These ribs also connect to the thoracic vertebrae in the back. Sets 11 and 12 are floating ribs, and they only connect to the thoracic vertebrae of the spinal column in the back. It is the flexible costal cartilage that allows the ribs to expand when people take deep breaths. Supernumerary ribs occur in about 0. Typically, they develop on the last vertebra of the neck the 7th cervical vertebra above the normal first rib.
They are called cervical ribs, and they usually develop in pairs, although some people may only have one cervical rib. Much of the time, cervical ribs do not cause any symptoms. However, they can press on and constrict nerves and blood vessels, which can create a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome.
Although many people might think that males have fewer ribs than females — most likely sparked by the biblical story of Adam and Eve — there is no factual evidence. Most people have the same number of ribs, regardless of their sex. However, researchers have noted that although they are rare in the general population, cervical ribs are more common in females than males. Ribs 7—10 , which are the ribs in the middle of the rib cage, tend to break more frequently than the upper and lower ribs. Direct pressure on the ribs from an automobile accident, fall, or other blunt trauma causes most rib fractures.
The most common symptom of a broken rib or ribs is pain when coughing or breathing. A person with broken ribs may also feel pain or soreness in their chest, right around the area where the break occurred. The greatest threat from broken ribs is damage to the structure or function of the internal organs.
Flail chest is a serious condition that develops when three or more neighboring ribs break in more than one place, which damages the support capabilities and shape of the rib cage.
This makes breathing much harder. In cases of flail chest, or when any broken ribs become displaced, the broken edge can puncture through the pleural cavity and into the lung. Severe rib fractures can cause pneumothorax , which is a potentially life-threatening condition. This happens when air leaks into the pleural cavity and pushes down over the lung, causing the lung to collapse. Flail chest may also cause bruising and other damage to the lung tissue, which can lead to acute lung contusion.
Explanation: Our thoracic cage or rib cage is composed of 12 pairs of ribs, sternum, cartilages and thoracic vertebrae. Related questions What the chemical messengers that travel in the blood? What are the different body systems in human body and what are their functions?
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When you exhale, your ribcage moves down, squeezing air out of your lungs. Home Explore the BBC. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. Prehistoric Life. The mind The body. Nervous system. Brain Sex Sleep.
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