Costacondritis

[*cath*]

Has anyone else suffered with this?
It's basically an inflammation of the cartilage along your ribs (i think!)
I was diagnosed with it a few years ago and after a long time (about a yr) it went away.
Now, after a while it seems to have returned but worse. Hurts to move in certain positions and coughing or sneezing is very painful.
Not sure what to do about it as last time it was just a case of take painkillers which i don't really like doing and i can't take Ibuprofen anyway.
Just wondered if anyone else had had it and if so how they managed it.
Thanks

[sueandco]

Yes I had it a year ago, it was excruciating and I was ordered to spend six weeks not moving so that it would heal properly otherwise it would become chronic and could take years to go. I did rest up only moving to go to the bathroom and to be fair it has gone completely.

[DisneyDaffodil]

DD has this a few years ago and it was incredibly painful. She was told it may have been caused by a cough which caused the inflammation and prescribed ibuprofen which only helped a little. She was told it could return after the initial flare up and has suffered slightly once or twice since.

Our gp was very thorough and sent her for an ECG to check there wasn’t any major problems causing the pain. The pain lasted around 4-6 weeks before it completely went

[levtweeney]

Yep I got it when running about 5 years ago. The pain was intense in the top of my rib cage. Had to stop running. No pain at all if not running. Tried running again about a year later but it soon came back so had to move from running to swimming. Swimming does not effect mine.

[Vanillapod]

I had it during pregnancy. So painful. I struggled to even wear a bra.
I was told to take ibuprofen but I don’t recall it helped much. A non wired bra is helpful

[disney_l81]

I have it, flares up every now and then. Start of lockdown I was 6 weeks with barely any sleep because I couldn't get comfy. Had naproxen which helped but also before that voltarol which also helped. Have co codamol if it gets unbearable but cant take if I'm driving next day as they make me feel drunk even the next day. Feel for you.

[onion2803]

Yes I have this...was diagnosed at 19 so just over 10 years ago now. I get a flare up every couple of months. Sometimes it’s the stabby, twisting pain that takes my breath away, sometimes it’s just a dull throbbing ache in my ribs.

I find taking off anything tight fitting helps and either lying flat on the floor with a pillow under knees, taking as deep a breath as possible, or if you can bare it, a hot water bottle on your side or under your back. My DH also wraps both hands around my rib cage and gently pushes inward/applies pressure - it really seems to help if it’s the stabby variety of pain!

I don’t find medication helps but I was told to take ibuprofen anyway as it will help with the inflammation.

Hope you find something to help soon, it’s an awful kind of pain x

[macdonald]

it horrible but it will pass...its often comes on if you over stretch (like reaching up to a high shelf)..try to carry on as normal with pain killer if needed and doing gentle stretches ( ie like Rosemary Connelly ones)..sometimes it passes quickly other times it can take several month although usually less severe than it was initially ..

[buryboy]

Blimey.
I was expecting this to be a thread about the rip off prices of a coffee at Costa