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Suggest Remedies For Costochondritis

Posted on Wed, 5 Apr 2017

Question: My dr has diagnosed me as having costochondritis and I have been in extreme pain for at least 6 weeks now. otc drugs do not help. I hold ice on my left ribs which helps numb the pain in the daytime. At night I use a heating pad. I take ambien for 5 days now but this is not helping sleep through the pain anymore. I take ibuprofen hoping it will help for the inflammation even tho it does nothing for the pain. I have had a chest xray and a nuclear bone scan. The only advice my dr tells me is to lose weight. Also he has given me antibiotics also. I am desperate for relief from this agonizing pain.

Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Steroid, Physiotherapy

Detailed Answer:
Hi there

Thanks for the query

Since conservative manganese with NSAIDs isn't working, you cab get a steroid injection into the costochondral joint. Also taking Gabapentin will help with the symptoms.

Chest stretching and TENS therapy are also very helpful.

I hope I have answered your query.

I will be available to answer your follow up queries.

Regards,

Dr. Aashish Raghu

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng