Costochondritis, or inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and breastbone, can cause chest pain that may be mistaken for a heart attack. Diagnosis is usually made by a doctor through medical history and examination, and treatment involves managing pain with over-the-counter or prescription medication. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary.
Inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and breastbone is called costochondritis. It can also be known as costosternal chondrodynia, costosternal syndrome, or by the much easier to pronounce chest wall pain. When this inflammation occurs, it is quite painful, especially in the breastbone and cartilage where they join the ribs, and can scare many people into thinking they are having a heart attack. It’s a good idea not to sit at home trying to figure this out on your own, since you don’t want to guess wrong. While a heart attack is typically more painful with exertion and is painful over a larger area of the chest, it’s just risky not seeing a doctor if you have chest pain.
Chest pain from costochondritis is hard to miss and usually sends most people to doctors anyway. Once there, doctors tend to diagnose the condition by taking the patient’s medical history, examining the breastbone to see if the pressure is creating more pain, and may also do tests to rule out other conditions. Inflammation cannot usually be seen on an X-ray, so the diagnosis tends to occur by process of elimination or when there is a clear causative factor.
Costochondritis symptoms are often most felt when you take deep breaths or cough. Also, some people have trouble breathing. The causes of the condition vary and can affect children or adults.
A known injury to the chest wall can cause costochondritis, but also some bloodstream infections or sternum infections. People who have recently had chest or heart surgery may develop the condition after surgery. Sometimes people with conditions like fibromyalgia get this condition too, and occasionally fibromyalgia is diagnosed when people have recurring costochondritis. There are times when doctors don’t know what’s causing it and the condition goes away on its own after a few days or even a few weeks of rest.
The basic treatments for the condition depend on the causes. The most important thing is to make sure the pain is managed. For many people this will mean taking over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen. Some people may need stronger narcotic pain relievers. If the causes of costochondritis are known, additional treatment may be needed to treat the root cause.
In rare cases the breastbone remains extremely painful and the condition does not go away. In these circumstances, because the pain can seriously impact daily life, doctors may remove painful areas of cartilage to resolve the condition. Most people recover without this step, usually within a few weeks of symptoms appearing. It is important to get plenty of rest. Using a heating pad a few times a day on the breastbone may help, but if the condition has resulted from chest surgery, you should consult your doctor regarding this at-home treatment.
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