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Costochondritis pain and discomfort

Posted , 177 users are following.

sinead_34836
sinead_34836

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

604 Replies

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  • sharon32910
    sharon32910 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi,

    I just was searching to find out what to do to get my costochondritis to go away!! I've had mine for 2 months. It is off and on. I definitely don't want to do much because when it comes back, it usually comes back with a lot of pain!!! And yes, I've tried anti inflamatories, pain meds, rest and ice. Mine was confirmed by doctors.

    I really need this to go away! Does anyone know what to do for this? I tried to ignore it, but that made it worse!! Thanks for listening and any advise.

    Sharon

    • kelly84195
      kelly84195 sharon32910

      Posted

      Hi I've had it about 5 years I get some sort of pain everyday now it never actually stops think different things work for different people I constantly have a hot water bottle if I'm sitting down I don't eat gluten or dairy or drink fizzy drinks I found this aggravated it I've just started accupunture I'm not expecting a cure but less symptoms will be better than nothing kelly

    • sharon32910
      sharon32910 kelly84195

      Posted

      I hope for help too, but really we DO need a cure. Has anyone tried the shots? Maybe, they can stop the pain long enough to allow less pain after they wear off.? All this rest makes me feel weaker. If you don't use it you can lose it OR it could get worse. Maybe I'll get brave abs try this.

      I'm going to to tryi

    • Kamatsu
      Kamatsu kelly84195

      Posted

      Hi Kelly

      Fibromyalgia and costochondritis seem to go hand in hand.  I also have IBS.

      I wish that there would be research done on this condition so we could have help or treatment that does not involve drugs.  (The drug side affects does such a number.)  People who haven't experienced the pain from these conditions just can't comprehend.

    • sharon32910
      sharon32910 kelly84195

      Posted

      PS vitamin D3 and calcium can help your bones! Something to keep in mind.

      Sharon

    • kelly84195
      kelly84195 sharon32910

      Posted

      I personally don't take any medication just ibrufen and I go acupuncture

    • kelly84195
      kelly84195 Kamatsu

      Posted

      I personally don't take any medication just ibrufen and acupuncture I also have very bad anxiety

  • paudi_83527
    paudi_83527 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi, I've been diagnosed with this for years now but find it hard to believe... anything I read up on says it's a sharp feeling but I have more of an ache that is in the my lower ribs and into my back.. i find it hard work lately because of it.. i really feel like crap and constantly worried that it's something more..

    Does anyone else have this without the sharp pain just sore ribs and back? I also have arm pain which I never thought could be from costo until I read a few peoples story's on this.

    • kelly84195
      kelly84195 paudi_83527

      Posted

      Mines not a sharp pain it's more a pressure feeling behind my sternum and my upper back and shoulder blades mines everyday the last few days I have been getting awful heartburn

    • bevcon1
      bevcon1 paudi_83527

      Posted

      I'm new to this forum. I too was diagnosed with Costochondritis in March after having the flu. It went away for awhile but has now returned. My pain started in my middle back, on the right side and seems to radiate to my shoulder. I also have pain on my right side under the ribs. This evening I had my husband rub some ointment on my back and he felt a rather long lump to the right side of my spine. Has anyone experienced this before?

  • Polly1959
    Polly1959 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi Sinead

    There isn't a day goes by where I am pain free. I have suffered now for over 10 years. I often get pain between my shoulder blades and it can be more extreme than my chest pain.

    Like you I am prescribed declafenic or naproxin, declafenic doesnt agree with me and I have to take omeprazole with naproxin so I persevere without meds where possible. I find cold or heat gel massaged into the painful areas works best for me and being propped up in bed while asleep.

  • Monkey16
    Monkey16 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi All,

    I am currently waiting on the results of a neck MRI

    I was hoping someone may be able to help/offer advise with a particular symptom I have - it feels as though I may have a small lump/knot in the back of my neck just to the right of my spine sometimes it feels not to bad and then after a busy day of activity the whole area seems to 'tighten' - there is one strange thing tho if I stand in a warm shower and heat my neck and then press in a downwards motion in this area on the back of my neck it creates a crack/pop (which is pretty audible even with shower on in my sternum/collarbone area, when I release this pressure there is then another crack/pop in the same area as if it's something going in and out or releasing and contracting again.

    Is this something anyone has come across? I thought you someone be able to identify that particular symptom.

  • uri1987
    uri1987 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi Sinead, 

    You wrote this post 3 years ago. How is it going? Is it better? Can we believe that with the time it will better? Thanks

    • maureen_65564
      maureen_65564 uri1987

      Posted

      I wonder too because I'm in the same boat with pain and symptoms!

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