How long does costochondritis

Your doctor may tell you to make permanent lifestyle changes if you have persistent or chronic costochondritis. Some types of exercise can aggravate this condition, including running and weightlifting. Manual labor can also have a negative effect. Your doctor may use pain levels to evaluate your response to treatment. Daily stretching can help relieve some pain. Your doctor can also perform a procedure called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS , which uses small amounts of electricity to stop your nerves from sending signals of pain or aching to your brain.

Long-term pain caused by costochondritis can be debilitating if untreated. Normally, treatment of the inflammation and pain causes costochondritis to eventually go away on its own. If you have chronic costochondritis, the pain may return — even with treatment — when you exercise or engage in certain activities. Pains associated with costochondritis can indicate other issues. The chest pain associated with costochondritis is a common symptom of fibromyalgia.

With fibromyalgia, you may experience soreness in your chest in addition to:. If you experience chest pains along with these other symptoms, talk to your doctor about getting tested for fibromyalgia. In many cases, costochondritis goes away on its own. Mild cases of costochondritis may disappear after a few days. To lower your chance of persistent and chronic costochondritis, carry and lift heavy loads properly. Try doing fewer high-impact exercises or manual labor.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience chest pain while performing any of these activities. Here's what may be causing your pain and when to see your doctor. Cartilages attach the ribs to the breastbone sternum and the breastbone to the collarbones clavicles.

The joints between the ribs and the cartilages are called the costochondral joints. Those between the cartilages and the breastbone are called costosternal joints. Those between the breastbone and the collarbones are called the sternoclavicular joints.

The prefix 'costo' simply means related to the ribs. So, in costochondritis, there is inflammation in either the costochondral, costosternal or sternoclavicular joints or a combination.

This causes pain, which tends to be worse when you move, or when you press down on the affected part. All rights reserved. Mediterr J Rheumatol. Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol. Epub Sep J Man Manip Ther. I had my gallbladder removed in March of and every since then I have had left side rib and top of breast ache and discomfort. Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.

Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy.

Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions. In this series. In this article What is costochondritis? How common is it? What are the common causes of costochondritis? Who develops costochondritis? When should I see a doctor? Costochondritis treatment What is the outlook? Check all that apply. Wrong topic—not what I was looking for. It was hard to understand. It didn't answer any of my questions.

I still don't know what to do next. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. Patient Education. Chest Wall Pain: Costochondritis The chest pain that you have had today is caused by costochondritis. Home care Follow these guidelines when caring for yourself at home: If you feel that emotional stress is a cause of your condition, try to figure out the sources of that stress.

Pain medicines, such as ibuprofen Advil, Motrin or naproxen Aleve , may help to ease pain and swelling. You can buy these without a prescription. You may also take acetaminophen Tylenol instead, if your provider tells you it is safe to do so. People with liver disease should not take this medicine. Call or the local emergency number, or go to your local emergency room right away if you have chest pain. The pain of costochondritis can be similar to the pain of a heart attack.

If you have already been diagnosed with costochondritis, call your provider if you have any of the following symptoms:. Overview of sport-specific injuries. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap 9. Hanak JA. Tietze syndrome. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Kurz J.