So following on from part 1
my symptoms started as like a sharp twinge on my left side but then progressed into aches and feeling heavy in the chest and a strange kind of rising feeling up my breast bone which gave me a feeling of dread and sometimes made me hot and sweaty but that part has settled down and only occasionally do I get it if sitting in funny position for a length of time or I stretch too far I also use to get this when exercising even walking and still do if walk up steep hills all because the ribs are moving to allow lungs to breath and as I was laid up for a year almost makes my pulse race as I'm unfit but at the start just try short walks and don't forget to stretch body like legs etc don't stretch chest at all despite what your told unless it works for you ..it didn't for me ! Also if given naproxen make sure u take a gastro resistant tablet as they will over time give u acid reflux and heartburn . Also another tip avoid getting colds or flu as this will set off the symptoms again !!
I have also found a rib brace to be helpful to wear when travelling etc as just supports ribs from being bounced around as they don't like that .
and don't panic if you get pain in your back and arms as well as chest as this is normal with costochondritis as all the nerves that are in your ribs . I can recommend trying your physio doing some ultrasound treatment it helped me a great deal . Time is a great healer as remember your constantly breathing so will take a long time to heal . I'm now at a stage where if I've slept funny I wake up achy and feels like being poked in chest or build up of pressure in muscle but bearable and also found penicillin to upset my condition but if on a course of these again just grit your teeth and be strong ... There is a great saying I tell myself when it's a bad time and that's this ... One day all this pain will make sense to you .. And it's true it has and I know my limits and what helps it and don't .
feel free to comment or ask questions and I will do my best to answer them
just remember we're not alone we have each other
Hi Simon,
Is your breathing affected? For me it is uncomfortable inspiring air. ...not as bad with exhaling. In general though, I feel like my breathing is uncomfortable. My sternum pain is constant. ...some days worse than others.
Thanks
Hi john
no my breathing doesn't seem to be effected I have the odd occasion when I gasp once . Mine is more now I get aches in my ribs sometimes the occasional episode where I can't lay on my sides as uncomfortable . I find if I'm doing exercise or any physical activity I get a bit achy and some pain and left exhausted and breathing heavy but that's being unfit I think
My breathing is very much affected by my costochondritis. Sometimes not as much as others, but lately I haven't been able to take a deep breath for anything, especially if I'm sitting up or walking around. I started massage therapy this past Tuesday and it has been raging ever since. Nothing seems to help, except maybe rest (day 3 of bed rest today) and heating pads/ice blocks. Relaxing is supposedly the best thing and I do think it is...but easier said than done when you feel like you can't breathe. I have reflux on top of it, which doesn't help the breathing any.
Rhita
Hi rhita
I was the same as you in that any type of massage didn't help mine !
I found that buying a foam roller and then doing it yourself was better in that YOU control the pressure as most masseuse don't know what costochondritis is let alone some doctors !!
I would recommend you try to see a physio and have ultrasound treatment as mine responded very well to that when all else failed. I still now sometimes get breathing problems if I walk up large hills
Hi there thanks for this!! I am relatively new to this, my life has been ruined recently because of this condition, I am on anti anxiety pills and cry every night!! I have had numerous ecg's and 24 heart monitor blood tests etc, but the pain is so scary, it comes on any time, and is always around my heart and left chest area. All day I am aware of it, and to be honest I never close my bra anymore because it adds to the pain. I really just need some reassurance please, did all you guys who have this spend months being terrified it is your heart? That there is an underlying condition etc? It is so scary I am 38 and I can't do this anymore , being constantly scared is ruining my life . Thanks sara
Hi I have just been diagnosed with costochondritis it is affecting my sleep badly I feel that something will happen to me if I sleep in am currently on naproxen to help with the condition and it started to give me panic attacks as I think something bad is going to happen to me if have had ecgs and am having blood tests to rule anything else out it is really frightening is there any exercise or something like that that can ease the pain