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[carolynwhines]

So there's a new thing wrong with me. The cartilage around the ribs in my chest is swollen and painful. This is called costochondritis. There is no real real reason for it. When I asked the doctor if it might be related to the reactive arthritis she just sort of stared at me blankly. Do you think doctors take a class in blank stares? Because all my

Comments

[subversivegrrl]

Ack! I had a friend who got that (costowhatsis) shortly after she started working as a nurse's aide and had to lift elderly patients many times a day, something about the way she was lifting them supposedly caused a strain and it got inflamed. No fun, no matter what causes it. Get better!

[mandiblue]

i was diagnosed with costal chondritis 25+ years ago. it was brought on by my slight scholiosis and my job at the time (managing a bookstore, lifting heavy boxes daily). i spent a year under an osteopath's care while also taking naprosyn, and it diminished to the point of vanishing. i get twinges now and then, for no reason.

at its height, before i was diagnosed, i thought i was dying of multiple heart attacks. which was, um, pretty scary.

i give props to your doctor for even knowing what it is. tis a hard & weird thing to diagnosis.

feel betta, doll.

[carolynwhines]

i'm wondering if i just hefted a file box wrong at the office (even though i'm usually really careful having been through like 5 kamillion health and safety trainings, lucky me)i just wish it would go away cuz it sucks

[agent_mph]

I had costochondritis late last year/early this year. It HURT, as I'm sure you know. I think mine was caused by sitting funny at work and from the position of my mouse on the desk. I went to physical therapy for it, and the stretches I did helped a lot. Maybe your doc can give you some helpful exercises to do at home? Heat and ultrasound also helped it feel better...good excuse to lay around with a heating pad!