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Pmr, Costochondritis

Posted , 5 users are following.

kathy67492
kathy67492

Are PMR and Costochondritis related?

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH kathy67492

    Posted

    Not as such I don't think but a lot of people compain of rib pain and some were told by their doctors it was costochondritis. I had rib pain and it was much more likely to have been referred pain dur to myofascial pain syndrome affecting my mid-back - two of the trigger points in MPS are alongside the spine about level with your ribs.

    In PMR tendons and ligaments can be inflamed but I don't know if it can cause inflammation in cartilage which is what happens in costochondritis.

  • bob73443
    bob73443 kathy67492

    Posted

    Kathy,

    I am one of the people who have rather severe costochondritis along with my PMR.  I see stars when I sneeze.  I think a lot of my shortness of breath comes from the discomfort involved in my rib cage.

    Eileen mentioned myofascia pain sydrome, which I think I have.  When I lie down on a hard floor, I have a lof of pain just to the right of my spine, just under shoulder-blade level.  I sense that this pain somehow is causing, or contributing to the costochondritis.

    I'm not sure what happened first -- the PMR or the costochondritis.  They are definitely different (affect different parts of the body), but for me they happened right around the same time.

    • bob73443
      bob73443 EileenH

      Posted

      Eileen,

      Thanks for this.  In revewing it, I don't have enough of the symptoms (especially the ear pain which they say is always present), but thanks for this anyway.

      My more general question is "how in the world did you find this?"

    • EileenH
      EileenH bob73443

      Posted

      No - didn't want to suggest you did, but it was the autoimmune link that was interesting.

      Google is a brilliant instrument for finding medical stuff - though you do need the right search words and I've come to the conclusion it is quite clever wink since whenever I am looking it is "proper" medical references that come up for me! Other people keep saying "I can't find..." and it takes me only a few minutes to find what they need

    • pat73046
      pat73046 bob73443

      Posted

      Hi Bob, I know this will sound odd but I woke up with a similar pain just now. As you describe in the back slightlyy To the right of center about 2/3 way down rib cage. I don' t have it every day but when I first noticed it , it occurred on an unpadded x- ray table. I was having a Pet scan for lymphoma diagnosis . I have never had such severe pain except in labor. It went from back to rt. Upper abdomen -- area of liver. Like a knitting needle stuck through from back to front. I would sweat as it became worse and become nauseated. They advised me to see back specialist but I knew he would tell me to stay off of x-ray tables! Nothing else gave me this pain until I woke this AM . Driving, sitting, walking, carrying laundry nothing else causes this awful ache. Took Tylenol and turned on rt side and some better now. I have PMR . a recurrence after at least 2 years. Thank you for your post. I guess this is connected to PMR. Lymphoma only found in left arm node already removed. Hope your pain becomes as infrequent as mine. Pat
    • pat73046
      pat73046 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you for finding this information. Something to know about in case pain becomes a frequent problem.I thought it was because of mild scoliosis. Pat
    • EileenH
      EileenH pat73046

      Posted

      Yours could well be Pat - there are all sorts of causes of back pain and it is always a good idea to be broadminded about what is causing it.

      The back muscles are very forgiving and take a lot of abuse - and that includes having to balance out the strains of a scoliosis to keep you upright. I had a mild scoliosis identified when I was in my 20s - I'd had back pain for years - and a couple of years of treatment by a orthopaeic specialist who was also a chiropractor and massage for the very hard muscles including real knots of muscle fibres in a few places actually dealt with the scoliosis as well. It had mostly been due to posture because of the spasmed muscles making me adopt the most comfortable position. 

      I keep saying - in the early years of my PMR the back pain was awful and Bowen therapy was the only thing that kept me upright and mobile. It too works on such tight muscles and encourages them to go back to the position they should be. Being put on pred made it much less painful - but the really dodgy bits still pop their heads above the parapet every so often. 

    • bob73443
      bob73443 EileenH

      Posted

      Eileen,

      I've looked into this Bowen therapy that you keep talking about and the closest to where I live ia 4 hours.  Gees.  If they were closer, I'd try it.

    • bob73443
      bob73443 pat73046

      Posted

      Pat,

      Thanks for sharing this.

      I'm glad your pain does not occur often.  Mine is there all the time, worse in the AM and then deceasing throughout the day, just as the PMR symptoms.

      Hey, I'm not complaining!  I still do yardwork, walk 2 miles a day (rapidly), travel for business, etc.  The prednisone has been a life-saver for me, even for the back pain.

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