Sample Case 3: Chest Wall Pain
A 73-year-old male follows up after being treated for pneumonia. His symptoms of fever, malaise, cough, and shortness of breath have all been resolved. His only complaint is point-tender pain over the right costrochondral cartilage at rib 6. His pain radiates around to his back and is worse with deep inhalation or with sneezing. On exam you note normal full breath sounds in all fields. He is diffusely tender with palpation over the 6th rib both anteriorly and posteriorly. There is no rash.
This patient has rib somatic dysfunction due to his pneumonia associated cough. He will benefit from manual medicine to restore anatomic rib motion when breathing.