How does modern medicine explain this connection between chest and flank pain and stress? Just as Korean medicine views stagnant liver qi as causing pain in the flank, modern medicine points to costochondritis, which is closely linked to stress, as one of the primary causes. Costochondritis is a painful condition caused by inflammation in the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. It is characterized by sudden, stabbing chest pain that worsens when taking a deep breath or when the flank is compressed in certain postures. If it hurts when you press the painful area with your fingers, costochondritis is highly likely.
While physical trauma or repetitive movement can cause costochondritis, stress also acts as a very important triggering factor. Chronic stress causes an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system, particularly overactivating the sympathetic nerve. When sympathetic hyperactivity occurs, our body remains in a tense state, leading to excessive muscle contraction and stiffness. Sustained tension in the muscles around the thoracic cage exerts microscopic stress on the ribs and cartilage, which can trigger or worsen an inflammatory response.
In addition, stress is deeply connected to our immune system. When the stress hormone cortisol is secreted over a long period, it initially seems to suppress inflammation, but once chronic, it actually increases the secretion of cytokines that promote a systemic inflammatory response. This chronic inflammatory state raises the risk of developing inflammatory conditions such as costochondritis and can worsen existing pain. Furthermore, psychological factors like anxiety and depression lower the pain threshold, leading to pain sensitization, where one feels greater pain from the same intensity of stimulation.
Many people feel anxious because costochondritis presents similarly to cardiac pain, but cardiac pain typically worsens with exertion, eases with rest, and often radiates to the shoulder or arm. In contrast, costochondritis tends to be elicited by pressing on a specific spot and intensifies with changes in posture or deep breathing. Whenever chest pain occurs, it is essential to rule out cardiac diseases first, so getting an accurate diagnosis at a clinic is the priority.
Ultimately, liver qi stagnation in Korean medicine aligns closely with modern medical mechanisms: an imbalance of the nervous system and endocrine system caused by stress, namely sympathetic hyperactivity and an increased inflammatory response. Stress is not merely a psychological issue; it is a powerful factor that broadly affects our body's muscles, joints, and immune system, causing and exacerbating actual pain. Therefore, this stabbing pain might be a stress warning light sent by your body.
