Costochondritis pain and discomfort
Posted , 177 users are following.
I am a 39 yr old mother of a 5yr old daughter. I live in Newry, northern Ireland.
I was diagnosed with costochondritis 2 years ago this month. Like everyone elses case I have read on here I was totally convinced there was something more serious wrong with me and argued with my Doctor for a long time about it.
It started when I got a flu while on holidays and the only thing that I can think may
have brought it on was the coughing. It comes and goes every couple of months but there isn't a day that I don't get some kind of pain in my back or chest area. Just
before Christmas last year while driving to work I took really sharp chest pain and
felt like my heart was jumping around in my chest. This panicked me as I thought I
was having a heart attack. I pulled into the hard shoulder as I had my little girl in the car with me and I was finding it difficult to breath. The panic stopped after a while and I went straight to A&E. They did numerous tests, ECG, chest Xrays, blood tests, you name it and in the end they said they agreed with my GP that it was
costochondritis. They put me in Diclofenic tabs, which are anti inflammatory. They did help and the condition eased up after a few days but it wasn't long til it reared its ugly head again. so for me its 2 weeks of severe pain and maybe 4-5 weeks of bearable pain then back to severe pain again.
I am down at minute but this time its really bad, it seems each time I get it It is more severe. I am now on naproxin which to be honest I find useless. Pain killers are not working and even the hot water bottle which I found great is no use this time.
The majority of my pain in in my back between my shoulder blades and travels up into my neck and shoulders, sometimes down my arms. Although I have chest pain the worst is in my back, though if I were to press on my ribs at the front I could scream with pain.
I find this time with it being worse it is affecting my moods. I am snapping at my little girl all the time which I feel terrible about, and I just dont want to do anything. Work is just a nightmare recently. I am normally an upbeat person and very little gets me down, but it is really taking its toll. I have had this condition now for 2 years and it really in not understood. Most people I talk to have never heard of it, so when I found this forum and so many people suffering like myself it was a God send. So hopefully I can gain some knowledge from other people and anyone panicking about the pain they are feeling and thinking its something bad, can take some reassurance from my story.
Does anyone feel the pain is in their back more then their chest area. And if anyone has any advice or anything, please do share with me.
Sinead
11 likes, 604 replies
megan00004 sinead_34836
Posted
Hi everyone,
I know it's been a while since this has been written on but I was just wondering if anyone gets the awful pain down their arm aswell as their back and sides? I was diagnosed 6 months ago and so far their has been no let up with the pain despite trying both diclofenac and naproxen which I found did not work for me at all! Any tips on how to deal with this unbearable pain would be much appreciated! Although I have been to numerous doctors and a&e many times I still find it hard to believe that people can be in this much pain without it being a serious problem! At only 19 I thought I would be too young for musculoskeletal problems!
JuanTwoThree megan00004
Posted
Hi Megan. Just to let you know. I have had this since 2012 but was diagnosed till 2014. I have to say yes! Occasionally I will get nerve pain feeling down my left arm..not so much the right. The only thing I can do is stretch the arm. It helps a little. I take Aleve....from taking the RX. I feel it's better for me. Try taking one a day. It take a few days for it to really kick in. But in the long run it really helps me.sorry that you are going through this. I know what you are going through. It comes it goes. There will be good days and bad days. Hope this helps. Let me know ok. Always here.
teri68755 megan00004
Posted
I keep bottles of water frozen in my freezer. I lay back on them on the most painful place on my upper back closest to the painful arm. Yes, my pain goes down my arm as well. I was told its nerves in my neck. I have to take gabapenton and oxycodone which I don't like but some days the pain is so horrible. I even taught myself to use my opposite arm when using my mouse at my desk at work which has helped .
Hendo66 sinead_34836
Posted
Hi.
I've been suffering from Costo since late January. I thought like many others, I was having a heart attack but It was diagnosed as musclulo skeletal the subsequently costochondritis. I work in the funeral profession so have to do a lot of lifting and manual handling, a lot of it in very awkward positions or workspace. Unfortunately being almost 2M tall and well built a lot of colleagues just assumed I could take most of the weight and I have suffered due to this.
The cause is no doubt a chest infection last year and pneumonia the year before. Otherwise I'm a fairly fit 49 yr old cyclist and rugby coach, non smoker, non drinker. I have tried the usual GP issued painkillers, Naproxin and Diclofenac but these helped but could not get me into a place of recovery, just treatment of the pain. I've tried pilates, which helped a little but I will look to try the fish oil and Olbas oil (as long as I remember which goes internally and which externally!) This site is a God send for information and alternative remedies. Amazingly I spoke with one physiotherapist who told me the condition didn't exist!!! Oh really? GP's just trot out pills and sick notes so like many others here, I'm looking to self treat.
Anyway, good luck everyone and I hope things settle down for you all soon. And other people (such as employers) actually try to understand this chronic pain and its effects.
Littelplum1186 sinead_34836
Posted
Hi, I am a 21 year old female who has recently been diagnosed with Costochondritis for the second time in my life. I have been given anti inflammatory tablets and codedine to relive the pain, I am extremely exhausted from the tablets and the pain hasn't eased? When do you suggest I seek further advice and head back to the doctors? From reading other comments it seems like this could go on for a while but living the lifestyle and job I do it would be extremely hard to continue with this pain? The pain is tough to maintain at night causing me to not slee and be middy for further days someone help me
Littelplum1186
Posted
kenneth72945 sinead_34836
Posted
Wow I am so relieved I have found this discussion, I thought I was going crazy. Have had multiple blood tests, ecg, X Ray, and nothing. Doctor told me wasn't my heart but didn't understand where this pain was coming from. I was put on anti depressants which I knew It wasn't that although I did suffer from anxiety because of this pain. I did not have any infections prior it just appeared. I have severe pain on my left side right below my breast bone when I breath in and pain does radiate to upper left shoulder as well. Want to try to find a natural solution to this instead of painkillers which I hate to take.
JuanTwoThree kenneth72945
Posted
Hey Kenneth, just to let you know you are not alone..I've had this since 2012! At first I thought I was having a heart attack! Nope. And just like you I had blood test, EKG about 7 times! X-rays. Pain killers won't work at all. I've tried..the only thing that actually works was Aleve or Anvil. Some sort of anti inflammation pills. Try fish oil. I've heard that works too. I still suffer from costachindritis and like you...I also have anxiety! So you are not alone. Hope this helps.
kenneth72945 JuanTwoThree
Posted
Thanks so much for the response! Definitely makes me feel a little better knowing that I'm not alone. I will try that thanks again!
Shookup1 sinead_34836
Posted
I woke up yesterday with pain in my sternum and a numb left arm.... you can imagine what I thought ! So I rolled off my left side and onto my back and waited to see if it got worse. Eventually I got out of bed and walked around taking deep breaths and lightly stretching and the pain went away within the hour. Then I remembered getting the sternum pain when I was in my 20's (I'm 57) and the solution was to hug a firm pillow close to my chest whenever I sleep on my side. I had slept soundly that night and not moved, and the sheer weight of my own body (or breasts) squishing down on my sternum and left arm.... gave me a mild compression injury. I have been sleeping with 5-6 pillows for years now to support various parts of my body while I sleep. I've even started having a rolled up towel right under my waist-line to prevent pain in my back. I've never been more than 30 lbs overweight in my life..... but even that amount might be enough to cause hurt while one sleeps. I remember hearing a comedien once say that his elderly parents could just be lying down asleep and hurt themselves..... I laughed then... but it's true and you don't have to be old or obese or pregnant. One has to find the type of mattress that works for them too.
marge48248 sinead_34836
Posted
I have basically given up for now. Ice and rice bag have been best friends for 20 years off and on.
I guess i have nothing else to say except GOOD LUCK. Hope it gets better for you God Bless
mawmawof3 sinead_34836
Posted
tricia02370 sinead_34836
Posted
I have pain on right side upper chest and migrates to center mass in upper back at same time. I can not take anti inflammatory drugs due to obverse reactions so my pain doctor prescribed a non drowsy muscle relaxer Amrix. This relaxes the muscles which slows them down from pulling on ribs and cartilage. I find that it sometimes starts when I am stressed, when I am sitting on my couch leaning against back pillows, picking stuff up, etc. if it's not too hot out, I use a heating pad or my homeopathic Super Blue Stuff which gives me enough relief to sleep at night. When I lay on my side I generally prop my right arm over a pillow so I am not scrunching up my chest too much.
unfortunately the constant pain you are feeling is creating depression which you should talk to your doctor about. I have been dealing with pain for 30 years so I do know about depression.
I hope we all find an answer to this disease soon because I know this is not a 6 week condition like I first read.
JuanTwoThree tricia02370
Posted
Hi Tricia. Sorry that you are dealing with this. Just like the rest of us. We know what you are going through. Try fish oil. I have heard this helps as well. I do stretch at time this helps very little at times. Yes stress has a lot to deal with this....I try to stay away from arguing with people. Lol. On top of that. I have anxiety...sometimes I'll have a couple of beers. Or some wine to help relax the muscle. This helps! Just be responsible.
alex62012 sinead_34836
Posted
im 20 years old and have been diagnosed with costochondritis, i had a viral infection and apparently its come from this. i also have been diagnosed with Chronic faituge sydnrome on top of all of this. the costochondritis wont go away until the chronic faituge is sorted. which could take a lonnnnnng time. do you have any tips, as im constantly in pain and even get out of breathe when sitting down. ive only just started taking omega 3 fish oil today.
im desparate.
thanks
JuanTwoThree alex62012
Posted
Fish oil I hear helps. I don't are Aleve. 2 a day. That helps. And a couple of beers will help..sorry that you are going through it. We know what you are going through. I have had since 2012. And it isn't going away. Good days and bad days. Laying down helps.