What does costochondritis feel like in the chest?

The cartilage connects your ribs to your breastbone (sternum), creating the costochondral joint. Costochondritis feels like a sharp or aching pain. The pain can start suddenly or develop slowly and spread across your chest. Because the pain is in your chest, you might misinterpret costochondritis as a heart attack.

How do I know if my chest pain is costochondritis?

The pain associated with costochondritis usually:

1. Occurs on the left side of your breastbone.
2. Is sharp, aching or pressure-like.
3. Affects more than one rib.
4. Can radiate to arms and shoulders.
5. Worsens when taking a deep breath, coughing, sneezing or with any chest wall movement.

Can costochondritis make your whole chest hurt?

Chest pain caused by costochondritis can range from mild to severe. Mild cases may only cause your chest to feel slightly tender or some pain when you push on the area. More severe cases may get worse with certain movements as well as with deep breaths.

Does costochondritis hurt to touch?

It could be caused by a mostly harmless condition called costochondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breastbone. If you press on your upper ribs and it feels tender, you may have it.

What foods trigger costochondritis?

Diet for costochondritis Stay away from gluten, processed foods, and refined sugars. They are known causes of inflammation.

How did I get costochondritis?

Causes of costochondritis severe coughing, which strains your chest area. an injury to your chest. physical strain from repeated exercise or sudden exertion you’re not used to, such as moving furniture. an infection, including respiratory tract infections and wound infections.

Is walking good for costochondritis?

Exercise gently. Low impact exercise, like walking or swimming, can improve your mood and keep your body healthy. Don’t overdo it, and stop if pain gets worse. Apply low ice to the area several times a day, 20 minutes on, 1 hour off to decrease the inflammation.

Can costochondritis affect your heart?

Costochondritis Diagnosis To rule out a more serious cause of your chest pain related to your heart or lungs, your doctor will probably start with tests like an echocardiogram (ECG), chest X-rays, and blood test for heart damage, among others.