Question about Costochondritis

I woke early Wed. morning with an awful pain in my chest, I felt as though I had been punched. I was not at all worried it was my heart. I did do house work the day before, way more than usual... you know I was feeling good and decided to take advantage of it...

Any way I couldn't even lay in bed that night, so I slept in the lazy boy, sorta. When I woke on Thursday the pain was mostly in my left side. I was already pretty sure I had developed a new fun symptom... but to be safe went to the ER. got my first EKG, not near as bad as I had pictured it in my head.

They gave me a form of Ibuprofen via IV, and after about 2 hours I felt much better, was able to lay down to sleep.

so question is how common is this? I mean can I expect this to be part of my normal pains? I can deal with my hips on fire, my shoulder pain, but I dont think I can deal real well if my chest is on fire for long periods of time....

Are there things you have found that help?

I already have an appointment with my Rheumy on next Thursday.

I've had costochondritis before, 2 or 3 times, but it has been temporary for me, lasting less than a week each time. It really sucks and I'm sorry you are dealing with it.

A good interventional cardiologist can do injections that last a very long time. Some pain managment and rheumys do them too

I love moist heat myself. If its really bad... i use heat top side and ice backside. and alternate.

The IV stuff is great. A standing order for torodol with either PCP office, walkin etc is a good idea. its almoat as evvective as the IV and a lot cheaper.. Frankly I'm pretty surprised that the ER caught and treated it. They usually spin the meter a bunch more first :-)

Cost however is NOT something to mess with. talk tot your doc but once the psA is in your chest it can cause all manner of problems I'd get a basline. echocardiogram. Congestive heart failure is NOT unusual with PsA

I agree with everything Lamb said (as usual) except I have dealt with costochondritis for years with no CHF. I broke my ribs on the left side so it probably makes me more prone to it. Doesn't make it hurt less! But don't be too scared. When we are afraid it makes us tighten up all over and makes the pain worse. I up my anti inflammatory (with MD blessing) Use heat and ice, gentle stretching and Salonpas patches to get through. This too will pass.........

Michael is right, it sounds scarier than it is. We have one of the worlds premier Congestive heart failure programs (its highly treatable) But one can't help laugh with the Billboards and signs on the buses (Someone wasn't thinking) "Lowest readmission rate for heart failure in the country." they changed the campaign when the billboard close to one of the highschools had "when your dead we keep you dead" spray painted on the bottom.

we really need a new name for inflammation of the heart.......

thanks for all your input. You are right once I was sure what it was I calmed down and felt a little better. I normaly dont freak out about stuff, but did some online searches- you shouldnt do to much of that... lol

I was lucky that my ER doc has psoriasis. So he understood my Psa. Also that he knew I Psa and am only 37, probably didn't hurt.

I was only in the ER for about 45 min. total.. love how fast they move when they think it could be your heart.

I guess it is time to get a PCP, besides my PsA I am pretty healthy. That sounds like such a contradiction!

On the bright side ( I like to look for that silver lining anywhere I can, lol) my husband and kids were quite freaked out, which I hope will translate into a little more understanding. They are gone most of the day and only really see me in the morning after I am rested, and again in the evening after I have had a good nap, or some down time. So like most they just dont get it.

That has been one of the hard parts for me, allowing my family to see me struggle. But I have to remember my son is watching me. If I keep all my struggles to myself he will never learn to let his show and that would be a dis-service to him. I am glad you are feeling better.

Hi there, unfortunately costochronditis can be really painful, if you can, be really careful about being around people with colds coughs etc because the pain when you sneeze cough is bad! I end up hugging myself before sneezing etc…I usually am effected by it after a cold as it seem to set it off.
Heat works well for me and I do chest stretching exercises gently (feet shoulder width apart, opening my arms from infront of me to the sides, then twist from the waist, making sure hips are kept facing the front)
I, like Michael, have had it for years…before diagnosis and have had heart checks etc, but lambs right there are links with heart problems with PsA so it always worth being monitored. I always think of it as having a full MOT (sorry that’s a annual legal requirement in the UK to make sure your cars road worthy)