How can you tell if you have a cracked or fractured rib and not just the cartilage pains?

Trauma or not?: If you sustained significant trauma to the rib/breast bone, then it is reasonable to suspect fractures etc...Otherwise, chest wall pain on the front without trauma is often called costochondritis--the rib-breastbone joints which are inflamed. The exact mechanism leading to this is not clear. Or if having cancer in bone and coughing really hard can fracture that area..Rare. Consult doc.. Good luck.

See a doctor: Really an x-ray or ct scan are the best for this. Both can hurt for months really.