costochrondritis

[Kinbeekeeper]

There just dosen't  seem to be a topic to select from; so I'm calling it  "PAIN" , was thinking of other things to call it, but not in mixed company.

Hi, I'm Wayne, I am 66, and very healthy, except for "PAIN".  I had an episode in the late 80's, thought I was having a heart attack,  I was driving down the Pennyrile with wife and mother.  I did not panic,  I checked my pulse, and could breath freely.  In 2004, I was building a deck and ran into limestone where a post HAD to go.  So drilling into the stone with a hammer drill pressed to my chest for pressure, I drilled 6 holes.  After that "PAIN" has been a regular visitor.

Last night was one of the hardest.  Like most of you "PAIN" is on the right side, on the ribs.  Mine has decided to take a trip.  It now resides at the top of my sternum.  Last night I noticed that my spine was sending signals of "PAIN"

Most of the postings seem to contradict my experience: breathing, I have no trouble with extremely deep breaths.  This actually kicks "PAIN"s rear.  But with the new location "PAIN" has assumed, this dosen't help.  

Do any of you "PAIN" people have any ideas as to what to do.  I'm really tired of this intruder.  Is any research being done? ( I volunteer)  I really can't tell if ANY medicine helps, last week I got my hopes up with aleve, but even with double the dose last night  "PAIN" won, big time!!

I notice that most of the postings are from younger people.  One thread that I followed seemed to think that chest trauma could be a root cause. In 1970 I was knocked over my toolbox by a Lathe drivin 1 1/2" bar,  Knocked me out and spent the night in Hospital.  Nothing ever showed up until the episode afore mentioned.  Which I might add was spent by a week of intense gravel raking for a new gas station I was helping build.

I hope I haven't bored you an hope to have more input from you all!

[National Jewish Health]

The best advice we can give is that you work with your physician and with medical consultants, including those who specialize in the treatment of pain, to determine the source of the pain.  It could be your ribs, cartilage, the intercostal nerves that run in a groove in each rib, from back to front, from your vertebral column or from the nerves that emerge from between the vertebrae and are subject to compression from degenerative arthritis or collapse of one or more vertebrae.

To determine the source will require physical examination, a careful history especially of precipitating factors and imaging of your spine, as with an MRI.  There are times when the cause cannot be determined but the nerves carrying the nerve impulses can be identified and blocked by nerve compression or electrical ablation.

Most university hospital departments of anesthesia have a sub-group of physicians who specialize in control or relief of chronic pain.  You should seek consultation with such a specialist.

[smd906]

Hi, I had  sorta chest PAIN with shortness of breath, and i was worried i was having a heart attack, my dr sent me to hospital to have an ECG, a B-dimmer blood test (to rule out clots) and a chest x-ray, turned out it was costochrondritis, inflammation or cartlidge between ribs, I was just told to take inflammatory such as ibuprofen, it went after a week, but it was scary as i'm 28!

[Sunny602]

You poor guy, "Pain" has certainy been a pain in the rump for you! I have had costochondritis but not chronically, which is what you sound like you have. Have the docs ever given you Indocin for the pain? Like Alleve it is an anti inflammatory NSAID. That did help me alot, but it is not meant to be taken chronically...it is very harsh on the belly. I also know that some people get cortisone shots. Maybe you can put heat or ice on it, whatever feels the best. I personally enjoyed a moist heating pad. Either way, I hope something works for you...pain is just that, a pain! Sunny

[Kinbeekeeper]

Thanks for input.  Can you direct me to th is type of service in the Evansville, Indiana area.  Would like to get under control.. When I  do not hurt, it is not a problem.  I do a lot of internalizing and had already deceided that the spine had a large input.  As earlier stated the pain started big tim after the hammer drill was being depressed by my chest while drilling.  Sitting on a soft surface brings it to the front and loading the wood stove, (pitching wood into the fire box) always takes a few minutes to recover from that.
       Anyway thanks again for your thoughts as they do agree with mine.

                            Wayne Roach

[Kinbeekeeper]

Thanks for the input, but I haven't been prescribed anything.  I made a mis-statement in my original post and that was the pain was originaly on my left side not the right,  I didn't know how to go back in and change it.  Most of the time I am "PAIN" free, mostly visits when I lie down, then it starts.  The most effective  relief has came from a product by the name of 'JONES ECUCALYPTUS OIL".  But with the new location it hasn't helped much..  The strange thing is what helps today dosen't work tomorrow. The Chiropractor seemed to have helped, went real good for a year or so, then seems to have lost its staying power.  I was lookling for new information, there seems to be a lack of it.  Want ther to be an execise to preform or VOODOO!!!

    Thanks, Kinbeekeeper