Costochondritis is inflammation of the areas where your upper ribs join with the cartilage that holds them to your breastbone. These areas are called
costochondral junctions. The condition causes chest pain, but it’s typically harmless and usually goes away without any treatment. But any chest pain in adults should be taken seriously, so you should be examined and tested for heart disease. A rare condition called Tietze syndrome is often referred to as costochondritis, but the two are distinct conditions. You can tell the difference by the following: Tietze syndrome usually comes on all of a sudden, with chest pain spreading to your arms or
shoulder and lasting several weeks. Tietze syndrome causes swelling at the painful area (where your ribs and breastbone meet). Doctors don’t know exactly why costochondritis happens, but they do know that some things can lead to it: Chest pain linked to costochondritis usually comes on after exercise, minor trauma, or an upper respiratory infection. Call your doctor if you have any of the following: Go to a hospital's emergency room if you have a hard time breathing or any of the following. They’re not usually caused by
costochondritis: Costochondritis is a common cause of chest pain in children and adolescents. It accounts for 10% to 30% of all chest pain in children. Annually, doctors see about 650,000 cases of chest pain in people ages 10 to 21. The peak age for the condition is ages 12-14. Kids who often carry heavy book bags over one shoulder can be more likely to develop costochondritis. In adults, costochondritis affects women more than men (70% vs. 30%). Costochondritis DiagnosisThere is no specific test for diagnosing costochondritis. To rule out a more serious cause of your chest pain related to your heart or lungs, your doctor will probably start with tests like an echocardiogram (ECG), chest X-rays, and blood test for heart damage, among others. If those tests come back normal, they’ll likely see if you have tenderness in any of your rib joints, usually over the fourth to sixth ribs. If you’ve had sternum (breastbone) surgery or are at risk for heart disease, they may recommend getting a test to see if infection is the cause of your chest pain. Doctors will:
Home Remedies for Costochondritis These home remedies may provide relief from costochondritis: Medications for Costochondritis Your doctor may suggest the following:
Surgery for Costochondritis You may need surgery to remove the sore cartilage if other treatments don’t help. Your doctor can refer you to a surgeon. Costochondritis PreventionBecause inflammatory costochondritis has no definite cause, there is no good way to prevent it. Costochondritis OutlookNoninfectious costochondritis will go away on its own, with or without anti-inflammatory treatment. Most people will recover fully. Infectious costochondritis responds well to IV antibiotics and surgery, but recovery may take a long time. What does it mean when the middle of your back and chest hurts?Pain that is located to the left or center of the back, in combination with chest pain, could be related to a heart condition or heart problems. If you experience chest pain along with back pain, seek emergency medical care. This could be a sign of a heart attack or other serious condition.
Why does the middle of my chest bone hurt?You can have pain in this area because of infection, inflammation, injury, or the breakdown of cartilage affecting the sternum itself. Problems with nearby organs like the heart, lungs, and esophagus can also cause pain in this area. This includes a heart attack, pleurisy (a lung inflammation), and acid reflux.
How do you relieve pain in the middle of the chest bone?Treatment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can buy some types of these drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), over the counter. ... . Narcotics. ... . Antidepressants. ... . Anti-seizure drugs.. Why does my sternum and spine hurt?Sternum pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles and bones near the sternum and not the sternum itself. Pain felt just behind or below the sternum is called substernal pain and is sometimes caused by gastrointestinal problems. Some of the most common causes of sternum and substernal pain are: costochondritis.
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