When a person takes a deep breath, the thorax produces movements such as contraction and diastole, increasing the pressure in the chest cavity. If the patient has damage or inflammation in the intercostal muscles, the damaged muscle tissue will be irritated when pulled.
Therefore, when this painful phenomenon occurs, patients should try not to make deep breathing movements. Methods such as applying heat can relieve rib pain, but if the patient has no previous intercostal neuritis or old chest wall injuries, they should be examined in hospital to discover the cause.