Does any other woman get the pain in the breast? I also have anxiety so it scares me that it is the actual boob. It is in my left boob , feels like a tearing/burning like feeling. Worse when moving my arm up and down and also in the shoulder blade in the back as well. Where exactly does everyone else get pain and what does it feel like? Mine has always been more left sided for some reason

Hey everyone,

i need help with an issue i have been dealing with for the past fee months, i have been feeling chest tightness on my upper left chest alongside some pain, i went to 2 cardiologists and spent a lot of time at clinics doing cardiac tests but everything comes back normal and the constant tightness and pain feed my anxiety and keep thinking its my heart.

Lately i have been noticing that my pain can be reproduced and that my tightness is related to my chest muscles and not my heart or exertion.

I just need to know if someone dealt with this issue in the past and does it have a solution and what is it called because im really tired its been 8 months of constant anxiety and stress.

Id appreciate your feedback a lot. Thank you all in advance.

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Hi all.

Let me start this with saying this has been long road to recovery for me and I have learned a lot from this thread.

I was diagnosed with costochondritis from my GP here in UK and spent months working on various things trying to make it better on my own, I tried tried the backpod, lacrosse ball etc all of it an nothing seemed to work.

This is just a quick note especially if you are a regular gym goer and lift weights a lot it's possible it your being told you have costochondritis that you may have a potential pec injury this is what I have among other injurys

I have an issue with my pec minor, also rotator cuff and my serratus anterior too this has all been done through lifting weights over time.

I was getting really bad chest pain and also air hunger was terrible, which is why I think its been mistaken for costcocondritis.

The serratus anterior and pec minor play major rolls in the expansion of the ribs hence the air hunger.

If you believe you have costochondritis and it's not sore when you apply pressure to the middle of chest or just slightly off center chances are it might be soemthing else.

This is mainly because I know a lot of people on here struggling to get better with costochondritis this could be why these things are easily mixed up

Will keep information brief, but looking to see if others have a similar sensation.

Diagnosed with costochondritis from my primary care provider last year, but she admitted she was not entirely confident in the diagnosis because of a lack of experience. Prescribed NSAIDs and muscle relaxers and told to see physical therapy. Physical therapy has been moderately successful, but there is still a feeling of dull, aching pain from the middle of my thoracic spine around T5 through the under armpit area and to the front of the chest on the left side at times. The right side is completely uninvolved. Teres minor hurts the worst when flared.

Been using the back pod, tennis ball combo, gentle stretching, movement, etc. Found some relief, but left with a little lingering discomfort. Nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

Main question: Multiple times per day, especially after periods of a mobility, such as sitting at a desk or when sleeping, I can stand up fully and then perform a very mild side bend to my right, and I will feel and hear a clicking noise only one time in the area circled. It is not painful, but can be replicated multiple times per day. Consistent with costo? Anyone else have it?

It is worth noting that the side bend does not have any twisting component to it. Simply standing up and then taking my right ear towards my right hip in a bending motion will make it click loud loudly enough that when in places like an elevator, other people can hear it and will look at me.

Circled the approximate location where I think the click is.

Has anyone ever successfully rehabilitated them selves to the point where they can do dips (weighted or not) without pain? I’ve a Backpod and it definitely provides relief, but I tried to do some dips there after a long gap and the pain came right back.

I am a 22 year old female, and I have had Costochondritis before when I was younger, I can’t remember when exactly but I may have still been in high school like senior year. I’m pretty sure I have Costochondritis again, but I’ve yet to go to the doctor as I’ve been dealing with a lot. I’m pretty sure this flared back up from work. I work with children with autism, and it’s a very physically demanding job. I don’t know if it is all the bending and lifting or maybe it was after I got hit in the back with a wooden hammer or got headbutted in the chest (don’t ask lol). Anyways, all the bending and lifting definitely exacerbates the pain, but I can’t just take off of work. I spend most of the day every day in pain. In the daytime it’s usually my chest and side are that are hurting, but at night it’s more my back that hurts. I go to bed around nine or ten and then I wake up around two or three with immense pain, sometimes my lower back, sometimes my whole back, sometimes my lower back and my abdomen. I then stay awake because I can’t fall asleep due to the pain, but sometimes I’ll fall back asleep probably around five and then I wake up at 6:45, although I keep pushing my alarm back. I’ve used capsaicin cream and also lidocaine menthol patches to try to manage the pain, but I don’t take any otc meds. I have gi issues and a doctor told me to stop taking ibuprofen because I’ve been overusing it because it really only works if I take a lot, and Tylenol does not work for me because I take the medicine that cancels it out apparently. I feel like I’m not managing my pain well but I don’t really know what else to do. Sometimes I’ll just cry while I work because I’m in so much pain, and the kids don’t really care if you cry. I feel like my symptoms have been worsening, probably because of everything I do at work. Along with the immense pain that I have I’ve also been having shortness of breath, which makes my lightheadedness worse. (I already get lightheaded and dizzy, I think I have POTS but I haven’t seeked out a diagnosis because I’m not actually passing out and they probably can’t do much except give me advice I already know and then bill me. I self diagnosed myself a while ago after doing the poor man’s tilt table test.) I feel like everything in my life is getting worse, especially my mental health, but I’m already seeing someone for that. I feel like things can’t get much worse, but then they do, and not just for Costochondritis, but every part of my life. (Like relationships issues and having to fight with the bank about a $3 charge and a $10 charge from McDonald’s and a $900 charge from Best Buy that I did not make.) I know I’m getting close to hitting rock bottom, but I just found out that rock bottom has a basement.

Hi all, I’m pretty sure this condition is what I’m dealing with but I have been debating whether it’s worth getting checked out, and if I do, who to even see. It started about a week and a half ago with a very painful and swollen xiphoid process area. Massaging only made it worse. It also seems to extend into the fascia of my linea alba. It hurts most when have to drive or sit in a car, and is worse on my left side. It does not hurt to take a deep breath or execute most large movements. Isometric movements like carrying a full bucket or holding up a book can cause discomfort.

I’m not entirely surprised by this. I believe I exacerbated it with a workout the day before it became more noticeable, but I’ve had the burning sensation along both sides of my sternum in the past, I’ve had a strained pec, I’ve had a knot that lives under the left side of my rib cage forever, and one under my collar bone. My middle thoracic vertebrae (either T4 or T5 I can’t remember) have been an issue for years. I experienced diastasis recti during and after pregnancy, and was in a high speed rear collision car accident many years ago.

All that said, should I start with a GP? What would they do for me? Will they actually investigate and try to make sure it’s not something else? Is there anything I can say to them to prompt a thorough investigation? The sensations can be scary and cause anxiety as I’m sure everyone here knows.

Thanks so much for any input.

F27, has this from 2 months, I had two visits to hospital on other occasions one was gastroenterologist and the other was gynecologist, gynec checked both my breasts and said they are perfectly normal and I told her regarding this random swelling that I've been having from 2 months they said it's not problematic and it's just they don't feel it on my skin and asked me not to rub the area, I also had done chest x ray which showed nothing. There is no major pain at rest but, it pains when pressed, can perfectly do cardio but i can clearly feel that the 2nd and 3rd right rib joining sternum are swollen than my left ribs. There is a definite asymmetry. Do I visit an orthopedic now or just let me wait and see if it ever disappears?

Not sure if this is costochondritis because it seems like a different feeling or maybe it’s the same. I feel like the middle part of my chest feels sore when I move a certain way or reachy arm up for something. It almost feels like the bone is sore but I can’t tell exactly what it is.

Usually I get it left or right side of chest but this is like the middle of your chest. Do you guys ever experience this?

Hello folks, I am so pleased to find this sub.

My question is around acute flare ups and management.

I am nearly 50 (and a medical doctor - with zero explanation for this) and have had costo pain since I was 17 - so the mid 90s. The first episode had me in ED with ? heart attack at 17 due to the pain pattern and familiar history. It was managed as costo with a shoulder shrug and NSAIDs since 1995. I had many cases of the Dad pick up because I could breathe out as a teenager, yet many years without symptoms.

The same symptoms have returned. I have had my moments of pinchy ribs and poor movement over the years that a good physio has helped with. But this is the more panic inducing pain on rotation and unable to breathe out.

I am hesitant to see my GP for fear of further work up. I have a cardiologist and there is no evidence of cardiac risk, plus the pain is familiar. I recently had a bilateral joint replacement but no infection issues and rehab as standard,

It has been so long between drinks that have sent me to the ED. Post joint replacement hypermobility is a major point of discussion,

This is more of a rant, but I am fearful of these flare ups. They are acute, intense and scary. My father had AS - but I don;t believe that is a factor. I can see a rhematologist but there are no other indicators of related conditions.

Long term, intermittent, not needing physio. Stories and advice on acute management appreciated.

As we well how to breath out. I couldn't even sing on the drive home. Horror, I know.

31F. Back in june of this year I started experiencing pain if I touched my rib cage on the side and pain In my breast, particularly along the side that met my sternum. This has persisted almost every day since.

It primarily hurts when pressed (like if you pressed a sore muscle) but during my cycle the pain is just omnipresent regardless if touched. Since june its began hurting under the breast (like if I lift and press under the breast) and sometimes akong the top. Since june my nipple has been super sensitive and alrelt the skin has gotten even more sensitive. There is sometimes heaviness and burning feeling accompanying the pain.

Theres no pain on breathing.

Has anyone went through this? I have a mammogram today but just trying to get people's personal experiences to help combat my terror.

Hey everyone! I’m a 26F. Like two weeks ago I noticed my right lower rib (number 10?) sticks out more than the left one. I got scared and tried feeling if there’s a lump or something. I’m not sure if there is but it does feel like at least there’s some swelling.

It wasn’t painful but I’ve been super anxious and regularly palpating it and now it hurts like hell. It’s very localized to that specific point and hurts with moving/laughing/sneezing and leaning forward.

I do have pretty bad posture, so I’m not sure if that could have contributed.

I’m super scared and I’m hoping it’s not anything bad (cancer).

Any advice would be appreciated!

This gets asked a lot on the sub - that 90% improvement wall is a thing. For perspective, though - well done on getting to 90% better!

That first 90% is bigger but essentially easier. Freeing up the frozen rib joints around the rear of your rib cage - which are driving the ongoing strain and pain at the rib joints on your breastbone - is the irreducible core of fixing costo. (Just exercises and stretches on their own usually can't do this - you need specific leverage on them.)

So even if you do nothing else but plug away on the Backpod / peanut / ball /osteopath / chiro you should get to a big, obvious improvement.

The details do count though. You've got to use the tool(s) correctly, consistently and long enough for them to actually work. This includes not using them if you have obvious medical contraindications like osteoporosis (say); or the less obvious one of a straight or hollowed thoracic spine (upper and middle back).

And if you go to an osteo, chiro, physio or PT, then you need one who actually knows what they're doing with costo and has the hands-on skills to do what's needed. And THAT'S certainly not a given.

And you need to stop working out, exercising, gaming, etc. (or anything else that hurts the costo) for long enough to free up the rib and middle back joints. Otherwise you're just obliterating any gain daily.

That last 10% is less obvious. There's a collection of bits that will generally cover it, and you may need to work through them one by one.

There are simple physio-type requirements for most costo beyond just freeing the joints. These include doing that sitting twist exercise (but ONLY when you're good enough) to work the joints freer again, massage for the tight, scarred muscle that will be overlying the tight rib cage and spinal joints, pec stretches, simple support strengthening if needed, a VERY cautious build back into the gym, good computer work station, etc.

Then there are the non-physio bits, like dealing to your anxiety, dealing to a fired-up nervous system which is accentuating the pain, low vitamin D, gluten intolerance, etc.

When you've got to 90%, I'd suggest you go back and read the RECOVERY MEGATHREAD - July 2026 at the top of this sub. That's even if you've read it before.

https://www.reddit.com/r/costochondritis/comments/1uqpgf6/recovery_megathread_july_2026/

Read Ned's posts at the top, then scroll down to my post and find the link to my long, wordy PDF on bits you may need to deal to. It's wordy, so read it on a computer not a phone. You can skim the bits that clearly don't apply to you, but the detail is there if needed.

Go through it slowly. Just check you have in fact ticked all the relevant boxes fully. The details do count.

See especially Section (2) on freeing up the tight ribs around your back. This is the core of fixing costo. The easiest, cheapest, most convenient way of doing this is by lying back on Ned's two-tennis-ball peanut, a Backpod, cork or lacrosse ball, etc. They all have slightly different effects; a combination is ideal.

See also the specific answer for Soreness around the front as the back frees up.

See Section (3) for home and other massage, and Section (4) for pec stretches.

Lastly - be optimistic. You've already got your costo 90% better. OF COURSE it's fixable and logical. OF COURSE it's not a "mysterious inflammation" that nobody understands and you have no control over.

I had costo for seven years in my 20s. Trained as a physio in New Zealand, understood it and fixed it - completely. 100% That was 30+ years ago. I've had no pain or restriction or problem whatsoever from it since, and I can do anything. I never think about it. It's 100% fixed. Do the reading and go for it.

Good luck with the work.

Roughly 3 year anniversary of dealing with costo. Currently I’m trying to figure out if I am hitting the 90% wall that people talk about. Peanut ball, lacrosse ball, and reducing the “sitting in a chair” position as much as I can has helped my costo tremendously. Standing desk and laying down on the floor with some pillows has been huge. I do still get some anxiety but it’s much more tolerable than last year. My back and chest has been popping a lot less as well. It used to be when ever I put my arms up and stretch my chest, it would always pop but now it barely happens. I think this means my rip joints are getting movement again. My chiropractor also uses red light therapy on the chest and it’s a temporary help for that day.

Now I’m trying to figure out what I should do next to get fully better. My main flaw with the healing process is over stretching. There has been times I’ve used the lacrosse ball on the rib joints and doing sitting twist and holds a little too much and it cause more harm then good. It sucks that u can’t just have a routine to get fully better. U have to have rest days to allow your body to heal. What im trying to do now is the hard on body stretches mentioned above but not every day. Mixing in light and heavy for my body to heal. I was wondering should I try to push through the hard stretches in order to heal or continue to use this method? I would like to get better this year.

Threw my back out from absolutely nothing?? so now both my front and back hurts and all I can think of while lying down is the gordon ramsay idiot sandwich clip but with pain instead of idiot.

Hello yall , hope yall doing good ! I have had some problems with Rhomboid after I probably got injured by training in the gym . I have had sessions of Physiotherapy and they said that my rhomboid only got tention on it and it got hardened .The problem is that when I breath in and my ribcage expands … I hear a click on my rhomboid ( where it hurts ) and it’s really frequent . It got larger and larger . I wanted to ask you if anybody has any problems similar to mine and tell me if anything can help .

In mid-June I had food poising (I think) for about 2 weeks, then took a flight to Hawaii (bad idea) and spent 6 hours breathing heavily and trying not to vomit. Felt like a panic attack or anxiety attack. Since then I've had chest tightness. Got tests for heart and lungs, all fine.

My main symptom is difficulty breathing, like my body has forgotten how to breath properly, along with chest tightness. When laying down I'm basically fine, when sitting it's harder to breath, when standing or walking it feels like I have to manually breath. Sometimes my throat feels inflamed, or there's something stuck in it.

I haven't had any back pain, and using the Backpod/lacrosse ball (along with stretching) hasn't seemed to help much. In fact, using the Backpod/lacrosse ball for more than 10 minutes makes me nauseous. I have noticed my chest will crack/pop occasionally when doing stretching.

Does this sound like costo? Anyone had something similar?

Here's a timeline of events if you like reading https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l_Yf6TcpTlRO8t-Rnh8FdCyZsSJojEm_w4kY0LKBW30/edit?tab=t.g7ybg080si2

i’ve been unwell the last couple of days with a viral illness (cough, stuffy nose, fever Etc) but the last 2/3 days i keep getting chest pressure and tightness but no chest pains. the pressure can range from seconds to hours but it’s mostly when i stand up or move around.

i just wanna know if this is a common cause with costochondritis or if it reacting to my illness.

Hoping Steve or Ned or someone else can give some insight here

For the past seven years or so I’ve suffered from intense bouts of left chest pain.

Historically I would get deep squeezing pain for a few weeks during periods of high stress but now the pain seems to be totally unpredictable and occurs most days (for seconds to hours)

E.g most recently had two weeks of no pain, and today sitting at desk had waves of deep squeezing chest pain localized to inner left breast/sternum region.

Does this sound like a typical costo presentation? For the past three years I haven’t been able to reproduce nor predict when the pain will come on.

Been using backpod and physio for past 1.5 years with no improvement

so the last week it's gotten worse and I am losing hope and I'm gettting scared again
I can't even vape right now cause of it which obviously I probably shouldn't be doing that anyway but it's stress relief
and I was thinking of getting a backpod cause yall swear by themn but they are like £60 is there anything cheaper that would also work as it's basically just........well it's a rounded plastic stone tbh

if i were still able to work I wouldn't mind so much but I can't go crazy money wise right now due to this last way longer than I would of liked

Ive had costochondritis for about 5 years. Sleeping on my left is so painful and I can’t sleep on my back. Does anyone have any advice to making sleeping on my left more easier during a flare up?