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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / January 2006Chest wall Pain very very very painful :(
Guys- I am a healthy 24 year old. I have been in and out of hospital .... 4 occasions in the last 2 weeks, with acute chest pain. On all 4 occasions the heart was ruled out and chest wall pain diagnosed,.... admittedly it is VERY VERY sore when lightly touch my left pectoral - I can feel waves of pain bolting through my left chest and then tingles in my fingertips.. I had a very scary episode last night.. the waves of chest wall pain were brought on by me lying down on bed and radiated to my upper left back. I waws at complete rest and hadnt had an episode that severe for 5 days! I nearly passed out from the pain. The anti inflammatories (dicoflenac 50mg) arent helping much. The doctor says it can take up to 6 weeks for the intercostal muscles/cartilage to heal.. is this true?? Its going to be difficult for me to put up with such excruciating pain! Ive been in terrible shape for 48 hours now. ONe more thing, I get the occasional loud knock' in my chest around the heart area only when Im lying down. The doctor says that this is just the normal heart beat and its more natural for someone slim like me to notice. Could it be a muscle spasm as well? What is the likelihood of me doing nerve damage - when I can feel distinct tingles in my left fingers when I apply pressure to the pectoral area? I dont think I will ever go to the gym again in my life for fear of reproducing what im going through. Truly horrible. Twice ive had a panic attack and felt close to death!! Could someone if there are any benefits to heat packs and deep heat massage of the pectoral area, in addition to the anti inflammatories im taking. Look forward to you replies. > I am a healthy 24 year old. I have been in and out of hospital .... 4 > occasions in the last 2 weeks, with acute chest pain. On all 4 > occasions the heart was ruled out and chest wall pain diagnosed,.... > admittedly it is VERY VERY sore when lightly touch my left pectoral - I > can feel waves of pain bolting through my left chest and then tingles > in my fingertips.. > I had a very scary episode last night.. the waves of chest wall pain > were brought on by me lying down on bed and radiated to my upper left > back. I waws at complete rest and hadnt had an episode that severe for > 5 days! I nearly passed out from the pain. The anti inflammatories > (dicoflenac 50mg) arent helping much. > The doctor says it can take up to 6 weeks for the intercostal > muscles/cartilage to heal.. is this true?? Its going to be difficult > for me to put up with such excruciating pain! Ive been in terrible > shape for 48 hours now. > ONe more thing, I get the occasional loud knock' in my chest around > the heart area only when Im lying down. The doctor says that this is > just the normal heart beat and its more natural for someone slim like > me to notice. Could it be a muscle spasm as well? > What is the likelihood of me doing nerve damage - when I can feel > distinct tingles in my left fingers when I apply pressure to the > pectoral area? > I dont think I will ever go to the gym again in my life for fear of > reproducing what im going through. Truly horrible. Twice ive had a > panic attack and felt close to death!! > Could someone if there are any benefits to heat packs and deep heat > massage of the pectoral area, in addition to the anti inflammatories im > taking. You haven't told us how you did this damage, and what precisely did get damaged.  SignatureChris Malcolm cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205 IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK [http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/] > Guys- > > I am a healthy 24 year old. I have been in and out of hospital .... 4 > occasions in the last 2 weeks, with acute chest pain. On all 4 > occasions the heart was ruled out How was the heart rules out? > and chest wall pain diagnosed,.... Pleuresy? You don't get pleuresy pain from touchy a pectoral muscle > admittedly it is VERY VERY sore when lightly touch my left pectoral - I > can feel waves of pain bolting through my left chest and then tingles > in my fingertips.. You don't get pleuresy pain from touchy a pectoral muscle. Which fingertips was the tingling in? > I had a very scary episode last night.. the waves of chest wall pain > were brought on by me lying down on bed and radiated to my upper left [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > The doctor says it can take up to 6 weeks for the intercostal > muscles/cartilage to heal.. is this true?? What you're describing is NOT intercostal pain. I've severely pulled those muscles on several occaisions through martial arts and heavy (too heavy and with poor form) weight training. The level of pain you're describing goes far beyond this, unless you're panicking. I've also pulled half of the sternum-rib joints which causes significant pain when breathing but not like what you're describing. I was still able to function, just slower and with lots of grumbling. Pain medication almost completely helped with it. Either you're panicking, or there's something more seriously wrong here. > Its going to be difficult > for me to put up with such excruciating pain! Ive been in terrible [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > distinct tingles in my left fingers when I apply pressure to the > pectoral area? Which part of the pectoral area? > I dont think I will ever go to the gym again in my life for fear of > reproducing what im going through. What did you do in the gym to bring this on? > Truly horrible. Twice ive had a > panic attack and felt close to death!! That's a typical panic attack, and THAT might be what most of this problem is. Hyperventilation can also cause tingling in the fingertips. > Could someone if there are any benefits to heat packs and deep heat > massage of the pectoral area, in addition to the anti inflammatories im > taking. Not with an acute injury. > Look forward to you replies. Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ in answer to your questions: in the last 4 occasions of going to accident and emergency, i have numerous ECGs in the last 2 weeks(about 12), 3 each time, half an hour apart, while the pain occured, and each one came normal. every single onethe doctor assured me 100% its not the heart chest xrays are also clear no it woudnt be pleuresy pain, I dont have any problems breathing the tinglings occur in my left fingetips. sometimes i only need to press on pec oh so lightly and i can feel the tingling/slght soreness in my left fingertips - at these times the pec feels very sore and swollen to touch. when i hold my left pec from the armpit and pull it gently towards my breastbone, i feel immense and concentrated pain at the left sternum area (where the left pec starts) the most sensitive parts of the pectoral area to touch are above the nipple , on the nipple, to the right of the nipple, and near to the armpit. I start to fel bad pain while I start to apply pressure. Last Sunday - Tuesday i didnt feel much pain at all, but I must add, on wednesday, around 5pm, I applied some mild pressure with my 2 fingertips half way up the LEFT side of my neck and felt a clicking sound as I applied this medium pressure. I did this about 8 times then stopped. Could I have damaged a blood vessel or a nerve? Half an hour after this the waves of pain started coming on in earnest. was just walking around town. I doubnt I have been having panic attacks.. I only had ONE about 2 months ago and I was incredibly short of breath. Since then - I have been in control of my breathing. Im sick and tired of A & E chucking me out every time I check myself in.... should I push with my GP that I see a muscle/bone specialist? ONe more thing, no one here has yet answered why I am getting this 'knocking feeling' in my chest when I lie down. Only when I lie down. The knock occurs about 15 seconds after I lie down. it FEELS like a palpitation but again the doctor said it would not be so. I have just gotten off the phone with the doctor - suprisingly they are fully booked today, but he recommends that I have regular warm showers and has prescribed a gel i can use. He was very very assertive and said I would not need to see a specialist. so.. just grit and bear it I guess! One final note, I stoped taking cocaine about 2 months ago ( I was never a regular user anyway - once a week for about 12 months), and the doctor said that this past abuse can interfere with the effectiveness of the painkillers. at the moment, im on diclofenac 50mg. again i look forward to your replies. In answer o your question chris, I believe I injured it at the gym, I hav been going for 18 months now and never picked up this sort of injury up to a month ago. The doctor has said I have intercostal muscle inflammation/ cartilage problems between the ribs. http://www.medfriendly.com/costochondritis.html Hugs that Avoid the Ribs from Rosie Signature"If you wanna get it done, you gotta fight for yourself." -- Meat Loaf, Bat Outta Hell II > In answer o your question chris, I believe I injured it at the gym, I > hav been going for 18 months now and never picked up this sort of > injury up to a month ago. The doctor has said I have intercostal muscle > inflammation/ cartilage problems between the ribs. > in answer to your questions: > in the last 4 occasions of going to accident and emergency, i have > numerous ECGs in the last 2 weeks(about 12), 3 each time, half an hour > apart, while the pain occured, and each one came normal. every single > onethe doctor assured me 100% its not the heart So they haven't done an echocardiogram? That's not the sort of thing they'd do at the emergency department. Have you gone to see a GP? Talked with a GP about getting a referal to a specialist? > chest xrays are also clear > > no it woudnt be pleuresy pain, I dont have any problems breathing > > the tinglings occur in my left fingetips. Different nerves supply different fingers. If it's all your fingertips, that seems odd. > sometimes i only need to > press on pec oh so lightly and i can feel the tingling/slght soreness [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > breastbone, i feel immense and concentrated pain at the left sternum > area (where the left pec starts) All the way up the sternum, or just at specific parts? Are you pressing on a lymph node in the armpit at the same time? > the most sensitive parts of the pectoral area to touch are above the > nipple , on the nipple, to the right of the nipple, and near to the > armpit. I start to fel bad pain while I start to apply pressure. Here's me listening to hoofbeats and hearing zebras, but men can get breast cancer. The can also develop breast tissue, especially if they've been using steroids they bought from someone at the gym. > Last Sunday - Tuesday i didnt feel much pain at all, but I must add, on > wednesday, around 5pm, I applied some mild pressure with my 2 > fingertips half way up the LEFT side of my neck and felt a clicking > sound as I applied this medium pressure. I did this about 8 times then > stopped. Why did you do this in the first place? Was it just a random compulsion to put pressure on your neck? > Could I have damaged a blood vessel or a nerve? Half an hour > after this the waves of pain started coming on in earnest. was just > walking around town. > > I doubnt I have been having panic attacks.. I only had ONE about 2 > months ago That does not match with what you said in your first post: "I dont think I will ever go to the gym again in my life for fear of reproducing what im going through. Truly horrible. Twice ive had a panic attack and felt close to death!!" > and I was incredibly short of breath. Since then - I have > been in control of my breathing. Good, breathing control is important, as well as using distraction techniques to prevent a panic attack if you feel like you might have one later. > Im sick and tired of A & E chucking me out every time I check myself > in.... should I push with my GP that I see a muscle/bone specialist? Yes. Emergency doesn't much care unless you're dying or will die if they don't find something obvious to treat you for. If your GP won't help you, get another GP. > ONe more thing, no one here has yet answered why I am getting this > 'knocking feeling' in my chest when I lie down. Only when I lie down. I sometimes get a clicking in my chest. It coincides with my heart beat. I've only had one heart problem in my life, and that was from pericarditis following immunoablation therapy. The clicking was alarming, but my doctor was right in that it is nothing to worry about. It did not (and does not, it still occurs from time to time) coincide with the immunoablation therapy. > The knock occurs about 15 seconds after I lie down. it FEELS like a > palpitation but again the doctor said it would not be so. I'd ask to see a cardiologist if you're worried about your heart, but first if there's cause an echocardiogram will show up most problems and may negate the need to try and get into see a cardiologist. > I have just gotten off the phone with the doctor - suprisingly they are > fully booked today, but he recommends that I have regular warm showers > and has prescribed a gel i can use. He was very very assertive and said > I would not need to see a specialist. Get a second opinion, you're obviously still hurting and are not comfortable with the attitude that your GP has taken with you. > so.. just grit and bear it I guess! > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > again i look forward to your replies. Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ Ask your doctor about costochrondritis. DeeTee > in answer to your questions: > in the last 4 occasions of going to accident and emergency, i have [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > again i look forward to your replies. Ben, I'm sorry your going through this right now. I can hear the fear in your post. I've had a back injury that produced the kind of pain your talking about in your chest. The muscles connect from the back to the front. When I would lie down at night I would get spasms that would literally make my chest area jump off the bed. Kind of like an electric shock. Very scary!!! I suppose any injury could take weeks to get better. It is always SMART to get chest pain checked out no matter what. The heart always needs to be checked first then go from there. I hope you get to feeling better sooner than later. debbie m. > Guys- > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > Look forward to you replies. > in answer to your questions: > in the last 4 occasions of going to accident and emergency, i have > numerous ECGs in the last 2 weeks(about 12), 3 each time, half an hour > apart, while the pain occured, and each one came normal. every single > onethe doctor assured me 100% its not the heart >So they haven't done an echocardiogram? That's not the sort of thing >they'd do at the emergency department. Have you gone to see a GP? Talked >with a GP about getting a referal to a specialist? No I have not had an echocardiogram. The 4 A&E doctors saw on 4 seperate occasions all assured me very strongly that the heart was not involved. They supported this statement by the multiple ECGs taken and the pain experienced when they pressed on the left chest muscle. Should this settle my mind that its not heart related beyond all reasonable doubt? I can also undergo brisk walks without getting short of breath. Im a pretty fit person. I have just been to see the nurse practitoner at the GP surgery and she identified that the physical pain could also be pyschological. I have had some very unfortunate things happen to me over the last 3 months and she said this could be making things worse than they actually are :( I live on my own and I do not enjoy my job for starters. She has prescribed me some anti depressants to take once per day for the next 4 weeks and this should help to reduce m anxiety. Ill be honest.. I have been very anxious the last few weeks since whenever I get the sharp waves of pain through my chest I always think its my heart. Perhaps I just need to reassure myself its not the case. costochondritis is a possibility I guess. Thanks for your help guys and please let me know if you have any other thoughts. >>in answer to your questions: >>in the last 4 occasions of going to accident and emergency, i have [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > this settle my mind that its not heart related beyond all reasonable > doubt? I'd say so. > I can also undergo brisk walks without getting short of breath. > Im a pretty fit person. The chest pain does not sound like heart pain. > I have just been to see the nurse practitoner at the GP surgery and she > identified that the physical pain could also be pyschological. I have > had some very unfortunate things happen to me over the last 3 months > and she said this could be making things worse than they actually are > :( I live on my own and I do not enjoy my job for starters. Yes, it could be. Then again, it might not be. When medical practitioners can't figure things out, they often say it's psychological even when there is no evidence for this other than their inability to find a problem. That said, you do sound from your posts like someone that is under stress, and stress can manifest itself in funny ways. > She has prescribed me some anti depressants to take once per day for > the next 4 weeks and this should help to reduce m anxiety. Nurse practitioners should not be prescribing psychiatric medications without the patient getting a consult with a psychiatrist first, or at the very least a GP. This is dangerous. > Ill be honest.. I have been very anxious the last few weeks since > whenever I get the sharp waves of pain through my chest I always think > its my heart. Perhaps I just need to reassure myself its not the case. Heart pain can be pretty specific. Some folks get neck, back, and arm referred pain when it's a heart problem. My experiences of heart pain have been pretty unique compared to the other myriad types of pain I've learned to identify. I haven't ever heard of heart pain described like the pain you're describing. > costochondritis is a possibility I guess. > > Thanks for your help guys and please let me know if you have any other > thoughts. Did you do something SPECIFIC in the gym to cause the pain in the pectoral muscle to start? Is it mostly in the sternal (lower) head of the pectoralis major or the clavicular (upper) head of the muscle? Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ no.. i dont recall any twinge down the gym. the pain is in both parts but far worse on the upper head. I am in absolutely agony today.. worse than yesterday, and the painkillers have very little effect. the heat pack is helping marginally. i dont suppose i have breast cancer.. i dont have any lumps or nipple discharge? i think COSTOCHONDRITIS is a likely cause. when I pull my pec to my sternum I do feel shooting pains down the sternum, and even when I dont, the pain is everywhere in my chest. When can I hope for these agonising pains to stop? They're with me almost all the time now and have been for 48 hours. the pain is horrible when I lie down too Do you tolerate Advil, Aleve or Orudis well? You might try the one that works for you, following the label directions. Try it for 3-4 days, and then switch to another to get the maximum benefit. If OTC NSAIDS don't cut it you'll need an Rx from yer MD. Some ppl. do better with ice for the costo, rather than heat. It won't stay this bad, but you could have a constant dull ache for another month, month and a half. If you can't sleep, try Benedryl. Hope you're doing better, soon. Gentle Hugs from Rosie Signature"If you wanna get it done, you gotta fight for yourself." -- Meat Loaf, Bat Outta Hell II > no.. i dont recall any twinge down the gym. the pain is in both parts > but far worse on the upper head. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > almost all the time now and have been for 48 hours. the pain is > horrible when I lie down too Hi Ben, just to chime in here with my own experience of costochondritis - most of what you read on the web indicates that it is uncomfortable, but not severely painful. My experience has been different. There have been times when mine is so severe that I cannot tolerate even a normal breath and have to breathe quite shallowly. So it definitely can cause pain as severe as you mention. And of course, stress makes EVERYTHING hurt more and fears about it being your heart don't help your stress levels any, that's for certain! Other thoughts too, it is possible to damage a muscle or the cartilege in the ribcage without it being costo, but you generally know you did *something*. My husband had mysterious severe rib pain for years after a fall on a dive boat. Xrays showed nothing. The only thing that really helped in his case was lying down. Doctors just shoook their heads. After we started doing major weight training for a while, the problem eased off and is a rare thing now. Go figure. I do know I've heard football (American kind, that is) commentators say that cartilege tears are more painful than broken ribs. Are you having any back or neck pain with this? Is that tingling in you fingers coming any time other than when you are pressing down with them? If the answer is yes, it might indicate a spinal problem that is putting pressure on the nerves and causing all this pain. Has your doctor checked out your neck and back in all of this? Meanwhile, diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory that has some analgesic effect, but it is not a major pain medication. You say you are on the 50 mg dose, how many times/day do you take it? http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/diclofen_ids.htm The anti-depressant might help with pain control as well as with any mood problems you are having - yes, they really do help with pain control though they don't really know why. Try to find some position in which you are comfortable when you lie down so you can get some decent sleep - that will make it easier to cope. Or if you can't get comfortable lying down all the way, try sleeping in a recliner or propped up halfway on a couch. Lots of folks with painful rib conditions find it easier to sleep if they aren't lying down all the way. As to how long, that really depends on what the problem is. I hear cartilege takes much longer to heal than muscles or ligaments. Does your doctor have a definite idea of what the problem is? It also depends on whether this really is an acute injury that needs to heal or if something else is causing the inflammation. Oh, and as I think Rosie said, some of us find ice helps a lot more than heat. When my costo is really bad, heat worsens it, ice feels good. Just my luck that my worst all-time spell of it was in the depths of winter! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Sorry to hear of all the pain you are in.I'm not familar with what you have,but why are you not on any pain meds,besides the anti inflamatory med? Carol Thanks for your show of support guys. I have seen a good doctor and been diagnosed with Tietze syndrome. Ive had it in quite a focused way for 7 days now. All I have to do is ride it out it could be another week at least before I see any noticable change. I was thinking of taking time off work to rest but Im thinking that could be negative in the fact that Id just be at home worrying about it. So I'll try work (its deskbound) on Monday and see how I get on. Ive started taking paracetamol with the diclofenac, I didnt know you could take them both together. Hopefully Ill see a little more relief.. I'll left you guys know what happens. Perhaps ill even alternate each every 2 hours. Dont have a recliner ... not sure what I could do about the sleep situation :( If the pain doesn't start easing up soon, you might ask your doctor about trying a short course of prednisone or medrol. That can realy help knock down the inflammation that is making you feel so lousy. They just give you like a 10 day quick taper that helps without as much of the usual side effects. In fact, medrol even comes packaged in a dose pack these days that makes it easy to do the taper. My costo was in its horrendous stage at the time of my stepdaughter's wedding. Prednisone got me through it and also knocked down the costo long term enough that I could speak normally again and could even laugh some, which had been prohibitively painful. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Sounds like you just have some ribs out of place. Find a good chiropractor, one who is not afraid to manipulate ribs and have them ut back into place. I cant tell you how many times I see patients complaining and worrying about heart conditions, etc. etc... once their ribs are in place there are no more pains or complaints. update - Day 7 of chronic chest pains - no let up, no improvements. If anything, the pain is appearing to be getting slightly worse day by now. Medication (diclofenac+paracetamol) hardly working. Its 5.14 am - and guess what, no sleep yet! I know i've been diagnosed with Tietze syndrome (inflammation at the costal junctions with the sternum) - but is it characteristic for the whole of my left pectoral to be swollen and tender? Wherever I touch, especially above and to the left of my nipple, (far from the sternum) is extremely sore and tender. I know how rare it is for men to get breast cancer, and rarer still to get inflammatory breast cancer (i have no lumps).., and RARER STILL at my age (24) but should I check it out now with the GP anyway or wait another week on this medication? My Mum died of breast cancer. Not to scare you, but my niece had breast cancer at age 26. Hers had already metastased(?). She is a 7 year survivor now. Get thee to a Dr and tell him of your history. Hopefully it won't be cancer but it's best to catch it early if it is. Mine was caught very early (colon, 2 years in a row), didn't have to have chemo, and now I have check-ups every 6 months. Colon cancer killed my dad. Please keep us updated. Butterfly > update - > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > My Mum died of breast cancer. > Not to scare you, but my niece had breast cancer at age 26. Hers had already > metastased(?). She is a 7 year survivor now. Get thee to a Dr and tell him [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Butterfly Have a blood test as well to check for raised white cells as a marker for infection. What you're describing sounds like you may have more than one thing going on. >>update - >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >> >>My Mum died of breast cancer. Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ Yeah, it's called something like Alphabetitus (?) You start with asthma (very controlled right now YAY!), Barrett's Disease, degenerative disease, GERD, continue on to a steady High White Blood count (Myeloproliferative Disorder--just diagnosed in Sept), Osteoarthritis, 2 herniated neck discs, going in for an MRI to find out why 2 months of non-stop neck pain which PT has eased somewhat but it hasn't gone away. Wearing Das Boot since Sept for the 2nd broken bones in 2 years on the same foot--and the bone density test is "normal' Gonna stop right there for now. Butterfly >> Not to scare you, but my niece had breast cancer at age 26. Hers had >> already metastased(?). She is a 7 year survivor now. Get thee to a Dr and [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >>> >>>My Mum died of breast cancer. Well - I have just got back from seeing a rheumatologist today. I have some interesting news. Upon an extensive physical exam of my upper chest / upper back (that left me sick and almost passing out with pain 1 hour after the exam occured) he has reason to believe I have a problem with my thoraic spine. When he applied pressure to the left of this area up my upper back it was slightly sore. My left upper back was also very sore, in addition to the whole of the chest area. He said that nerves from the spine run out around the back to the chest. I have also been plagued with low back problems for 2 years. Could the 2 be connected? He said there would be no need to run an xray of the spine. He has referred me to seeing an osteopath on Friday. My chest is still extremely tender to touch all over. My upper left back is not tender or sore but extremely tight. Ive been reading up on some background material - and it looks like the rheumatologist could be right - the article link below talks about a 'deep seated' chest pain and upper back pain very characteristic and similar to what I have. Considering I have had chronic low back pain for 2 years now ( and nearly bothered getting it checked!) and have a bad posture - I guess I was asking for trouble. I am also 6' 5" - which must make posture all the more important. And when I still only mean the left side of my chest is heavy. The right is completely fine. Take a look at the below article: http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/cure/chap10.html Thank you. I found that very helpful to me. DeeTee > Ive been reading up on some background material - and it looks like the > rheumatologist could be right - the article link below talks about a [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Take a look at the below article: > http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/cure/chap10.html A few weeks on and Im in less pain. The osteopath has been excellent. I have been taught to adopt an upright posture in both standing and seating positions, keeping the shoulders down and flat, and this provides suprising relief on the chest.! If I feel some serious pain coming on, I remember to use a good posture again, keeping the shoulders back. It helps to take the burning sensation down a notch. PLease look at this article , it talks about 'The Posture Theory' http://users.chariot.net.au/~posture/ Quoted from the article : 'When the head is placed forward and the upper spine is curved forward, there is downward pressure on the chest cavity which compresses the heart, lungs, and diaphram, and that can have a chronic effect on heart function and breathing. The downward compression also presses the ribs together causing strain on the muscles and ligaments of the chest to produce a wide variety of chest pains and cramps.' Based on this principle, it can be reasonable to assume why Tietze Syndrome is more common in women than men, and in taller people who are used to slouching more and looking down at people when they talk to them. Im considering buying the book. Apologies if this article has been mentioned before. > Thank you. I found that very helpful to me. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Take a look at the below article: > > http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/cure/chap10.html Good theory and good posture does pay off in more ways than one over time. But it makes me even more frustrated that I'm the one in our house who got costo! LOL My husband is 6'2" and was that tall by age 13 (they had to borrow a football helmet from the university until his special order one came in as he was so large for his age at that time!). He's had that rounded shoulder thing of tall people for some time. I, on the other hand, have very good posture as the result of years of dancing lessons while growing up. But I'm the one with inflammatory arthritis, so I got the costo............. Come to think of it, he WAS the one who got frozen shoulder from his posture. Considering how much moaning and complaining I listened to then, I'm just as glad he didn't get costo as well! LOL I'm glad to hear you are having less pain, Ben. Costo pain just does eat away at you and it makes other things so very difficult. May you continue to improve! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare > A few weeks on and Im in less pain. The osteopath has been excellent. > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Apologies if this article has been mentioned before. It appears I've had a relapse. The intense burning pains are back. I did some pectoral stretches through a doorway last night as advised by my osteopath - and ddint feel any pull or discomfort at the time, but came down hard with pain an hour later. I cant believe stretching has done this. Could someone please explain how a pectoral muscle stretch can aggravate the costochondral cartilege. Theres something else - I took my first chondroitin/glucosamine complex tablet today at noon and I've had these uncomfortable crawling/tickling sensations that I can only assume to be through the cartilege of the 4th-6th ribs. Isolated stabbing pain accompanies the crawling. Could the 2 be related? The crawling sensation is certainly well under the skin - as though its from the ribs or the heart, highly doubtful to be the latter. I had a highly stressful stress ecg test last week and I passed with flying colours. Does anyone know if glucosamine can cause this? The crawling/tickling sensation is definitely worse when sitting, worse still when lying down or taking a deep breath. How the hell am I going to sleep tonight!??!? Perhaps the crawling is in fact the effect of the complex healing the cartilege.. if I want to think really optimistically :) 7 hours since popping the pill and this annoying crawling continues. My reflux oesaphagitis also has not calmed down even with life style modications. I still get spasms and they frighten the life out of me :( Due to this, I am off all NSAID and painkiller medication. I believe my gastritis may have healed, no more abdominal pain All I currently take is a multi vitamin/multi mineral and 1 omeprazole tab per day. > A few weeks on and Im in less pain. The osteopath has been excellent. > [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > > Take a look at the below article: > > > http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/cure/chap10.html Hi, Are you sure the pain in your chest etc is not related to your heart. Some RA and PA medication cause angina. I get repeated angina attacks and have had that many heart tests and have past with flying colours but.....the specialists say it is due to the medication. Can't help you with the chondroitin/glucosamine as I had no side affects with it - actually I had no affects at all but they were helpful for my husband. Gail > Hi, > Are you sure the pain in your chest etc is not related to your heart. > Some RA and PA medication cause angina. He's not being treated for these conditions AFAIK > I get repeated angina attacks > and have had that many heart tests and have past with flying colours > but.....the specialists say it is due to the medication. > Can't help you with the chondroitin/glucosamine as I had no side > affects with it - actually I had no affects at all but they were > helpful for my husband. Yeah, the glucosamine+chondroitin is not responsible for what he's experiencing (a shellfish allergy would be much worse, and manifest itself differently). Taking a sufficient dose long term is sometimes difficult, because finding what a 'sufficient dose' is for each individual can sometimes take quite a length of time. > Gail Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ muscle stretches/use aggravate costo by somehow putting strain on the inflammed cartilege, either because the muscle rubs against the cartilege as it moves or because the muscle is attached to the skeleton in such a place that it pulls on the area where the inflammed cartilege is located. also keep in mind that inflammation generally = swelling, making such friction more common. keep stretches, etc. very gentle for now - hard to do, i know. i couldn't even drive when it was at its worst. about the crawling/tickling sensation - i get that when my costo is bad. i always assumed it had to do with the inflammation putting pressure on the nerves running through the area - i get it elsewhere with my arthritis flares. if that preceeded the stretching, it may be an indicator that your costo was going into a flare already. inflammation is a tricky and devious foe. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare > It appears I've had a relapse. The intense burning pains are back. I > did some pectoral stretches through a doorway last night as advised by [quoted text clipped - 77 lines] >>>> Take a look at the below article: >>>> http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/cure/chap10.html Thankyou very much for the comprehensive reply Nann and others the crawling sensation really is horrible :( Im probably being a complete hypochondriac, but it sounds like I have something more serious like pericarditis. I do get more intense pains accompaning the crawling when I take a deep breath now.. and its much much worse when I lie down. when im moving and up and about i cant feel very much crawlinng or pain Surely I dont have pericarditis though.. considering my flare occured 24 hours after the pec stretching? Would be too much of a coincidence. Should I be more optimistic and be strong or get a tracing done anyhow? Bummer.. I cant take any NSAIDs with my current oesophagitis :( All the pain Im feeling is real ;-) Nann - I think you're right. The chest muscle is certainly connected in someway. When I pull my left chest muscle in to my sternum with my right hand I can reproduce the crawling and tingling sensations in a much much much more intense fashion. Nerve pressure. F*ck. Should I consider a low dose of corticosteroids or a cortisone shot? I can only assume when the pressure eases on the nerves running through the area Ill be in even more pain than now. > Nann - I think you're right. The chest muscle is certainly connected in > someway. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > I can only assume when the pressure eases on the nerves running through > the area Ill be in even more pain than now. since you can't take anti-inflammatories, i think it'd definitely be worth trying a steroid taper or a shot. a taper has helped my costo a lot a couple of times in the past. actually, i suspect the pressure on the nerves is a consequence of the inflammation and swelling that are causing your pain, so when the pressure eases, it will be because the inflammation is easing and you'll be starting to feel better overall. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare could your chest wall pain be pleurisy. predisone helps me when I take it with the chest wall pain stuff. It helps with the inflammation. SignatureHugs, prayers, good thoughts, Warm fuzzies, TLC, and Love Squirrely Jo |
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