Costochondritis

[Alan7690]

Anyone had or got Costochondritis since getting diagnosed with RA?. I’m having on/off sharp chest/rib pain and GP has checked things and all ok apart from when we press on my rib/breastbone area, sit wrong or I do exercise I get pain.

[JenniferW]

Yes, I had it last year, it was a right nuisance and there's no cure, you just have to take anti-inflammatories and try not to exacerbate it. It did go away after about six months though and hasn't come back apart from a brief twinge for a few days.

[Amnesiac3637]

A friend of mine has costochondritis (honestly, I know everyone who has got something…….) and she spent months and months being told it was due to her heart so she was vastly relieved when she knew it wasn’t. However, she had the same pains as you’ve got and was eventually properly diagnosed. Most of the good websites like NHS, BUPA, NRAS will have information about it and how it’s treated. Hope it doesn’t last too long and you’ve been given good pain relief. A hot water bottle clutched to your chest relieves the pain and is always comforting with any aches.

[J1707-]

yep comes and goes . Had an ambulance at one point as 111 thought a heart attack ( told them no) second time sent for mammogram as pain went into breast .. RA nurse said reflux 🙄nothing like being listened too

[Runrig01]

Yes, I have ankylosing spondylitis, and it’s a common symptom. My ribs are fused, and I not have 0.8cm chest expansion, so the whole of my rib cage aches. The sternum is always tender to touch, and when I have visible swelling there, I use ice rather than heat. I tend to get a very obvious triangular swelling, so the gp will accept it’s costochondritis and increase my pain meds

[gazi]

RA preceded to my chest and later joints. I have degenerative change in sternums and rib cage always with cronic pain. It’costochondritis or Tietze syndrome doesn’t matter for me.You have to treat RA! connective tissue disease

I have sharp & chest burning pain,tender ribcage,touch and feel inflamation with dyspnea.

A lot of CT chest since 2010 ,same minors lung prb last two years.

RA is different,hope for you to be managable

[mandy_59]

I have seropositive rheumatoid arthritis & several times a year l have this added pain. Only thing dr said to me was it was an added part of having arthritis. 🙄

[oldtimer2]

Make sure that you do gentle breathing exercises!

It is easy with costochondritis (as I have found) to breath more shallowly because, well, it hurts when you breathe deeply. But this means that you don't use all your lungs and restricts your gas exchange.

I found that lying on my back with a pillow under my knees and deliberately slowly breathing right down into my abdomen to push down my diaphragm and expand my lower ribs for about 5-10 breaths several times a day prevented me feeling anxious and overbreathing shallowly.

[ageddancer]

Yes I too had it last year and it took 6 months to slowly disappear. Not nice when it happens but I have a local physio and she helped as much as she could. Wishing you gentle hugs

[tyncwmmarchhywel]

Hi Alan yes i have had costo, it is some thing that comes and goes, not nice when you do get a attack many people had not even heard of it.

[Alan7690]

Thanks all for the replies, I'm finding that it comes and goes during the day. If I cough or lift my arms, I get mild pain also pressing on my left chest gives me sharp pain but right side only mild pain.