Pressure Under the Ribs: A Common Anxiety Symptom

 

Many people with anxiety experience an odd, uncomfortable pressure under the ribs, often misinterpreting it as something serious. While it’s always essential to check new or unusual symptoms with a medical professional, this sensation is incredibly common in people with chronic stress, health anxiety, and heightened fight-or-flight responses.

 

Why Does Anxiety Cause Pressure Under the Ribs?

 

At its core, this symptom is a mix of two things:

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1. A distended abdomen (bloating and trapped gas)

2. Muscle tension in the torso and ribcage

 

When we’re stressed, our body enters fight-or-flight mode, which affects digestion and breathing patterns. Stress slows digestion, leading to gas buildup in the abdomen. This gas then pushes upward, pressing on the diaphragm and sternum, which can cause that tight, uncomfortable feeling beneath the ribs.

 

At the same time, anxiety makes us tense our core muscles without realizing it. Many anxious people hold tension in their stomach and chest, creating tightness between the ribs and along the diaphragm. The combination of bloating, gas pressure, and muscle tension can make the rib area feel compressed, achy, or sore—especially on one side, depending on posture and how we sit.

 

Why Do People With Anxiety Fixate on This Sensation?

 

If you struggle with health anxiety, you might find yourself constantly monitoring the sensation, checking for changes, or even poking or prodding the area for reassurance. This compulsive checking keeps your brain in high alert mode, reinforcing the idea that the sensation is dangerous. Googling symptoms can also make anxiety worse, as it often leads to worst-case scenario thinking.

 

If this sounds familiar, remind yourself:

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✔ It’s common for muscles under the ribs to feel tight when you’re anxious.

✔ Tension, posture, and bloating all contribute to the sensation.

✔ Fixating on it makes it feel worse, as worry fuels muscle tension.

 

How to Relieve the Pressure Under Your Ribs

 

Since this discomfort is often a mix of muscle tension and digestive bloating, the best approach is to relax the nervous system and gently stretch the torso.

 

1. Stop Prodding and Monitoring It

 

If you’re constantly jabbing at the area or pressing on it to “check” the pain, you’re keeping yourself in an anxious state. Allow your body to settle without interference.

 

2. Try Light Stretching

 

Yoga-based movements help release tension in the torso and ribcage:

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• Cat-Cow Pose – Loosens the midsection and improves spinal flexibility.

• Standing Side Stretches – Opens up the ribcage and diaphragm.

• Gentle Torso Twists – Helps relieve tension in the abdominal muscles.

 

3. Focus on External Distractions

 

Instead of scanning your body, shift your focus outward. Watch something, listen to music, or engage in a relaxing activity.

 

4. Acknowledge and Accept the Sensation

 

Recognize that this is a physical response to anxiety. Your muscles tighten when you’re stressed. Your digestion changes. Bloating happens. The more you acknowledge it without fear, the faster it subsides.

 

Final Thoughts

 

If you feel pressure under your ribs, don’t panic—it’s a very common symptom of anxiety. The combination of tense core muscles, bloating, and posture can create tightness and discomfort. The best thing you can do is stop over-monitoring, stretch, and allow your body to relax.

 

Anxiety makes us hyper-aware of normal bodily sensations, but fixating on them keeps the cycle going. When you stop resisting and fearing the sensation, your nervous system naturally settles, and the discomfort fades.