What Causes Sharp Pain In The Rib Cage?

Posted on Fri, 20 Jan 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 20 Jan 2017 Answered on

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : i awoke with sharp pain going all around my upper rib cage, felt like a band being tightened. from 1 to 10 pain was an 8

Answered by Dr. Shashi Dangwal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
You need to consult your PCP or a cardiologist.

Detailed Answer:
Hello Gailbrandt,

Thanks for posting your query on HCM.

Any pain in the chest should not be ignored espEcially at your age. First and foremost a heart ailment especially a heart attack needs to be ruled out. More so if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or if you are a smoker. So I suggest you consult your PCP or a cardiologist to rule out any heart ailment. In the meanwhile continue with aspirin 300mgm daily along with a PPI like pantocid.

Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj