Costochondritis

[Annab124]

I’m hoping someone can help .. I suffer from shooting pains in my chest (different places both right an left ) and also in my upper back. My ribs hurt to touch aswell as my back at times. I have also noticed the bones in the palm of my hands hurt to touch also. I was diagnosed with Costochondritis but I don’t know if it can cause pain in all these areas ??

[Hidden]

I had chest pains, mainly in my sternum, for 8 months solid. Was told it was costo too. I saw a physio and she sorted it in 1-2 sessions. I kept burping and getting indigestion too.

[Annab124 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you ! Did you get pain in any other places ?

[Hidden in reply to Annab124]

In my back and shoulders. And general chest area, like shooting pains sometimes.

[Annab124 in reply to Hidden]

Did your bones hurt to touch ?

[Hidden in reply to Annab124]

My sternum did slightly as I was constantly poking at it and checking it. It was from late 2016 to early 2017.

[Annab124 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for ur reply . I press down on my bones an find they hurt an I mainly get shooting pains

[Hidden in reply to Annab124]

My physio said my right shoulder was out of line. She done some work on it and it was instant relief. Try not touching it for a week and it may not ache so much.

[LaurieL13]

I have fibromyalgia and costrocondritis is part of it. The first time was 14 years ago and it felt like a heart attack..they gave me an angiogram, of course found nothing and was diagnosed a few days later with costro. It has happened, with the pain about 5 times since. I was hospitalized each time because I couldn't breathe with the intense pain..I get the other pains also but it is the fibro causing it. Hope that was helpful.

[Annab124 in reply to LaurieL13]

Thanks for your reply ! How do you deal with it

[LaurieL13 in reply to Annab124]

I really can't..that is why I said everytime it happens I end up in the . It hurts to breathe

[Magill-home]

I was diagnosed with this same condition which actually was later diagnosed to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Yes it can appear it several different forms, using a heating pad and muscle relaxer were able to assist in relieving the pain. The other item is eating an anti-inflammatory diet also helped especially with stomach related issues

[Annab124 in reply to Magill-home]

How did u get diagnosed??

[Magill-home in reply to Annab124]

General Practitioner after viewing X-ray and my history

[LaurieL13]

not easily...advil doesn't work I just suffer with it My best to you xo

[Turtle90]

Ohhh I have had anxiety supposedly for 3/4 months being put on sertraline but in this period have being hospital for blood tests, had 2 ecgs, had 2 chest xrays, ultrasound on kidney, bladder, prostate but all is fine.

Chest pain and left shoulder blade pain has being one of my symptons (as has lightheadeness/feelijg I will faint, tiredness) and have being using ibuprofen gel 2/3/4 times a day combined with deep freeze or deep heat (depending on what I want to feel) for about 5 weeks now.

Last night I had a pain where every Time I took a breath my left side chest hurt quite bad I started to get panicy ans thought Inwas having a pulminiry embolism or something worse so went bed and straight to doctors today to be told it sounded like this costochronditis.

My last Xray on chest I had 2 weeks ago come back last week all is well and after doing the wells test with doctor he said I scored a 0 for pulminory embolism (heart rate was ok, blood pressure was ok, oxygen levels in blood ok, no swelling, not had surgery in the last 4 weeks) and was told tontake omeprazole to protect stomach as I am on sertealine and to tske ibuprofen till Monday.

How are you managing your pains and does my story soind familiar?

[Annab124 in reply to Turtle90]

I’m glad you are okay!! And mine is near enough the same . So it all started around July time where I was extremely anxious to do things (go to a shop an ask for something, doing my job) literally everything felt a struggle. I then was getting strange palpitations and one day I felt as though I couldn’t breathe properly so I ran to get fresh air An completely freaked which caused my family to call an ambulance. I went to hospital an they said my heart was fine etc but they did notice an extra beat (loads of people have this an completely normal) I’ve been to the doctors loads cause still worried. Then the palpitations stopped an the anxiety is no where near as bad . However I now get chest pain on and off an some days my ribs hurt tontouch as well as my back bones, I tend to take naproxen when it’s really bad as they diagnosed me with Costochondritis! I do wonder if it is anxiety causing these symptoms as I’ve read a lot of people have had the same.

[Turtle90 in reply to Annab124]

Interesting, mine started the same way other than I was at home and was on my way to bed when I come ober hot and felt like i needed air so opened a window and was trying to get my breath. Next day went a&e as the chest pains started. This was my forst ever panic attack (what the drs have called it) and since then it has being a proper downer.

Do you take anything for the anxiety?

Yes I am the exact same with pushing around ribs and have a bruised feeling. I have thought itbwas spleen, lungs, liver, Pulminory embolism but cant pin point nothing. Docs tell me to stop googling all the time.

Im ready to have a MRI and/or CT scan head to toe but the 3 doctors i have seen regarding this have all refused to refer as there is nothing that warrants this.

Yes it can be anxiety I have got a CBT booklet (waiting for a therapist to call in fact) and it is in therr about pains and the vicious circle but I dont and cant accept it as how can I be fine for almost 29 years of my life then one night in August/September time my life get flipped upside down

[Annab124 in reply to Turtle90]

I’m exactly the same with googling things etc an it just makes you more paranoid! I know how easy it is to google cause I do it a lot but u need to try stop as doctors will only do mri if they think is necessary. They would need other alarming signs from like blood tests etc (that’s what my doctor said). I also asked for an mri before . And yeah I’ve had that a few times where I feel really warm an need to try get air. I started having panic attacks over the slightest bit of stres but I’ve learnt to manage it better . I would defo recommend breathing exercises an staying away from google

[Annab124 in reply to Turtle90]

And I think exactly the same . I am 21 and I have never suffered with anxiety an things until now so it was a big shock for me

[Hidden]

i am also dealing with similar pains. the last three months or so i have also had chest pains that move from side to side and can be very tender to the touch. i can even feel that some of my ribs are protruding out more than the others. i went to the hospital and had many tests done (EKG, blood tests, chest x-ray and MRI) they found nothing wrong with my heart or lungs so they said it was probably a muscular skeletal issue, which could be costochondritis.

i also suffer from anxiety and these pains really freaked me out and worried me that something could be seriously wrong. i do still panic about the pain sometimes but getting all the tests done did help ease my mind that none of the doctors saw anything bad. i definitely suggest checking everything out but if it is just costochondritis, just remind yourself that it’s not going to hurt you or kill you, and getting worked up about it can exacerbate the pain even more.

i still haven’t found the perfect solution for my pain. i rub CBD oil on my chest which helps with the tenderness, and i take Celebrex as an antinflammatory. i also use cyclobenzaprine which is a muscle relaxer if i can’t fall asleep at night, but check with your doctor cause that pill can be bad to take with certain anxiety meds.

hope you feel better soon!

[Annab124 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks very much for your reply ! I’ve also has ecgs , blood tests etc and have been told the same as you ! I think it is some way linked to anxiety also