Guide To Treating Costochondritis

Costochondritis, also known as costosternal chondrodynia, is a medical condition that causes pain in the chest wall. It results from an inflammation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. Generally, costochondritis is short term and resolves within a few days or weeks. The type of chest pain it causes is triggered when the affected area at the front of the rib cage is pressed. The pain may get worse when the patient coughs or takes a deep breath, and it is often located on the left side of the sternum. Costochondritis can be caused by being hit or falling on the chest, and it may also develop due to arthritis, infections such as tuberculosis, heavy lifting, severe coughing, and other physical strain. Women and all individuals over forty years old face an increased risk of the condition. Since some of the symptoms can mimic a heart attack or other heart conditions, patients should be evaluated by a doctor to confirm a diagnosis of costochondritis. The treatment methods described below are often helpful for costochondritis.

Apply Heat To The Affected Area

While heat itself doesn't cure costochondritis, doctors often recommend patients apply heat to the affected area at home to relieve pain. Heating pads, heated gel packs, warm towels, and heated rice bags can all provide adequate warmth to sooth the area. Patients should follow the instructions on any store-bought product, heating it only as long as is directed, to avoid burns. If the heated product is too hot, patients may want to place an extra towel between the heating pad and their skin. Heat should be used on the lowest setting available, and patients can use heat for between four to six times a day. Some patients may find individual adhesive self-heating patches are beneficial. These can be worn safely for longer periods and are available from pharmacies as well as online. If patients find heat does not improve their pain, they may wish to try using ice.

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Pain Medication

Pain medications are an essential part of treating costochondritis. Typically, doctors recommend the use of anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and naproxen. For patients who cannot adequately control their pain with these options, physicians may choose to prescribe narcotic pain relievers, such as hydrocodone, codeine, or oxycodone. However, it's important to note doctors exercise caution when prescribing these medications because they can be addictive. As an alternative, some patients may wish to try low-dose antidepressants such as amitriptyline or anti-epileptic medications such as gabapentin, both of which are routinely used for controlling chronic pain. Patients should be carefully monitored when taking any prescription pain reliever, and they should report any side effects to their doctor. Some medications may cause kidney damage, and this may need to be monitored with regular blood tests.

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Avoid Strenuous Exercise

While being treated for costochondritis, patients are advised to avoid strenuous exercise. Heavy lifting, running, ball games, and contact sports where the chest could be hit should not be performed during recovery. However, light stretching can be beneficial for reducing pain and strengthening the chest muscles. Patients may wish to try gentle yoga, tai chi, or similar stretching regimens. Patients should consider consulting a physical therapist to avoid worsening the injury. The physical therapist can examine the area and gauge the severity of the symptoms, and then recommend appropriate exercises for the individual patient's needs and that will promote complete healing. Patients may want to have several sessions with a physical therapist so they can be guided through a series of exercises, reducing their risk of injury and additional pain.

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Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a method of relieving pain through the use of electrical currents. Physical therapists often use this technique, and consumer devices have recently become available for patients to use at home. The electrical signals from the device interrupt pain signals from the body before these can reach the brain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation begins with the placement of electrode patches at certain points on the body near the affected area. The electrodes are connected to a handheld device that controls the intensity and type of pulsations emitted. After turning on the device, patients will feel a mild buzzing sensation, and they can experiment with different levels of intensity and types of pulsations until they find a combination that works for them. Most patients describe the buzzing feeling as pleasant.

In general, one session should last for around twenty minutes, and certain devices may need to be used for a shorter length of time. Patients who have never used transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before may wish to start with five-minute sessions to see how they feel. If any discomfort occurs, patients can stop the session by turning off the machine. Patients should consider asking their medical team before this treatment, and individuals with pacemakers, heart conditions, diabetes, and epilepsy may not be able to use these devices at all or may need to do so only under supervision.

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Corticosteroid Injections

Doctors sometimes advise corticosteroid injections for patients if other conservative treatment methods have failed to relieve pain. Typically, these injections can provide long-term pain relief that lasts from one to three months, and work by reducing inflammation. The doctor will first give the patient a numbing medication when performing this injection. This is most often given as a small injection into the affected area. Patients afraid of needles should ask their doctors about getting a topical numbing cream can be rubbed onto the skin to reduce the pain of injections. Cold spray may also be used during the injection process to numb pain, and once the skin is numb, the doctor will provide a second injection with the corticosteroid. This medicine is injected directly into the affected site.