Costochondritis pain and discomfort

I have a question! Do you hurt everyday, all day? Does it come and go! My "flare ups" occur sporadically and for apparently no reason. I seem to have a flare up about once every week that lasts one day but not with the unbearable pain a lot of you describe. Tylenol extra strength helps me, along with total resting and heating pad ...

I too feel all you all pain, I still dealnwith it tho summer months here have made it not so bad, this debilitating disease I think medical community knows not

I have about or why! It's a diagnosis of exclusion! I am former military and military wife and am held under EFMP because of this issue it's horrible to say the least. It's NOt  just the front ribs that flare up, but also the back ribs which is why so many have pain in there backs and sometimes the front pain radiates through and vice versa. I got into massage therapy as I found a huge way of reliving it if you have a intelligent massage therapist who understands everything associated with ribs. I.e. Traps,Rhomboids,pectorals, Lats, and huge importance is Scalenes,Scm and whole rotator cuff group and few more, but these are the main ones that need special attention I feel dealing with Chostro. Getting the Massage  to help relieve it has helped me lots too,reason I went into it, but not cured it. Pricey Too. Also something I have discovered about 6 or so months ago is a tool called a Fascia Blaster, it's helped me as well like Loads; i was having those Fibromyalgia stings in left shoulder some say it's Fibromyalgia and others say it's nerve something as I had shingles's before on that side so idk. I just know the tool helps and the painfully pricks have been way less using this tool as well as Costo and yes I still get flare ups I call them too. I'm always I feel at a like level 2-3 daily morning is the worst!I feel you must have the right pillow or no pillow some days as holy guacamole if I go without a certain pillow it is bad juju for Costo.  I recently pulled my Scalene muscle which effin sucks tring to crack/adjust my rib, as cracking it hurts yes, but shortly later relieves my pain.I have spent so much money on Chiropractic that helps manage pain when I have flare ups to, as army does not pay for these things for spouses only active duty.

Also tho I worry too is that to much Chiro and manipulation of the rib head may resort to it not wanting to stay put in sternum. Inflammation from Costo there I feel tho makes the rib become subluxated both anterior and posterior. So when it gets put back in place it's relives it yes ;but how much can your ribs take?? And they can shove those NSAIDS and non NSAIDS up theirs. Unless you want to be stuck on these and have the worst stomach pain of a lifetime. And develop stomach ulcers, and list goes on. Any of you have IBS with Costo? When I try to describe my pain as well I'm looked at cooky haha, sometimes it feels cemented in and after I can crack it especially too I tell them it burns? But I must endure the cracking pain to feel a bit better. I can't crack somedays either and those are the worst. Somedays muscles are just to tight due to weather, overuse, stress and listgoes on and inflammation is to high to get movement . And sternum/ribs is just angry and immobile. This is wear massage and my Fascia Blaster tool come in handy to loosen the muscles up so the ribs can move. Anyone else understand what I mean by like burning cooling sensation, but it's not a nice one when cracking. I'm not sure if cracking is ribs getting pushed into or out of sternum or just gases built up around the area. Idk . One doc said partially Fibromyalgia they though, but I just know it's not,  I feel like I'd have it all the time not  just when my sternum/Spine gets angry and ranges from like a 2-3 painscale every day to some days during a flare up like a 7-8 with a lump you can feel that is inflammation or something  you just want to beat the p**s out of. And I feel like it gives you anxiety. Especially if you get the facade up in ur back ones, as sternum you can massage, but the back between shoulder blades is hard to reach when you have a flare up in the ribs there. I suffer bad from anxiety, but there is nothing like the anxiety you get from this thing, and yes. Carring things like my 1yo son has horrible repercussion. I was suggested to perhaps get a back pack purse. I do have a big purse and I feel could help front ones I don't know. I just know when I carry sons backpack diaper bag my back ribs get more angry. Pregnancy Oh word, that was beyond painful for my ribs. I had a few break downs to say the least. And now more children for me. No one wanted to help Me during pregnancy as it becomes a liability. And I tell you I was beyond miserable. Needless to say no more children.In too of that I have a broke L5, so I'm sure you can imagine. Anyways,I feel like there is no winning just finding ways to live and relieve it and relish the days you don't have a bad flare up,

I guess. Magnesium Citrate has helped me a lot too. And I just heard about this  curcumin last week at pain management dr. and now here; so I think I will give it a try. Good luck On yalls Journey and I hope you all find relief. So great full for this forum. My prayers go out to you all in this Journey and I pray some doctor out there studies it and finds a cure.

For me, I have found a treatment that has worked and I am pain-free and managing it to stay that way.

I have posted what I did a few times on here and it keeps getting deleted. PM me if you would like to hear my tale...

I am one of the unlucky males to have been diagnosed with costchronditis.

I am 38 a tad overweight and had quite a bad experience one evening whilst asleep  with acid reflux, the worry that this caused me thinking I was choking was horrible, the single

Most scariest thing ever for me.

Since then I had some cramps and it was discussed by GP that I may have reflux issue or symptoms of GERD. 12months on and following a barium swallow test I'm told I have mild reflux.

My chest pains began 2 months after this scary night, left hand side, stabbing pain felt almost like someone holding a broom handle into the affected area as hard as they can. Pain would come and go and move to centre of chest and back to left side. Came off Lanzaprosole as felt I wasn't being affected by acid as much as I thought.  I've lost 2 stone and tummy pains have subsided.

In losing the weight I have started running I'm 15 stone and have built up to quite a few miles, also playing football quite a bit. I'm fitter than I've been for 12 years. However the chest pains came back and one day I was rushed to A&E for ECG abd was diagnosed with CC.

Since then chest pains are easier took naproxen for a week or so - still tender to touch left side of chest but not throbbing like it was. The pain causes anxiety and I am a bit of a worrier at the best of times.

Had ultrasound of my abdomen which showed I had a fatty liver and a polip on my gall bladder which they have suggested I have removed. Have appointment to see surgeon in 6 months (NHS WAITS !!!!)

Fast forward to today 12 months since the reflux Incident I started to get pains in back shoulder blade and neck. Went to see chairopractor who cracked my back and neck and put real pressure on my back aiming to manipulate painful areas and this has not helped. Didn't go back to him due to pain and cost although friends swear by them and say I should go back for more. Since my neck was cracked the pressure headaches I've had 

The next chapter for me is to stop exercise, stop doing what I enjoy to see if this will ease my back neck headaches and tightness in left hand side of chest.

I do plan to have gall bladder out so let's see how That affects things but I agree with you all, these pains make us anxious and are never ending. It is like a vicious circle as I want to have my life back but nearly 12 months of various complications and tests and still no nearer a solution.

Few pointers - I've never once had heartburn, dont drink or smoke but prior to weIghtloss my diet was bad.

Would be interested to hear from people who have had similar symptoms, did cutting out exercise and  heavy breathing help? Gall bladder removal or difficulties ? And importantly I have had pressure headaches for past month now, on and off but seems to come from left side of back shoulder blade and neck--- has anyone experienced this with CC?

Got lots of docs to see, a surgeon too so hoping I get a break from  the pain and worry of this disasterous 12 months.

Paul

Hey there Sinead I'm 24 and been suffering with this painful disease since i was 18 iv Done everything and nothing atall Has helped if anybody has anything that can help I would love you forever ha but honestly it doesn't get better it's just the worst 

Love to hear from anyone that could help

God bless x

Sinead. I definitely get most of my costochondritis pain in my back and between my shoulder blades radiating around the sides and front. I have had mine now since April after a bout of bronchitis. I too thought there was something seriously wrong but all health professionals still saying it's costo ! Tried numerous pain killers with little effect.   Some days are better than others and some are totally debilitating. I am dismayed to read you have been suffering for over 2 years ! 

Carolann x 

Late to the game and not totally diagnosed with Costochondritis... Yet, but I have some insight to share with you all. I have self diagnosed after a Doctor told me it was all in my head and that I should seek psychological therapy, sadly this is the world of "Modern Medicine" in the US. After firing a few Doctors for not hearing me out, I've found one that actually took time to run some tests. I'm in the process of finding out I've got multiple autoimmune diseases, and what I now believe to be food allergy caused Costochondritis.

I've found my Costo type inflammation, largely occurring in the area of my xiphoid process and in between my left shoulder blade/spine, goes hand and hand with food allergies, one allergy in particular causes inflammation so bad I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack that night while trying to sleep.

The main allergy for me is Gluten, in fact you can see for yourself if it's the cause by simply cutting Gluten out of your diet for a week or 2 then reintroducing it. You will notice the pain goes away then poof it comes back worse than ever. If you wan to see all the different things causing it, try an elimination diet then slowly reintroduce foods to your diet, then wait for inflammation later that day/night. I've personally shifted to a mainly fruit diet and am loosing the effects quite rapidly. On cheat days were I order a Pizza I feel the pain that night.

Hope this helps some of you, I searched for gluten and didn't find it in the thread so I signed up to post.

I have the same symptoms of this my chest hurts constantly and my back hurts up and down also up my neck to my head not sure what to do, I’m only 14 Years and doctor says it’s costeochondritis , but it’s so constant and I also can’t breathe very well I hate this pain so much