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Costochondritis

Costochondritis · Kostochondritida

What it is

Inflammation where the ribs join the breastbone — a common, harmless cause of chest pain once the heart is ruled out.

Symptoms & signs

  • Sharp chest-wall pain beside the breastbone
  • pain when the rib joints are pressed
  • worse on deep breaths, coughing or twisting
  • several ribs affected

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Crushing chest pain spreading to arm, jaw or back
  • call 112 / 911 now Chest pain with breathlessness, sweating or fainting
  • see a doctor soon Chest pain with fever or a red, hot swelling
  • see a doctor soon Pain lasting over 6 weeks

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Rule out heart and lung causes
  • NSAIDs
  • stretching with a physiotherapist
  • local anaesthetic and steroid injection if stubborn

Natural & lifestyle

  • Heat
  • avoid heavy upper-body work while sore
  • posture and breathing exercises

Emerging & experimental

  • Low-level laser therapy
  • TENS

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Turmeric and ginger — an anti-inflammatory reputation; untested here anecdotal / traditional
  • Manual therapy — case series early / small studies
  • Magnesium — anecdotal anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes