Costochondritis - chest cartlage pain

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SilverStrider Jul 2015 8:49pm, 27 Jul 2015 1,378 posts	0 SilverStrider Any body had a bout of this before? If so what worked for you to help recover, how long did it last etc. Ive had mild symptoms for 6 weeks and im struggling to shake it off. Its basically a strain of the cartlage joining the ribs to the sternum. Doesn't impact low level effort but inhibits full lung expansion and creates discomfort in certain specific ranges of movement. Interested to hear of similar
Fellrunning Jul 2015 11:34pm, 27 Jul 2015 1,469 posts	0 Fellrunning My daughter/cohabitee in law has been suffering with this for some months. She's a climber. Rest and lots of painkillers seem to be the only treatment.
SilverStrider Aug 2015 10:48pm, 24 Aug 2015 1,380 posts	0 SilverStrider That's pretty much what the Doc, said! 1 month down the line since first post and 10 weeks in. No noticeable improvement or worsening
Velociraptor Aug 2015 11:02pm, 24 Aug 2015 32,770 posts	0 Velociraptor Costochondritis is common, harmless, remarkably uncomfortable, responds poorly to any form of treatment, often gets worse and better day to day, and eventually goes away, but it can drag on for well over a year. There are lots of potential causes - repetitive movement of the upper body, some cases are possibly viral, and it occurs in people with connective tissue diseases. Sometimes "stress" gets the blame.
SilverStrider Aug 2015 11:09pm, 24 Aug 2015 1,381 posts	0 SilverStrider That sounds very appropriate Velo, as i recall the first signs of it were as I returned to the pool to resume some swimming training after a shoulder op! It was the only change in routine that I could identify. Started initially as reflux type pain but for no reason!
susietwoshoes Aug 2015 11:11pm, 24 Aug 2015 1,201 posts	0 susietwoshoes I rather think I have this, first experienced after using a stirrup pump type thingy to blow up an airbed, it came was rather painful, went and then appeared back again when I was made redundant. Eased off now but sometimes feel it when carrying out certain movements or picking things up.
B-Lass Jun 2021 12:39am, 8 Jun 2021 11,890 posts	0 B-Lass Old thread but hoping some of the medical fetchies might have an opinion. I’ve been in my binder now following my Fleur de lis tummy tuck for nearly 5 weeks. At best I’ve probably not been out of it for more than 30 mins a day at best. My shoulders are killing me from the fact I’m still bent over slightly as everything is still so tight. Tonight I took the binder off and tried to lay flat in bed in a hope that it would stretch me out a bit. After about 40 mins I started to get some radiating pain in my back. Within about 5 minutes I was doubled over on the floor struggling to breathe where I remained for about 30+ Mins in agony until the oramorph kicked in . Pain in both the back and the stomach wrapping itself around me feeling like I was being crushed and it just kept coming... wave after wave after wave. Having previously had costo before I’m 90% Sure of the pain. I’m just trying to work through what happened and why. I think having been in a constricting stomach binder for 5 weeks and then taking it off, laying flatter than I ever have all in the same evening was too much, the rib muscles did not take well to being stretched after so long and went into spasm 🤷🏼‍♀️ Well that’s what I think happened 🤯 I now however feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. Mum and the OH were about 2 mins short of calling 999. I’m now in bed, binder back on, sat up on pillows and back to square one! The rib spasms are still there and still grumbling away but probably a 2/10 on the pain scale compared to earlier when I thought I was going to pass out and it was about a 12 I think I need to start increasing the time out of my binder , but maybe I’ll start with 10-20 mins here and there and I won’t also be trying to lay fully flat at the same time X
folkieboater Jun 2021 9:54am, 22 Jun 2021 77 posts	0 folkieboater I did end up at A&E after my first “attack” of Costo. Having a family history of heart problems, it scared the beejesus out of me. After 6 hours I was sent home, with no diagnosis and told to take ibuprofen and paracetamol. Not even given a stronger painkiller. Went to the GP when they made no difference and he said it was costo and gave me co-codamol. It was later that day, after taking 2, that I discovered I’m allergic to them 🤦‍♀️