kim1963

I have been suffering from costochondritis now for 8 months . There is never a day without pain , some just more severe than others .My pain tends to move around , I've had it in my back , under my shoulder blades , my sides , my chest , into my arm and always in my ribs on both sides .

Movement , bending , lifting ,wearing a bra , the weather all tend to worsen it . There are days I can't even bend over to tie my own shoes .

In the last 8 months I have learned after seeing 4 different doctors , none really know how to treat this or how to make it go away . I started out on the usual inflammatory medicine a steroid shot and a script for pain pills . None of this helped . After 5 more steroid/ Cortisone shots , muscle relaxers , more inflammation and pain pills I'm still no better than I was at the start . I've tried over the counter meds , Motrin , Ibuprofen , Tylenol , aspirin , alieve , ect .Went the natural route with Noni , glucosamine , fish oil pills , all known to help inflammation . I tried going to a chiropractor , made it worse . As of now I have been going to the center for pain treatment getting a serious of injections into my ribs called prolotherapy . I had great hopes for this . The first two times I went seemed to help but several weeks later the pain was all back once again .

I have learned to control it some . Alternating between ice and heat helps . For me a heating pad has become my best friend . Some pain rubs and cream cut the pain also . For me Vicks vapor rub works best and I've tried everything from icy hot to bengay . The biggest help is lack of movement . Just sitting and not moving with a heating pad or ice pack on .

I've found that a combination of Ibuprofen with Hydrocodone with a wrap/ brace around the ribs will get me to work most mornings .

I hope maybe some of this information will help someone else struggling with this painful condition .