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Costochondritis pain and discomfort

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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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  • albchuk
    albchuk sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi after reading these post and getting a diagnosis of Costochondritits after having a heart attack over 6 years ago and having chronic pain in cartilage in the breast bone area and shoulder area that I was treated for 6 years with narcotic pain killers for pain and  anti-inflammatories with limited success. The anti- inflammatories worked for only short periods of time. Because the regular pain medications did not work ie. over the counter, I was tried on narcotic based pain medication and only made me extremely ill. After doing some reading for different pain management regiments and getting multiple  cortisone shots ect I decided to talk to my physician about cannabis. I am not one to say cannabis is a cure all but it has liberated me from having virtually no sleep for over a year after my heart attack ( having to sit upright to sleep) to allow me lay horizontal with minimal pain, ie, manageable. I do not smoke and use a vaporizer and edibles on occasion that flare ups are bad. This has definitely made pain manageable and bearable I hope this is some information that can be used to help someone, take care.

     

  • amy04010
    amy04010 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi sinead

    I know this reply is miles after you posted it, I went to the doctors Tuesday night after severe pain in my left chest breastbone area and I was continuously vomitting. After multiple tests they couldn't diagnose me, a surgeon came in and said it could be costochondritis. No antibiotics are taking the pain away the only thing that does is a hot water bottle which I have to sleep with otherwise I can't sleep. I'm only 27 I feel so depressed looking at this and seeing that the condition lasts years. Am I going to be able to get on with my day to day life. Am I gunna be able to go on holidays, have a baby, start a business. I'm so scared and in so much pain, does anything help and how longs it going to last.

    Amy

    • chrism6973
      chrism6973 amy04010

      Posted

      Hi Amy, I know this sounds random, but how flexible are you?  I'm talking as one who has had costo and am now living a (relatively) normal, pain-free life - but I need to manage it daily.

  • rachel_65829
    rachel_65829 sinead_34836

    Posted

    Hi Sinead,

    *Sigh* i feel your pain. Since I've been going to physio for my chest pains and working on my posture my back hurts.

    I've had pains like electric sharp pains in my chest and breasts. I've had ECG, bloods and xray. Now the doc wants to rule out angina and send me to the angina clinic. Failing that they will look at costochondritis diagnoses.

  • georgia04837
    georgia04837 sinead_34836

    Posted

    My name is Georgia and I am writing in order to thank you. I am reading your post again and again and it has offered me so much comfort!

    ?I am struggling with chest pain for the last two years as well.

    My case is a bit more complicated than yours, as I was first diagnosed with a minor pulmonary embolism (unprovoked) in my right lung. It all happened on February of 2016 and since that day I haven't stopped having all kinds of chest discomfort and pain.

    ?I have been in all kinds of tests one can imagine. CTs, MRIs, CXRs, ECGs, ultrasounds, blood tests....There is NO explanation given to me, except for costochondritis. 

    ?The pain is everywhere, my sternum, my ribs, my arms, back, shoulders, painkillers are useless most of the time, my family thinks I am exaggerating, no one believes me, I think I am losing my mind, I don't know what else to do. I am a mother of two and it is breaking my heart to know that I am not the mother they deserve to have.

    ?I see your post is 4 years old and I really hope you are better now, if you have any news on your condition, please share.

    ?If anyone else reads my post and can help, please do.

    ?I pray for the best for everyone suffering.

     

    • chrism6973
      chrism6973 georgia04837

      Posted

      Hey Georgia - don't give up.  I had costo, after a while it lessened then came back harder.  Now I am pain-free on a daily basis (as long as I do what I know I need to).  I don't know if I can help, but I will try.  The most important thing is ... how flexible are you - I know it sounds crazy, but how tight is your back?

    • georgia04837
      georgia04837 chrism6973

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply,

      What do you mean by flexible? I believe I am not flexible at all!!

    • tracy02849
      tracy02849 chrism6973

      Posted

      You’re completely right on the flexibility theory! My spine is as stiff as an old lady’s and I’ve only just turned 40. So based on what I’ve read here before, after an initial intense few chiropractor appointments I now go every 3 weeks or so to keep my spine as free as it can be and attend a physio-based Pilates class weekly. It’s tough going but definitely helps me. 

      There is hope. xx

    • chrism6973
      chrism6973 tracy02849

      Posted

      My wife's family (affectionately?!?) call me "Concrete Man".  My back and hamstrings are terrible.  I can see my toes...but that is kinda where it ends.

      The theory is, your back gets extremely tight, this prevents your ribs from pivoting on the spine (where they are designed to pivot) for every breath you take.  You still need to breathe and that forces your ribs to move slightly where they meet the sternum.  This *isn't* supposed to happen and is, apparently, the root cause of the pain.

      What I did:

      1. Saw a physio / chiro and he was shocked at the state of my back.  He had me lie on my stomach and used his elbow between each rib along both sides of my spine.  He just pushed hard into the gaps to loosen them.

      2. Standing still, knees slightly bent, I rotate as far as I can to the left 10 times, then to the right 10 times, then the left 10 times.  At first, this was hard, now it is pretty easy and I actually get a crack every now and then.  When I had it badly, I would do this 4-8 times per day.  It isn't pleasant, but it is worth it.

      3. Back to physio a week later and he was stunned at my progress.  My back had loosened up considerably.  Now, in maintenance mode, I only do it once in the morning and every now and then if I feel a tightness in my chest.

      I think the physio thing was a really good start to try to get the back started, but I would do the twisting anyway...it makes such a huge difference.

       

    • chrism6973
      chrism6973

      Posted

      Re-reading it, it is worth noting that (2) above is something I started the day after the first visit.

      The other thing was I lie on a thing called a Back Pod each morning, 25s on each side of my spine.  I do the twisting after the pod.

      That is it.  And the Back Pod is *probably* optional, but I still use it 'cause I know what I am doing is working...and I'm too scared to stop smile

      Good luck Georgia!!  Please let us know how you go?

      BTW Tracy, very good to hear you are getting similar results to me.  I think flexibility is the key!!

    • tracy02849
      tracy02849 chrism6973

      Posted

      Yep, lots of gentle spine twists in pilates for me also. Feels tight but sooo good at the same time. I couldn’t afford the ‘pod’ but bought a spine stretcher which I use. It’s like a plastic ‘ladder’ that has a curve in it. You place it on the floor and lie on top of it. It’s uncomfortable but the pressure of your weight on either side of the spine onto this rigid plastic thing gives a few nice ‘pops’.

      I also do Nordic Walking and the twisting movement from using the poles helps keep me free too. I am currently  training to teach others how to nordic walk so they can experience the many benefits. 

    • chrism6973
      chrism6973 tracy02849

      Posted

      "spine stretcher"?  That sounds interesting!  Yes, it is strangely satisfying to hear those pops, isn't it? smile

      I had never heard of Nordic Walking before, but it seems to be quite popular.  

      Hey, if it works, go for it.  Until you've had it, you can't even imagine what costo is like!  I really do think the flexibility thing is the key here...and no doctor I have seen has even raised it as an option!

    • tracy02849
      tracy02849 chrism6973

      Posted

      I have had costochondritis for almost 8 years and believe it began, like Sinead, after a bought of flu during which I cracked a rib. I don’t think it ever healed properly. I have seen many different doctors over those years, due to moving house, and although a couple insisted the problem was ‘mechanical’, none of them ever suggested stiffness. I was referred for physio and more recently pilates, so maybe they knew it was stiffness but didn’t actually use that word? When I saw a Gp where I live now, just six months ago, I was given amtriptylene, which I decided not to try. I joined this forum, saw a post about the back pod and a YouTube clip from a guy in Australia and understood exactly what the problem is. Maybe it was you Chris who posted that info?

      Anyway, some people seem to have multiple health issues going on, but I do believe keeping active is essential - not always easy when you’re in pain or haven’t slept because of pain...

      I’m off Nordic walking today. Swinging my arms, striding out in the fresh air. It does me the world of good even though I’m feeling a bit stiff this morning. 

      Stay positive everyone. xx

    • christine22868
      christine22868 tracy02849

      Posted

      Has anyone ever tried Kinetic Chain release? I have had this done twice now and find it has helped to ease things up. I have had costo for two years, after going to physio through the docs I was persuaded to try the gym, which I try to get to 2-3 times per week. When I was really sore in Early Jan I had Kinetic Chain release done on the monday, reiki on the Wednesday and the gym on Friday. I do feel much better when keeping up with the exercise side of things. The docs don't seem to want to know about this condition and I too have been offered anatryptalene which I will not take as I have a two year old son to care for.  I think it's just about finding out what is right for your own bodies and what works. 😊

    • laurie20688
      laurie20688 christine22868

      Posted

      I have not tried Kinetic Chain release but I'm open to anything that will help.  Right after I Google what it is.  lol

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