Looking at flank pain through modern medicine, a wide variety of causes can hide behind what people simply call a phlegm stagnation muscle spasm. The most common cause is a spasm or sprain of the intercostal muscle. Intercostal muscles are located between the ribs and play a crucial role when we breathe and move our bodies. Sudden movements, excessive exercise, poor posture, or even severe coughing or sneezing can easily injure them or trigger a muscle spasm. Muscles that should be elastic like a spring suddenly stiffen.
However, it should not stop there. Flank pain may not be just a muscular issue. Costochondritis is a condition where inflammation develops in the cartilage connecting the ribs and the sternum. It tends to hurt when pressing a specific spot in the flank area, and the pain often worsens with deep breaths or torso twisting. Furthermore, many vital organs are located around the flank. With right-sided flank pain, gallbladder or liver problems, kidney stone, or appendicitis can cause pain. If it is on the left side, issues with the spleen, pancreas, or kidneys may be the cause. Internal organ inflammation or dysfunction, such as digestive system disorders or urolithiasis, also frequently triggers referred pain to the flank.
From a neurology perspective, pain can also develop when the intercostal nerve branching from the spine between the ribs is compressed or inflamed. In the early stages of herpes zoster, flank pain can appear even without a skin rash; if pain is localized to a specific area in a band-like pattern, this condition can be suspected. Fatigue, stress, and electrolyte imbalance also affect muscle spasms. Therefore, rather than lightly dismissing it as a common pulled muscle, it is important to carefully examine the nature of the pain, check for accompanying symptoms, identify situations that worsen it, and consult a professional to find the accurate cause. Our bodies are always sending us signals.
