I was diagnosed with having costochondritis when I was 15 which is thought to stem from my scoliosis. At the time I had it on and off throughout a year, nothing too bad, each bout took about a week to pass. After that year it went away and hadn’t come back. I’m now 20 and it seems to have returned with a vengeance - been to A&E twice with the most acute pain I’ve ever experienced, I find it hard to take a deep breath in and lift anything heavier than a glass of water without being in agony. I’ve been told the pain can be consistent and last about 12 weeks before it starts to ease. I’m 2 weeks into this attack and don’t know if I can manage being in pain for that long. I’m currently a student teacher and it’s affecting that greatly - mornings are the worst there are days where I can’t move at all. I’m at a complete loss and no doctor I see seems to be able to give me any more advice than to take ibuprofen.
Basically I’m here to ask whether anyone has found any pain relief methods that they have found effective? I take pain killers regularly but it just doesn’t make a difference - neither do things like ibuprofen gel or Biofreeze (deep cooling gel). Anyone able to give me a hand? Any methods of pain relief they found help a great deal, or any coping mechanisms they have found helpful for keeping on going? Thanks in advance x
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BethMack18
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I really feel for you, I have this as well as many other conditions. It's extremely painful. My plain meds are co-codamol, indometacin, duloxetine, nortriptyline, and the two, I am reducing are zomorph and oramorph. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx
Have you thought of trying an osteopath? They are increasingly working in the NHS now that they are part of the Allied Health Care Professional system. They maybe to able to ease some of the pain by dealing with the other muscles around this that might be going into spasm.
I also have costacondritis. I hate to say that I have episode of great pain even after 5 months. Went to hospital as I thought I was having a heart attack. All tests came back fine and I was diagnosed.
A lot of the time there is just kinda there, if you know what I mean.
Have you tried Asprin? Even for a couple of days?
I use it for acute attacks as because I am not aloud to take anything like co-codamol or Ibruphopen (and all other NSAIDs). It all affects my bipolar and I got adicted to opiates.
So it can be managed by different means. Pregablin or Gabapetine may be looked into.
First, I feel for you. Has any doctor ever recommended Prednisolone? I have found it incredibly effective in dealing with pain and inflammatory disorders. However, it is a steroid tablet and needs to be managed responsibly. I took it for Polymyalgia over a two-year period and I was fortunate enough to experience no side effects - and, most importantly, it dealt successfully with the condition. Anyway, please speak to your doctor or, better still, a consultant (I find the average GP knows a certain amount about everything, but not a great deal about anything!).
I’m still waiting to see my GP - NHS waiting lists where I live are up to 5 weeks, so I’m waiting for a space to open up...but it’s not something I considered so I’ll note that one down. Thank you x
I know how u feel hun. I have fibromyalgia, pcos and costocondritis. Worse feeling ever when no1 understand what ur going through.i was on amitriptyline 50 mg but now on pregabalin 150mg for nw to see if it works. I feel so low to the fact iv had 4 weeks off work to the point I might be getting the sack on Monday for being off I'll so often.
The times I’ve been to A&E I can never seem to get across how much pain I’m actually in - they always say it will get better but the time between now and then ibuprofen is my best bet but I wake up in the morning unable to move for the pain I’m in. I’m hoping when I see my GP they will be more understanding about my pain.
I’m so sorry that you’re going through all this with your work😓 unless a condition is visibly obvious (like being in a wheelchair) people don’t seem to care which I think is so awful.
I found soaking for at least half an hour in a warm deep bath which I had put about 4 handfuls of Epsom salts in helped to relax the muscles around the ribcage. In some people a hot water bottle or warm wrap can also help. You have my sympathy.x
I was given amitriptyline and got excellent relief. I took only 10 mg - it didn't take much, and I can tell you that while my pain wasn't quite as crippling as yours, I'd had it for a number of YEARS before I got any relief. I saw dozens of doctors who never came up with the diagnosis and basically told me I was crazy. I've been off the meds for more than a decade now and haven't had that pain in eons. Good luck.
I think I’m going to ask to give amitriptyline a try - my mum takes it for her migraines and it helps her more than anything else. I’m so glad to hear that it has help you so much! Thank you x
Good for you. They come in 25mg tablets and you might find you need more than I did to get started. But please talk to your doctor first. Someone I saw said she had taken 60mg, I think. So don't follow my lead on the strength of the med. Let your doctor figure that out.
When I had costocondritus, I went to A&E thinking I had a heart attack, luckily I didn’t, but they couldn’t find a cause !! I got an emergency appointment with my GP the next day, he dx this and because I am already on anti inflammatory tablets and low dose steroids for RA, he upped my steroids and said if not better in a couple of week he would give me a steroid injection into the site. Fortunately for me it started to improve, but it took about 6 weeks to go. Hot water bottles helped me and strangely indigestion tablets. I do have a hiatus hernia too. I hope something works for you. X
Hi I am completly same as you regards the pain.
You have described all pain to a t. I'm having such severe spasms my body is just locking up and so tight. Morning severe pain, it then will ease a touch, then back to trying sleep is extremely difficult. I've slept upright for 3 nights now as it wont allow me to lie down. Has anything at all been helping you. X
Hi there, I’m so sorry that you’re in such pain, it’s awful not being able to know what to do😞
I’m afraid I wasn’t able to get much help at all in terms of medicine/physio therapy. NHS in my county is not the best they’re not very helpful I’m afraid! The best things I found were to take solpadeine, and just do really really gentle movements to try and release the muscles that were spasming.
It’s been around 10 weeks since this started now and thankfully it has eased off very slowly to the point that I now have full movement again. It’s affected my ability to do certain activities such as write for a long period of time as I’ve been left with a small piercing pain just under my arm. But hopefully when I’m able to get to the doctors after restrictions on travel due to covid-19 have been lifted I’ll be able to access physio and see how it furthers my recovery. X
Thanks so much for info. Discribing your pain I'd say we were twins, except at night my piercing pain is left hand side below bottom of ribs. I also am due to go see a pain clinic but will also have to wait until covid19 hopefully disappears. Thank you x
Hi Beth, just came across this. I am experiencing costochondritis that started right after a chest infection. It has been over 1 month now and not going away. Did you find anything that helped you? thanks
Hi I also get a pain in my chest and around my ribs, it feels like there’s a rubber band round the bottom of my breast bone we’re it starts the top of my ribs and is pulling it so tight I cant breath. Pain is awful csbt breath sometimes. I found ibuprofen a heat pad wrapped around my ribs snd Gaviscon helped ease it. Do you get the same feeling as I have like being squeezed tight. Heat soothes pain so I always find it helpful
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