What Is Costochondritis? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Explained

Chest pain is scary. Your mind likely jumps to the worst-case scenario, a heart attack, when you feel that sharp, stabbing sensation in your chest. While you should always seek immediate medical attention for chest pain to rule out cardiac issues, the culprit might be something less dangerous but still painful: costochondritis. This condition affects thousands of people. In this blog, we discuss what costochondritis is and how to manage it.

We speak to Jared Garner, D.O., a board-certified family medicine physician at INTEGRIS Health Medical Group Yukon, to learn more. 

“Chest pain is never something to ignore,” Garner says. “As a primary care doctor, I take the time to thoroughly understand my patients’ symptoms and will work with you to understand the broad differential of chest pain. Thoroughly distinguishing between cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal or other causes of chest pain, ensures that you get the appropriate treatment plan. Which is important for managing a chronic condition such as costochondritis.”

Understanding costochondritis

The basics: Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breastbone. It’s a common cause of chest wall pain and is usually not life-threatening.

• Symptoms often include sharp or aching pain in the chest.
• The condition is typically caused by overuse, injury, or strain.
• It can mimic heart-related chest pain, which makes emergency care important.

Common symptoms of costochondritis

What to know: The symptoms of costochondritis can vary in intensity but are often localized to the chest area.

• Pain is usually felt on one side of the chest and worsens with movement or deep breathing.
• Tenderness when pressing on the affected area is a common sign.
• The pain may radiate to the back or abdomen, causing discomfort.

Pain often begins on one side of the chest and becomes more intense when you move or breathe deeply. This side-specific pain is a hallmark of the condition.

• It most commonly affects the left side of the breastbone.
• Deep breaths, coughing or sneezing usually spike the pain level.
• Physical activity that involves the upper body can trigger flare-ups.

Tenderness when pressing on the affected area is a common sign. Doctors often use this to help them diagnose the condition. If it hurts when they push on your rib joints, it’s likely costochondritis.

• This is sometimes called “reproducible tenderness.”
• The pain is specifically located where the rib meets the breastbone (the costosternal joint).
• Unlike a heart attack, the pain often changes or worsens when you touch the specific spot.

The pain may radiate to the back or abdomen, causing discomfort. While the root of the problem is in the front of the chest, nerves can send pain signals elsewhere.

• You might feel aches in your shoulder blades.
• Pain can travel down the ribs to the stomach area.
• This radiation can make it confusing to pinpoint exactly where the problem originated.

Causes and risk factors of costochondritis

The causes: Costochondritis can result from a variety of factors, including physical strain and underlying conditions.

• Repetitive movements or heavy lifting can strain the chest wall.
• Respiratory infections or coughing may lead to inflammation.
• Certain conditions, like arthritis or fibromyalgia, can increase the risk.

Repetitive movements or heavy lifting can strain the chest wall. This is common in athletes or people with physically demanding jobs.

• Rowing, tennis or baseball can stress the rib cartilage.
• Lifting heavy furniture or boxes awkwardly can trigger inflammation.
• Even rigorous deep breathing during intense exercise can irritate the area.

Respiratory infections or coughing may lead to inflammation. If you’ve been sick recently, your chest wall might have taken a beating.

• Severe coughing fits mechanically strain the rib connections.
• Viral, bacterial or fungal infections can directly cause inflammation in the joints.
• Post-viral inflammation is a frequent culprit for unexplained chest wall pain.

Certain conditions, like arthritis or fibromyalgia, can increase the risk. Your overall health history plays a role in your susceptibility.

• Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can affect the costosternal joints just like they affect the knees or hips.
• Fibromyalgia often includes tenderness in the chest as a symptom.
• Reiter’s syndrome and other inflammatory conditions are also linked to costochondritis.

Treatment options for costochondritis

Key points: While costochondritis often resolves on its own, treatment can help manage pain and inflammation.

• Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen are commonly used.
• Rest and avoiding activities that worsen symptoms can aid recovery.
• Physical therapy or stretching exercises may help reduce discomfort.

Find a doctor at INTEGRIS Health

What’s next: If you’re experiencing persistent chest pain, it’s important to rule out cardiovascular conditions and get the right diagnosis. Find a trusted doctor at INTEGRIS Health to get the care you need. Don’t live in fear or discomfort. Schedule an appointment today.

Schedule Online

Make an appointment with one of our providers today.

SEE MORE