and breathing exercises are prescribed. In difficult cases, surgery is indicated.
When Pregnant
Pregnant women oftenprotrudes the xiphoid process. It may look like a bump. This phenomenon is usually observed in the third trimester, when all organs are displaced due to an increase in the uterus.
Usually, the woman does not experience any pain. In rare cases, patients experience belching and heartburn. However, even if the bump does not cause inconvenience, you should inform your doctor about it. In late pregnancy, the risk of inflammation of the xiphoid process is increased.
Diagnosis
The appearance of a bump in the intercostal zone may be due to various reasons. Therefore, the choice of diagnostic method will depend on the suspected disease. Most often, doctors prescribe the following examinations:
- ribs and chest x-ray;
- biopsy (for lipomas);
- Ultrasound of the diaphragm and abdominal cavity;
- MRI and CT of the diaphragmatic region.
Which doctor should I contact? As we found out, such bumps can be a sign of various diseases. Therefore, you need to make an appointment with a therapist. And then the general practitioner will give a referral to a gastroenterologist, surgeon or traumatologist, depending on the nature of the pathology.
Prevention
How to prevent bumps between the ribs? A tumor in the solar plexus area can be a sign of various diseases, and each pathology requires its own specific prevention.
However, reduce the risk of swelling and swelling in the solar plexusyou can, if you follow the following recommendations:
- Avoid lifting excessive weights.
- Time to cure diseases of the digestive tract.
- Be active.
- If a person is forced to stay in bed for a long time, then it is necessary to periodically do therapeutic exercises.
- If the area between the ribs is bruised, immediately contact a traumatologist.
If the patient already has signs of a hernia, then it is necessary to do the operation in time. Surgical intervention is best done at the initial stage. This will help avoid organ strangulation and other dangerous complications.
