Possible costochondritis??

[Punkrockgir]

Hi everyone, my issue started at the beginning of 2021. It started as what felt like a dull muscle pain in the middle and left of my chest. Occasionally I could stretch and it would pop/crack and I’d feel a bit better.

I hadn’t been able to pop it for around 4 months and it was starting to feel like a tight, crushing pain. Dr initially thought it was muscular. I’ve been back and am waiting on blood test results that I’ll get next week.

Anyway, last night it finally cracked -really fast, between 10-20 times all the way down the front of my ribs on both sides. It kinda sounded like fireworks going off. The only way I can describe it, is that it felt like I had some kind of shell squeezing my chest and by cracking it I finally broke free. I’ve still got pain but it’s the best I’ve felt in about 6 months. Could this be costochondritis?

[Pte82]

Check out boron for costochondritis. Consult with your doctor before using any supplement.

[cyberbarn]

We have lots of joints in our rib cage and like any other they can slip. Have you looked into the possibility of hypermobility?

[Imagine1]

I have flare ups of Costochondritis. Mine is different from yours though. I have severe pain across my chest, at first I thought it was a heart attack but lucky for me it wasn't. I am very skinny across the top part of my body and my chest bone and ribs are very prominent which doesn't help. My chest doesn't pop though it is just a severe pain and it is usually when I am stressed about something.

[Purplegirl2]

I have chronic costochondritis (flares when I am ill or overexert myself or experience stress). I don’t have any cracking or popping like you describe. It is like a sharp aching feeling in my sternum and my chest area that feels worse when I change positions and sit up from lying down. It hurts to press on my chest but there is not visible signs. It can be mild or very severe. I can go month with costochondritis, and months with out, I can get random triggers but my biggest are viruses or high stress levels. Sometimes I feel the pain go through to my back. I feel it all along my chest area in my ribs. What helps me are heating pads and limiting activity until the inflammation goes down (still continuing to exert can make it worse and last longer). I also take NSAIDs sometimes too when it is very bad.