Costochondritis or costosternum syndrome is a swelling of the cartilage that connects a rib to the sternum and causes pain similar to that of a heart attack. It is not known why it appears and it usually disappears after a few weeks. It mainly affects the left side of the sternum. It’s not serious. It is more common in women and in those over 40 years of age.
Typically, it is unknown why costochondritis occurs. There are times, however, in which we can associate costochondritis with other factors such as the existence of an injury in the area, the appearance of arthritis or the presence of a tumor.
The main symptom of this disease is constant pain in the sternum area, with spikes of greater intensity when coughing. The pain may disappear after about a week or remain for several weeks.
The doctor will perform a physical examination in the sternum area to check what type of pain the patient has. This is a pain that can be confused with that of heart disease. An examination by a doctor is essential, since there is no test that can confirm the diagnosis of costochondritis.
Costochondritis disappears on its own in most cases, within several weeks. The doctor may order treatment with anti-inflammatories to reduce pain. Treatment with tranquilizers and antidepressants can also be considered.
There are no effective methods of prevention of costochondritis. However, if characteristic pain appears, it is advisable to do stretching exercises, especially of the chest muscles. Additionally, you should avoid activities that make the pain worse.