{"id":52061,"date":"2025-04-25T21:55:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T01:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/mayo-health-library\/costochondritis\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T12:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T17:03:06","slug":"costochondritis","status":"publish","type":"mayo","link":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/de\/mayo-health-library\/costochondritis\/","title":{"rendered":"Costochondritis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"container mx-auto   wordpress-block wordpress- core-\">\n<p>Costochondritis (kos-toe-kon-DRY-tis) is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone, called the sternum. Pain caused by costochondritis might be like that of a heart attack or other heart conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Costochondritis is sometimes called chest wall pain syndrome, costosternal syndrome or costosternal chondrodynia. Sometimes, there is swelling with the pain, which is a condition called Tietze syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>What causes costochondritis is unclear. Treatment focuses on easing the pain while waiting for the condition to improve on its own. This can take several weeks or more.<\/p>\n<p>The pain associated with costochondritis often:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is sharp or aching or feels like pressure.<\/li>\n<li>Can radiate to arms and shoulders.<\/li>\n<li>Worsens when taking a deep breath, coughing or sneezing, or with any movement of the chest wall.<\/li>\n<li>Affects more than one rib.<\/li>\n<li>Happens on the left-hand side of the breastbone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>When to see a doctor<\/h3>\n<p>For chest pain, seek emergency medical attention to rule out life-threatening causes, such as a heart attack.<\/p>\n<p>Costochondritis often has no clear cause. However, it might be associated with trauma, illness or physical strain, such as severe coughing.<\/p>\n<p>Costochondritis happens most often in women over age 40.<\/p>\n<p>Tietze syndrome, when there is swelling with the pain, often happens in teenagers and young adults, and with equal frequency in men and women.<\/p>\n<p>During the physical exam, a healthcare professional feels along your breastbone for tenderness or swelling. The health professional also might move your rib cage or your arms in certain ways to try to trigger symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>The pain of costochondritis can be like the pain associated with heart disease, lung disease, gastrointestinal problems and osteoarthritis. There is no laboratory or imaging test to confirm a diagnosis of costochondritis. But a healthcare professional might order certain tests, such as an electrocardiogram and chest X-ray, to rule out other conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Costochondritis often goes away on its own, although it might last for several weeks or longer. Treatment focuses on pain relief.<\/p>\n<h3>Medicines<\/h3>\n<p>Your healthcare professional might recommend:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.<\/b> You can buy some types of these medicines, such as aspirin, naproxen sodium (Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), without a prescription. Stronger versions are available by prescription. Side effects can include damage to the stomach lining and kidneys.<\/li>\n<li><b>Narcotics.<\/b> If pain is severe, you might need a narcotic such as tramadol. Narcotics can be habit-forming.<\/li>\n<li><b>Antidepressants.<\/b> Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, are often used to manage chronic pain &mdash; especially if the pain interferes with sleep.<\/li>\n<li><b>Anti-seizure drugs.<\/b> The epilepsy medication gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin) has proved successful in managing chronic pain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Therapies<\/h3>\n<p>Physical therapy treatments might include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Stretching exercises.<\/b> Gentle stretching exercises for the chest muscles might be helpful.<\/li>\n<li><b>Nerve stimulation.<\/b> Using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, also known as TENS, may help reduce pain. The TENS unit is a device that sends a weak electrical current through adhesive patches on the skin near the area of pain. The current might interrupt or mask pain signals, preventing them from reaching the brain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Surgery or other procedures<\/h3>\n<p>If conservative measures don&#8217;t work, another option is to inject numbing medicine and a corticosteroid directly into the painful joint.<\/p>\n<p>It can be frustrating to know that there&#8217;s little to do to treat costochondritis. But self-care measures, such as the following, might help.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Nonprescription pain relievers.<\/b> Aspirin, naproxen sodium (Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may be helpful.<\/li>\n<li><b>Topical pain relievers.<\/b> These include creams, gels, patches and sprays. They may contain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or numbing medications. Some varieties contain capsaicin, the substance that makes hot peppers spicy.<\/li>\n<li><b>Heat or ice.<\/b> Try placing hot compresses or a heating pad on the painful area several times a day. Keep the heat on a low setting. Ice also might be helpful.<\/li>\n<li><b>Rest.<\/b> Avoid or modify activities that might worsen pain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in disorders of the joints, called a rheumatologist.<\/p>\n<h3>What you can do<\/h3>\n<p>Ask a relative or friend to come with you, to help you remember what your healthcare team says.<\/p>\n<h3>Make a list of:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Symptoms,<\/b> including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for the appointment, and note when they began.<\/li>\n<li><b>Key medical information,<\/b> including other conditions you have and any injury to the painful joint.<\/li>\n<li><b>Key personal information,<\/b> including major life changes or stressors.<\/li>\n<li><b>All medications, vitamins and supplements, <\/b> including the doses.<\/li>\n<li><b>Questions you may have<\/b> for the healthcare team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Questions to ask your doctor<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>What&#8217;s the most likely cause of my symptoms?<\/li>\n<li>What tests do I need?<\/li>\n<li>What self-care steps are likely to help?<\/li>\n<li>Do I need to restrict activities?<\/li>\n<li>What new signs or symptoms should I watch for?<\/li>\n<li>When can I expect my symptoms to resolve?<\/li>\n<li>I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Don&#8217;t hesitate to ask other questions.<\/p>\n<h3>What to expect from your doctor<\/h3>\n<p>Your healthcare team is likely to ask you a number of questions, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have your symptoms worsened over time?<\/li>\n<li>Where is your pain?<\/li>\n<li>Does exercise or physical exertion make your symptoms worse?<\/li>\n<li>Does anything else make your pain worse or better?<\/li>\n<li>Are you having difficulty breathing?<\/li>\n<li>Have you had recent respiratory infections or injuries to your chest?<\/li>\n<li>Are you aware of a history of heart problems in your family?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This chest wall pain, caused by inflammation, often improves on its own.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[1686,1685,1682],"class_list":["post-52061","mayo","type-mayo","status-publish","hentry","tag-anatomical-structure","tag-condition","tag-person-group-concept","content_type-diseases-conditions"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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