Dealing with Chest Pains: Is it Costocondritis?

I had chronic costochondritis for about 2 years. Chronic for me meant I was in pain every day for 2 years. It was super scary. The first time it happened I was hiking a trail in Taos and I thought I was having a heart attack. After awhile the pain toned down to a constant dull ache but every now and then it would spike and I thought it was my heart again. After an emergency room visit and an ambulance call I finally learned to tune into my body and ground myself by remembering that I’ve felt like this before and my heart was perfectly fine. When I had a spike I would spend a lot of time in the bath soaking in Epsom salt. I’d use heating pads on my back and a heated rice bag on my chest. I worked with my doctor to try different medications like muscle relaxers, steroids, and anti-inflammatories. The thing that changed the game for me even though it’s a real bummer so I wish it was true…is that I cut out gluten from my diet entirely. After cutting it out my inflammation came way down and I only get Costo flares now when I do something that agitates that area of my body like lifting too heavy of a bag of sleeping weird. I remember thinking the pain would never end - but it did. And when it comes back I know that it won’t last forever. I hope that gives you some hope that things can get better and the pain won’t always be as loud in your life as it feels right now.

I had my first attack of costochondritis last year and it was terrifying. I was making food and I actually thought I’d accidentally stabbed myself. I begged my mum not to take me to hospital (fear of hospitals bcs of mistreatment etc) but eventually the emergency services told us to go. Mine got worse after having COVID and I still get it now! Mine is linked to my Ehlers-Danlos and it feels like my ribs almost invert and poke my heart/lungs… It’s been almost a year and a half but still haven’t heard anything from my GP about a heart monitor or even just to talk about it so I’ve not actually been officially diagnosed yet Hope this helps/makes any sense!!

My chiropractor is really helpful at getting me through costochondritis flares. My ribs like to slip out of place, and I often can't re-locate them on my own. They also like to get stuck in place- not "opening" when I try to breathe. So I can't breathe, but my lungs are fine- there just isn't any room for them to inflate. It is unbearably painful, and makes it so hard to breathe. Certain stretches help sometimes. One I like to do child's pose, with my legs spread apart and a few pillows stacked under my body to support me (so I dont have to use energy to stay propped up), while gravity pushes my shoulders forward & ribs apart. My medical cptsd is far too bad for me to go to the ER/A&E unless I am literally dying. So as long as my vitals are stable, I suffer through it at home or with the help of my chiropractor

Me too, I was told if it ever gets too uncomftable tho go to a&e cause somtimes may just need help reducing inflammation abit

I have recurring Costochondritis with my ME and Fibro too! I’ve been to hospital a few times with it as it’s so hard to know when chest pain is very serious. I normally find if you can reproduce the pain my pressing along your breast bone (centre of your chest where your ribs meet) it’s likely Costochondritis! Anti-inflammatory drugs help mine subside when it’s really bad but sometimes it goes away on its own with time. I’d definitely check with your doctors for peace of mind though 😊

Yes, I ended up in A&E with it in August as it was new to me. They recommended I take ibuprofen and try to ignore it. Now it comes and goes, where it was near constant before. I have issues with my heart as well, and I don't know at what point I should seek help anymore.. 🤦‍♀️

I have had this for 20+ yrs. It definitely can be unbearable when it flares up. Mine started in college by carrying a heavy backpack. It is on both sides of the upper chest and lower right side. It varies from a dull-moderate ache to a sharp stabbing pain. The stabbing pain kind of feels like I was stabbed with a pencil or arrow and it was left in place. The aches feel similar to that of a mildly sprained ankle. Aches when not doing anything, then increases when I lift/carry things or clean the house. I hope this helps. It's not fun dealing with it, but can be managed once you figure out what triggers it. For me, it's usually carrying a purse or backpack, and cleaning that triggers a flare-up.