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Have you had experience w/ costochondritis?

Posted by michelle1075 @michelle1075, Apr 16, 2025

HI, I had an episode in the middle of the night that caused severe pain in my mid back and sternum, it seemed to radiate around my ribs and my pain was at a 7 or 8. It lasted 2 1/2 hours with the pain, eventually subsiding to aches and some burning sensations in my mid back and shoulder blades. I do not feel it was cardiovascular. Online it mentions that it could have been costochondritis and I am wondering if anyone has experienced this and what do you do to help? Thank you!

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DaH | @biglake | 6 days ago
In reply to @ronni005 "Yes! I have this for over a year and a half. It was triggered by dry..." + (show)
Profile picture for ronni005 @ronni005

Yes! I have this for over a year and a half. It was triggered by dry needling. It’s mainly in my thoracic area, worse on the left side, and a bit of soreness on my lower ribs at the front. Every night when I lay down after a few hours it starts. It feels like a pinched nerve but spreads everywhere - sharp pain and tenderness everywhere. Apparently my muscles in the thoracic region are rock-hard. The sharp pain won’t go away until I am upright for about an hour, depending on how bad it gets, It can get so painful it affects breathing and slight movements. That sharp pain, some lasts longer, with soreness all day. Sleeping for 8 hours and un-disrupted is a struggle. I find sleeping upright on a foam wedge is the only thing that works. I have tried various medications, a cortisone in my lower back (I have issues with my lower back and they thought it might be referred pain) I have had numerous tests - X-ray, MRI, CT, radionuclide scan on the thoracic spine as well as on my lower back and sinuses, and they still can’t find the cause. 😞 I am now taking duloxetine and occasionally gabapentin to relax muscles and calm nerves and anti-inflammatories when I really have to. Gentle stretching and heat packs on it especially before bed, helps.

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@ronni005 Yes!!!

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DaH | @biglake | 5 days ago
In reply to @ronni005 "Yes! I have this for over a year and a half. It was triggered by dry..." + (show)
Profile picture for ronni005 @ronni005

Yes! I have this for over a year and a half. It was triggered by dry needling. It’s mainly in my thoracic area, worse on the left side, and a bit of soreness on my lower ribs at the front. Every night when I lay down after a few hours it starts. It feels like a pinched nerve but spreads everywhere - sharp pain and tenderness everywhere. Apparently my muscles in the thoracic region are rock-hard. The sharp pain won’t go away until I am upright for about an hour, depending on how bad it gets, It can get so painful it affects breathing and slight movements. That sharp pain, some lasts longer, with soreness all day. Sleeping for 8 hours and un-disrupted is a struggle. I find sleeping upright on a foam wedge is the only thing that works. I have tried various medications, a cortisone in my lower back (I have issues with my lower back and they thought it might be referred pain) I have had numerous tests - X-ray, MRI, CT, radionuclide scan on the thoracic spine as well as on my lower back and sinuses, and they still can’t find the cause. 😞 I am now taking duloxetine and occasionally gabapentin to relax muscles and calm nerves and anti-inflammatories when I really have to. Gentle stretching and heat packs on it especially before bed, helps.

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@ronni005
Yes!! Sharp, throbbing and stiff at the same time. Radiates, as you said, burning up neck and down shoulders to upper arms. I have to sleep on my side but this can also happen anytime of day. MRI shows normal + aging deterioration and a Schnorls, the chondritis has not shown up on image yet despite many years of spells, especially to allergist for nose/throat attacks which they thought were allergy then.Daily 10mg of prednisone. Careful organic, gluten/lactose free diet. Turmeric and ginger.

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miresis | @miresis | 4 days ago

I was diagnosed with this since I was a teenager. I get daily pain around the left side of my chest. I always think it's my heart. No doctor has ever ordered any imaging or prescribed anything for it, but I've been on NSAIDS, Tylenol, pregablin, cymbalta over the years and nothing stops it.

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