chest pain

[Gilling45]

Well another day and another trip to hospital, woke up 2.30 terrible pain in chest. Took Gtn spray 3 times no relief called 999 ambulance came, got to hospital and all the usual checks not heart, not dvt, not chest infection they finally decide it could be costochondritis. Never heard of it but boy it’s painful can’t get breathe properly pain is unbearable all they can say is take painkillers and it should clear up on its own. Anybody else heard of this one.

[Happyrosie]

oh dear sounds v painful. If you put “costochronditis” in search box top left you’ll see some posts. Hope you get better soon.

[AlfredV]

Costochondritis was mentioned passively following my stent recovery. We are given an expectation that activity should return to normal within a few weeks. For me, I could barely walk 10 yards after two weeks without chest pain, and it was a full 18 months before I experienced a day without chest pain. Like you, GTN didn't touch it, and I could also say the pain was different from the pain experienced by a heart attack. Because of this, I did learn to stop worrying, which made the discomfort slightly easier to tolerate.

It did seem to flare up with exercise and I believe it was realated to inflammation. Over many months I worked hard to reduce general inflammation levels (mainly through dietary intervention) and I think this helped with the recovery.

[Gilling45 in reply to AlfredV]

thank you so much for your reply, at moment the pain is excruciating it’s really getting me down, am normally an energetic person but actually frightened to move at moment

[bluemoon572]

My buddy had costochondritis,an inflammation of the joint between a rib and the breastbone. Marked tenderness over that joint made the diagnosis obvious. Can you find a tender area on your rib& breast bone border?

[Gilling45]

I know where exactly it is the hospital found it yesterday.

[fishonabike in reply to Gilling45]

the fact that you can find it in a particular spot helps to confirm it as non heart-related

I had it intermittently for years, but not as painfully as you - I found that shallow, calm breathing helped it to pass, gradually making breaths deeper, being tense and breathing jaggedly tends to be unhelpful

paracetamol can be helpful if you can't take an anti-inflammatory - and supporting your ribs as you breathe (hugging yourself) can also help

[leach234]

I went to the ER twice with horrible chest pain. I thought each time I was having a heart attack but both times it was negative. Ended up I had a spastic esophagus. An endoscopy and a n esophageal manometry test confirmed it. Could this be your problem?

[HA24]

I very much relate to this. Had HA 7 weeks ago and been back to A and E 4 times with chest tightness/pain not responding to GTN. Each time all tests normal. Conclusion has been Costochondritis/gastritis/stent settling down but must go back if it recurs. Everyone is very kind and understanding but it's making it very difficult to move forward, not to mention anxiety inducing. Hoping rehab which I have an assessment for next week will help answer my many questions. Looking at posts on here I get the impression we are not alone with this

[Mke41a]

hi, sounds like I had a similar experience following my stenting 8 months ago. I was in an and out of hospital several times in the first 3 /4 months with chest pains … it was eventually diagnosed as microvascular angina (GTN had no effect) and started on Amlodipine …. has made a massive difference and I’ve got my life back. 4 cardiologists didn’t recognise this until I eventually found one privately who immediately recognised my symptoms. I had barely any symptoms prior to stenting my 99% blocked LAD.

[Seal59]

My sister has recently been diagnosed with this. At the time she was in a lot of pain, but although she can feel it sometimes she is mostly o.k. now. My husband had CABG x 5, 6 years ago and he has had to visit A&E with chest pains several times this year, thinking he was having another heart attack. After many tests we are fairly confident it’s not his heart but are now investigating the gastric route, as that can present with similar symptoms.

[Jellybeans49]

Hi,

Yes I have this I usually get it around October time. I work in a quite cold and damp environment and I have suffered with this last 4 years. I end up off for 2 or 3 months and they say take ibuprofen. I also have hot water bottles which help uou can get a chest one off amazon and hot baths help too.

[Gilling45]

thank you for your reply, unfortunately I cannot take ibuprofen because of stomach issues, paracetamol is not touching it, I am going to try a heat towel on it and see if that helps.

[sjs1me]

Hello, I was told by a GP that I had costcochondritis as ECG showed nothing and I had surface tenderness around my breastbone. This was subsequently confirmed by 2 more GPs, a chest pain specialist nurse, an A&E doctor and a cardiologist during a stress echocardiogram. Not sure I really believed any of them. Had an angiogram in March to rule out heart issues, saw a surgeon in April and had CABG x 4 early in June. The nurse that eventually said over the phone, 'Doesn't sound like angina but we'll do an angiogram to rule out heart issues.' may well have saved my life. If your costo doesn't resolve itself get it checked.

[Hephzibar]

Yup!!

Visited by local A&E with atypical chest pain - all checks done and was not heart related so sent home. After six weeks I went back to GP for reassessment as pain was still there - she prodded my chest ( which was tender) and proclaimed ‘costochondritis’!!

Mine doesn’t sound as painful as yours tho! It did eventually ease although it can feel painful in certain areas at times!

Take care and I hope it eases soon!

[momander]

Hi,Yes, I have heard of this condition. I was diagnosed with it 3years ago. It is an inflammation in the sternum area. Unfortunately I was misdiagnosed and it was actually a heart attack. I hope you recover soon.

[nextadventure]

Hi, As a retired GP my view - from a distance and without being able to see you etc. - is don't be satisfied that this is costochondritis yet, because costochondritis can be very painful but is usually not extremely painful; the pain should be reproducible with chest movement/ palpation near edge of sternum (breast bone) - is it?; the pain is usually more localised whereas it sounds like you have central severe pain (?); and it sounds like a gastro-oesophageal cause hasn't yet been ruled out. There is also the possibility of coronary artery spasm. It is important to be sure, as costochondritis may be helped by anti-inflammatories, steroids and other treatments that either won't help or are contraindicated with heart and GI disease. And the latter causes of chest pain, of course, can be very serious. I would go for a second opinion/ review. In the meanwhile, if is is costochondritis, this is an excellent reference: patient.info/signs-symptoms...

[RMG48]

For about 4 years during my morning walks I used to get chest pain throughout the walk when my heart rate was 120 or over. As soon as I stoped to rest in 1 minute the chest pain disappeared. I had a pacemaker. The cardiologist diagnosis was costochronditis. A year ago at the hospital I had a change from pacemaker to an ICD and they increased daily Carvedilol 6.25 (Beta blocker). Now during my morning walks my heart rate is between 88 and 94 and since then my chest pain disappeared.

[Qualipop]

I regularly get costochondritis. It's inflammation of the tendons/ligaments that hold your ribs. Yes it hurts a lot. I've often been told to press on my chest. If it hurts with pressure it's costo not heart. It will settle down. However I wouldn't rule out heart. Some doctors diagnose costochondritis without properly checking everything. If it's so bad again do ring 999. Don't assume anything.

[Gilling45 in reply to Qualipop]

Thank you I have just had a consultation with gp who confirmed hospital findings. She also said heat compresses would help with pain.

[Qualipop in reply to Gilling45]

Yes they will help. Just don't assume if you get it again. A bad case of costo is easy to recognise but even now, 30 to 40 years after starting with it I still struggle to work out whether a mild case is costo or heart. It's not always as bad as you have it now.

[Smitty1956]

I have not heard of this, but I hope that you are feeling better today. ❤️

You have made me curious so I will research to learn more. Best wishes for your health.

[GiftCoded]

I am really happy too come across a post I relate too !! I have recently had some talks with health care professionals and other people who have recently had stents put in and found people giving me confused looks when I said I still get really bad and concerning chest pains! I am overjoyed too find in your post and all the replies that I am not alone and they are also others effected by this and also finding some comfort and bravery from other people's post too advocate for myself through health care professional channels too see if I can get some relief for this! This has also effected me from being able to move forward from my heart attack as sooo many times I've been afraid I'm having another!!! since the initial heart attack in August, hoping all of us get the right help we need too make it easier too move forward xxx

[Gilling45]

thank you for your post, must admit on Sunday I really thought it was another H/A but after reassurance from the hospital I felt better. Went to the gp today and they have confirmed it is Costochondritis so paracetamol and heat pads to relieve the pain apparently it will get better over time, but can happen again. Fingers crossed