Costochondritis

New to this forum. Short question would be- does anyone with costo. have mild tingling in left arm?

It's the main symptom that gives me panic attacks thinking it's my heart :(

I've had CFS for 20 years and chest pain for 6 months+ although used to have it mildly with colds. Have had heaps of test to discount heart- ECG, triponin blood test (I think that's what it's called), stress test...

I'm pretty sure it resulted from coaching/demonstrating discus for the first time in YEARS- without warming up (clever!). I also have an old left shoulder injury from diving in touch football and am wondering if this is contributing.

I am so over it and just wish I could have some kind of proof of injury to help me stop panicking about my heart :(

Thanks for letting me share.

P.S. Pain mainly in sternum, radiating across ribs- keep changing where it is but when bad it hurts to breathe. More recently cramping in my back and pain up my neck. Not much fun, especially when I've finally just gone back to work after years and years.

I had the WORSE case of costochondritis last year! It kept me in bed for four weeks only leaving to use the bathroom and shower VERY quickly. It was absolutely horrible. The pain was unbearable and yes, I did have the tingling/sharp pains in the left arm. Don't feel bad about having a panic attack thinking it's your heart, because let me tell you, I had a full on 7 hour panic attack over my chest before I knew what it was. Worst time of my life.

The chest pain for me was mostly sharp and felt like someone was sitting on my chest causing my air intake to feel short. I couldn't move or else it was horrible pain. I felt like I was having a heart attack on multiple occasions just from simple tasks like reaching for something. It hurt to breath when I could, sharp pains in my lung area and ribs. It also kind of burned a bit. I also had a feeling of someone strangling me from time to time. There was so many pains and breathing problems from costo that it's hard to sit here and remember every single one. But I do know that what you're feeling is exactly what I felt. Also, from all the pain in my chest and stress over thinking it was a heart attack, I got myself into a vicious cycle of tension headaches. Worse headache I've ever had. I had to get muscle relaxers to give myself a fighting chance.

If you haven't seen a doctor, (but I'm sure you have to of known you have costochondritis) you should take naproxen. I think the doctor prescribed me 500mg but I'm not sure anymore...It's truly one of the only things you can do to help this go away. That and absolutely no heavy lift and VERY limited movement of the chest and arms.

Costochondritis is horrible, it hurts a lot, and it's terrifying. I'm willing to bet it's what you have and that you're not having a heart attack. Sure feels like it though, right?! Haha.

hi, don't have much to add except that i did have costo a few years back, it was painful to have such a decreased range of motion. it takes time for everything to heal.

wishing you the best

Jenster , i have the same thing to a certain extend... I have achy pain i. Left chest and sometimes with shortness of breath....there is achy , pointed , tingling pain in my left hand and sometimes i. Two fingers... , palm. ..etc.... I had ECG, echo , stress test and then doctor did a nerve compression test in which mild shocks and needles were inserted in left hand to see if itwas any nerve... So anxiety is doing this :)

I believe I am having "costo" symptoms resulting from a viral upper respiratory infection. I was actually diagnosed with costo several years back, but this time it was in the sternum area instead of on one side.

My doctor and I both believed I had Gerd, and I am rather perturbed that he did not listen to me when I told him I had a cold and sore ribs. I am considering switching docs over this. In believing I had Gerd, I was taking harmful PPI's and giving myself more stomach problems as a result. I even had an H. Pylori blood test, which was negative, and an upper endoscopy, which was also negative for any abnormalities.

The crushing chest pain came on so suddenly it just seemed weird for a person who has had heartburn maybe 5 times ever, even during 3 pregnancies. What led me to believe it was costo was that after my morning coffee, which I thought was giving me heartburn, I noticed that I did not get chest pain on days I didn't go to work. But on the days I had morning coffee and then went to work as a school bus driver, I was having chest pain. Driving a school bus is very upper body intensive. Out of curiosity I pressed on the cartilage next to my sternum and it is very tender. I may or may not decide to talk to my doctor about my theory, or I may just switch doctors. In the meantime, since I have adopted a very holistic diet, losing 8 pounds in the process, I will try to manage the symptoms with herbs and glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate. I am an athletic person and I plan on keeping up with my routine, but maybe in a more gentle manner until this subsides.

Evening - if anybody's still reading this thread, I sincerely hope any sufferers are managing to bear up. Reason for posting is that after some chest pain coming on approx 6 weeks ago I was taken into A&E (it followed a nasty cough). Usual tests carried out (echo scan, bloods, ecgs, chest xray) but i was eventually diagnosed as having likely costochondritis or some sort of myaglia. I am a fit (ish) 43 year old male and must admit the last few weeks have been the longest and scariest of my life! For me the pain varies in location (can be in the central breast bone, moves slightly above left and right breast and then sometimes down into the rib region on either side). However I dont get excruitating pain more of an indigestion and a bruising type feeling but the last weeks have been made much worse by the nausea and dizziness sensation that seems to be with me every second of the day (could this be stress?). I have been in to see a couple of private specialists for cardiology and lung checks but they've not found anything untoward and neither have prescribed anything other than rest and ibruprofen. I dont really know what to do next and whether I should go back to see my GP again (have been 4 or 5 times already) and demand some sort of ECG stress test as I've noticed that my dizziness increases greatly with any form of movement. Am I definitely suffering from Condo? Ps. Both the specialists felt my sore areas and they werent particularly painful when touched so it was diagnosed as a "mild form of costochondritis"

Thanks scaredy cat, really appreciate the comfort in being able to talk with somebody that understands.

To answer your question, no I've never suffered from anxiety before but having two primary school kids and a wife, I am our major bread winner and fully aware of the consequences should I become incompacitised. Having never suffered with stress before I don't fully know what it feels like but I do know when I was in the ambulance in the staff car park having an ECG done that my leg was shaking something rotten.

Today I feel pretty run down in myself. I'm sleeping for like a couple of 3 hour intervals(waking between) and then when its time to get up I feel completely zombified. Interesting note here is that ever since I was in A&E I've never been able to sleep with the curtains closed-always nice to see the street lights outside. My stomach feels like its tied up in knots, am feeling pretty much continuously sick and light headed with diahorrea and I get occasional fluttering in my chest.

I will look at the resources you've mentioned (though I've already too many internet horror stories)-and like you mention will go back to see the gp this week but they always seem quite dismissive of condo and if nothing else I can talk about these anxiety factors which now appear to be creeping in.

One last question but how do people cope with employers during these occurrences? I work for a large building society and have never previously taken off more than a day or two on sick leave. In the last month I've probably taken off a couple of weeks and am starting to get very conscience about the amount of time I'm absent, and I worry that given how I feel again today I might not be back any time soon....

Thanks for listening, its taken my mind off my ailments

I think that going ahead and ruling out all possible physical symptoms first is your best course of action...you don't seem to be somatizing this issue, so there could very well be something there to dx.

Do check out our Resources however, as there are lots of great stress relieving exercises that would help with anybody....as anyone could use some decompression.:)

Some of the other physical issues that you mentioned do sound like stress related ones...and the breathing/progressive muscle relaxation and meditation coping skills can help tremendously with that.

As far as your work is concerned, have you been cleared by your doctor for time off? Talk to your HR and get a rundown of your company's policy on time off/sick leave/disability.

I hope that you get the answers that you need very soon. Keep posting with us if you find it helpful.:)

S.C.

I think I've actually had Costo (or it's near relation) since the late 90's. It was remarked by doctor's that I was incredibly tender in the chest/rib region but no set diagnosis .... and it was only transient. It wasn't until 2008 when pain started to be a bit more consistent that a doctor diagnosed 'chondritis'. The pain med offered contraindicated my B/P med and it continued to be only transient.

Curiously my pain is not always just around the sternum area but also lower ribs; below the breast area and in the sides. When my anxiety symptoms really kicked in last year, I've found the rib pain to have been a very regular companion.

Costo and anxiety/depression DO frequently "co-habit" with fibromyalgia as is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Have you investigated this possible linkage ? I'm currently doing so !!

SC,

What brought it to my knowledge was my sister mentioning to me that she'd been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and we DO share some similar genetic predispositions. It's a very tricky and hard to define condition and there is still some in the medical community who think it's just a load of BS & sufferers a bunch of malingerers ..... thankfully a small and ever decreasing percentage. It is also thought to be a 'women's condition' but this is a fallacy in that at least 30-30% of sufferes are male ...... and how many DON'T report the symptoms/doctors don't "join up the dots".

There is also another similar but different condition called Myofascial Pain Syndrome. The key diagnostic specialists for these conditions are Rheumatologists (re bone & joint issues) & Neurologists (nerve issues). I've already had a first visit with the rheumatologist who lined up (1) blood test (2) ultrasound on shoulder (3) full body bone scan (4) a nerve conduction study with the neuro in the same practice. Also got me on the waiting list for physios at local hospital - I'm currently on disability pension so can't afford regular private physio but our public health system (unlike US) IS very accessable for those on low income & many specialists will either grant concessions on fees or "bulk bill" as much as possible - bill it on Medicare (public system) at the rebate rate & no cost to patient.

Did the bloods same day & the ultrasound the next. Had to "can" the bonescan as I had a massive "spontaneous" panic attack the night before. Am getting it back together after that attack will look to do it next week.

The rheumy has already got back to me re bloods & ultrasound. Blood showed very low vitamin D - which impacts level of inflammation & can lead to severe bone issues. Shoulder showed considerable bursitis - which explains why I can't lift it above horizontal w/o agony.

Here is a resource on Fibro that may be of interest. PLEASE don't self diagnose but take a look and see what (if any) boxes re symptoms you "tick" and, if so, why not at least raise the issue with your doctor.

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_what_is.html

Hello bbay and welcome,

I too hope that you get some answers and relief as far as your pain, anxiety and costo issues soon.

Post with us anytime for anxiety support, visit our Resources for self-help ideas, and stick around if you find it helpful to you.

Scaredy Cat