There are many causes of pain in the chest and rib area including scoliosis, degeneration, and trauma. Pain in this area can sometimes be very difficult to treat, but should always start with conservative stretching, manipulation, and therapy. When these treatments prove inadequate, one common source of mid back spinal pain is the intersection of the ribs to the spine. The costovertebral joints can be targeted with ultrasound guided injections of cortisone and anesthetic which alleviates pain, inflammation, and also facilitates an improved response to conservative therapies or spinal mobilization treatments.
