Costochondritis

[Readingaddict48306]

Anyone know of a connection between PMR and Costochondritis? This is inflammation in the chest wall, where ribs connect, usually in the front center area.

This is my new big problem, causing pretty severe pain, after 4 years with PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Have a look at the related posts - I'm sure it has been discussed before.

medicinenet.com/costochondr...

"Costochondritis can be an independent health condition by itself or sometimes can be a feature of a more widespread disorder. Examples of health conditions that can feature costochondritis include fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease). "

People on the forum have had it but it hasn't been very common and can happen anyway.

[Readingaddict48306]

Thank you for your support. I sure hope I don’t get Covid, as I’m thinking my breathing would be compromised.

I want to get back to PT this fall.

[Linny3]

Yes I had contracted it and went to the emergency room. They gave me a steroid shot and sent me home. It took about 3 weeks before it got better.

[SheffieldJane]

Definitely experienced it more that once during my 4+ years of PMR. I called it my PMR hug. Possibly brought on by muscle weakness due to steroid use for PMR.

[MrsNails]

Hi

Yes, l had it last year, big panic as l’ve had Breast Cancer & my first thought was it had spread into my bones!.....

I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory that l’d had previously taken for my knees & it worked really well, much more quickly than l expected!

Have a word with your GP & see what they recommend.

Best Wishes

MrsN

[Poppylop]

Hi, I've been getting chest pain, had ecg, chest x -ray, chest scan and bloods done because I m also having palpitations, pain under my shoulder blade and between shoulder blades, and was worried about my heart, but they all came back ok, does costochondritis have similar symptoms because I also have ulcerative colitis and ibs to add to the pmr ,I'm obviously glad they didn't find any problems with my heart but I wish they could find out what's causing it all, not been feeling great for a couple of months, because my ibs has been playing me up lately the Dr just said it's probably anxiety and said maybe I should speak to someone but I really don't think it is anxiety, I'm quite a laid back person.

[Gaz227]

I’m 5 years with in brackets ( suspected PMR ) last 2 years I have been suffering sternum and rib pain , had the heart tests when it first started ok , MRI showed lots of inflammation in the Manosternol joint excuse my spelling the joint in the middle of your sternum , that was last Feb but they haven’t done anything about it I can’t even lay down in bed now have to sit up at 45 degrees it’s so painful , I was told due to Covid they aren’t doing any treatments , ridiculous At this stage in my opinion .

[Nerak12]

Hi. Yes. I’ve been suffering pain in my sternum & ribs since the beginning of the year. Was hurting to take deep breaths, sneeze, cough etc. Saw Rheumatology Registrar in February . She was quite dismissive about it and put it down to “arthritis”, which she said was common alongside PMR. Wanted me to start on Methotrexate and to continue to decrease my Pred. Covid was looming, so I refused to start Methotrexate. Since then, I’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster. Long story short, breathing doesn’t hurt now, but some days very tender on sternum and front of ribs. Had telephone consult with new Rheumatology registrar on 10th August who referred me for a MRI. Before I could have the scan I developed acute pain between my thoracic spine and scapula. In desperation, I saw his boss privately on 24th Aug. He’s gone into a bit of a panic mode, so have CT Scan happening tomorrow and Gadolinium-enhanced MRI sometime in next few days as well. Hopefully all will be revealed over the course of the next week!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nerak12]

I do wonder what some of them are thinking about. "Arthritis" - what's that? If she is pushing methotrexate she must be thinking rheumatoid - which is only "common alongside PMR" if they get the diagnosis wrong. There are a few people with both but they are a small minority.

[Nerak12 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi. I’m not convinced she was “thinking” at all! Clutching at straws more likely 🙄. She was pushing Metho, because she didn’t feel I was reducing fast enough. Neither new Reg or Cons think Metho appropriate just now 🙏🏻 Cons put me up to 10mgs as a trial, although he thinks I might be one of the 20% who are steroid resistant. Let’s see what CT (tomorrow) & MRI, which is waiting for Radiologist’s approval and should happen in next few days , reveal 🧐

Actually having a better day today and managed to spend an hour getting the 2nd stuffing done on my 2nd year assessment chair without pain. Result! 😀 Now resumed sofa position lying down. At least I feel I’ve achieved something.

Laugh of the day:

OH said yesterday that I shouldn’t get so wound up about all the delays, “because you’re flooding your system with harmful cortisol and that’s not good for you”. Pointed out that as I’ve just been on 10 & now back to 8 mgs Pred, my adrenals are currently having a holiday, which is where we would be right now if it wasn’t for my current predicament. Ouch!!

He meant well 🤦🏻‍♀️

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nerak12]

Awwh - bless!!!!!

[alangg]

Yes - it comes and goes with me and I think that it is related to PMR somehow. Although I'm at pred zero currently, I still occasionally get the acute pain around the sternum and rib joints. I can feel it now as I type. It is accompanied by a swelling at the most painful area and recently it shifted sides which is interesting!

A physio suggested that it could be because PMR can affect what muscles I use to do things (lifting, putting things away in low cupboards, etc) thereby putting more strain on muscles that don't normally get involved in those kinds of jobs. I was given some chest muscle exercises but there was no marked improvement.

[Suet3942]

I’ve got it as well. Comes and goes.

[Bronni]

I’ve had it 2 or 3 times during my 5+yrs of pmr. Always seems to occur around a prednisone reduction.

[bluegirl7]

Yes I have had it once before PMR diagnosed but PMR was active and then twice since then. I could not keep a bra on - just tylenol and a bump in pred for a couple of days. Keep the bra off - the baggy shirt look and I find great relief from epsom salt baths every am.

Hope it passes soon.

[Lochy]

4.5 years in and I get sternum and right shoulder blade pain relatively frequently. Any time I’ve mentioned it to my rheumatologist or GP it’s pretty well ignored. I just treat it as part of my PMR and carry on! It’s only because I’ve learned about it on this forum that I don’t worry - rightly or wrongly.

[Shoegirl89]

Hi all,

*I want to post a solution.*

After having this for several years, I devote a few days of intensive research to find a solution.

This video is it: youtube.com/watch?v=r7ve6nN...(Not working as expected?)

Now three years later: this has actually worked.

You don’t even need to buy the guy’s thing (though do to support him). Something similarly shaped (a small glass bottle of oregano for me) can do the trick and sort this otherwise debilitation predicament.

I’m back to lifting weights – and so long as I do this for ~3 minutes each morning, I live pain-free. Please spread the word!!