Experiences with
CostochondritisCheck if you have costochondritis
Costochondritis may cause sharp pain in the front or side of your chest.
The pain may be worse when:
- moving your upper body
- lying down
- breathing deeply
- you press the middle of your chest
- you think you have costochondritis
It is important to get chest pain checked to rule out other more serious conditions.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .
You have sudden chest pain that:
- spreads to your arms, back, neck, or jaw
- makes your chest feel tight or heavy
- started with a shortness of breath, sweating, feeling sick or being sick
- lasts more than 15 minutes
You could be having a heart attack. Call 999 immediately as you need immediate treatment in hospital.
Treatments for costochondritis
Costochondritis usually gets better on its own, over time. It can last for a few weeks to several months.
Painkillers that help with inflammation, like ibuprofen, may be recommended to help with the pain.
If you have very bad pain that does not get better over time, you may be offered a steroid injection to help reduce inflammation or local anaesthetic to ease the pain.
Causes of costochondritis
It is not always known what causes costochondritis, but it may be caused by:
- an injury to your chest
- repetitive upper body movements, like lifting
- coughing a lot
Sometimes it may be caused by a problem with the joints in the back, or another underlying condition like fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis.
It can also be caused by an infection.
SymptomsMedical treatmentsCausesSymptoms of costochondritis may include a sharp pain in your chest, which may be worse when moving your upper body, lying down, or breathing.
Painkillers like ibuprofen are often used to treat costochondritis. Sometimes you may be offered a steroid injection to help reduce the inflammation.
Things that may cause costochondritis include an injury to your ribs, repetitive upper body movements and coughing during an illness like the flu.
Related links
HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence
