Has anyone else with RA experienced costochondritis when flaring?
It seems that RA can cause it.. - now when I have a flare, I also get the severe chest pains, which come and go away again next day.. - Naproxen eases it .
Just be interested to see if there's anyone else with the same..!
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jimmx
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Well that is very interesting, I didn't know that! I used to get costochondritis before my RA became apparent, so now I'm wondering if it was an early sign.
I'm not on any medication yet so probably explains the regularity of it but I get it quite often and its SO painful.
I spoke to my consultant about it and how anxious it made me (first time I got it it made me sweat where the pain was so bad, I had to kind of hug myself and regulate my breathing) and she wasn't surprised or concerned by it. I was stressing how bad it felt and she was like "yeah it can hurt " !!
Did make me feel better about it, now when I get it I've just got to think it will pass.
You are not alone x
Hope you don't get it too often though.
If you are concerned about it I would run it past your rhematology team just for your peace of mind x
I used to get when I was pregnant too. Once it felt as though a rib had moved and was causing painful breathing. All I could do was lie on my back and force myself to take a deep breath and I distinctly heard and felt it 'pop' back into place!
Yes yes yes. My worst symptom. I actually get so bad I needed 3 days of steroid drops! Ice and naproxen sometimes manage it. I hate mine , it's so painful.
I had this same thing last week I think it was this anyway I was asleep and was woke up with this awful pain as others have said I thought it was a heart attack ..luckily it hasn't happened again.
Yes, I thought it was a heart attack too, except it usually goes away the next day - Naproxen helps ease it.. I found this interesting article that tells the difference between heart attack and costochondritis; everydayhealth.com/rheumato...
Thanks for your reply and link to everyday health,a lot of interesting articles on it. I’ve bookmarked it 👍. It’s great to have a community of people on this site who understand and help each other.
I started with costochondritis 3 years before my inflammatory arthritis and ended up going to a pain clinic as it was so bad and having an impact on my work and life in general. The doctor I saw as well as occupational health pushed me to get a second opinion, it was this as well as a well timed case of Achilles tendinitis and a few other things that eventually led to my diagnosis. Over the years I have noticed it is one of the symptoms to get worse when I’m about to flare. When it’s bad it’s very difficult to breathe. I still sleep with cushions along the wall otherwise it’s too uncomfortable.
Ooh yes, know how you feel - I have to sit up as well with it, can't go to bed. It it so painful to breathe with it; I have to try to relax and not panic with it, I watch Tv or go online to divert from it! x
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