COSTOCHONDRITIS

[nickieb]

I posted yesterday about experiencing a pressure tight feeling in my sternum & pain in my back & weather this sounded like GERD or cardiac??
Well i went to the docs this morning & he examined me & when he pressed on my chest i yelped in pain. He doesn't think it is cardiac & didn't warrant an ECG. He does think i have costochondritis....i had never heard of this & googled it & it does sound similar but i have no rib pain. He said if it continues to come back to rule out an ulcer...

Does this sound like costochondritis??? It is not a sharp pain more like a tight pressure feeling & it makes me want to try & straighten up...my chest bones are sore now where he has pressed them.

Nicola

[nickieb]

Thank you for replying

I am now aching all over my chest wall & ribs either side & when i stretch up it aches...
So i guess this is sounding more like costochindritis now..

What can i do to help it as it aches and i feel like i am strained all over

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi Nicola

Yes, it does sound like costochondritis. Your doctor must have prescribed some painkillers. You can apply local analgesic creams and sprays. Hot fomentation will help too. The pain need not always be shooting type. The location of the affected joint determines the pain. More often it’s like a catch in breath. Rest of the time it leaves behind a dull ache.

GERD too causes pain in the centre of the abdomen just where your chest bone ends. This area is called epigastrium. If your doctor also suspects that, then avoid taking painkillers on empty stomach.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!