Costochondritis Treatment

| Modified on Feb 09, 2024

What Is Costochondritis?

A number of heart conditions and causes of chest pain are known today and can be particularly difficult for the affected individual to identify. Costochondritis is one such condition. Inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the sternum, costochondritis causes pain like that of a heart attack and may mimic symptoms of angina and other heart conditions. Known several other names including chest wall pain, costosternal chondrodynia, and costosternal syndrome, costochondritis coinciding with swelling is denoted as Tietze syndrome.

Much like symptoms of angina, the symptoms of costochondritis are fairly typical of any chest or heart problem. Common symptoms include pain and tenderness of the chest cavity, localized pin on the left side of the breastbone and worsened pain when breathing deeply or coughing. While not typical, some cases may also cause nausea, fatigue, and sweating.

While most cases of costochondritis have no finite cause, some potential causes have been recognized. Costochondritis may be caused by injury to the chest, physical strain such as from lifting or strenuous exercising, arthritis, infection in the joint, and tumors.

Costochondritis Remedies and Natural Treatments

As the cause of costochondritis is frequently unknown, treatment often focuses on relieving the pain or symptoms associated with the condition while the costochondritis improves on its own. Many natural treatments are available that assist in both. Goldenseal, olive leaf, grapefruit seed extract, and cat's claw are all effective supplements for treating infection that may be causing costochondritis. L-lysine, multizyme, and dolomite are also effective supplements for supporting overall bone and cartilage health. Additional treatment options include visiting a chiropractor and trying prolotherapy to directly focus massage and healing on the chest cavity.




Calcium Orotate

2 User Reviews
5 star (1) 
  50%
1 star (1) 
  50%

Posted by Scott O. (Costa Rica ) on 08/06/2017
★☆☆☆☆

I tried Calcium Orotate - bought on Amazon - for about 6 months and it had no effect whatsoever on my Costo Chondritis - Nada! Nothing!


Calcium Orotate
Posted by Cheekio (Ca) on 07/19/2016
★★★★★

Calcium Orotate for Costochondritis and Tietze syndrome: This has cured my costo. 1100 mg per day. I take it with dinner. The pain is gone, no more shortness of breath, I can lift heavy things like a normal person again.

Replied by Cheekio
(Ca)
08/07/2016

Trust me I tried everything under the sun. Google studies on calcium orotate and Costochondritis. You will find in the studies that Calcium Orotate was the only cure even for the most stubborn cases. I thought the last mineral I would be deficient in was calcium but I was so wrong because this cured my costo. It didnt even show up on my minderal panel test. This form of calcium is most bioavailable. Try it folks. You'll get better with one week of taking it because I did. Share your joy with me please! I can lift weights again and work out on my rowing machine. No more pain or shortness of breath. I'm sooo happy 😊

Replied by Rani
(Fort Worth, Tx)
04/25/2017

Where can I get this form of calcium? I have same issues, no results through my treatment team. Thank you, Rani

Replied by Cheekio
(Ca)
06/20/2017

I order it from Amazon. There is a medical study that proves it works for Costochondritis and Tietze. The study says Tietze is severe Costochondritis and apparently these are all calcium deficiencies.

Replied by Jeanne
(Colorado)
12/17/2017

May I ask how long did you have this condition and has it ever come back? Did you try anything else besides the calcium Orotate? I got this condition 4 months ago, please let me know that there is hope out there. This is the worst pain ever. I'm scared to think this is a lifetime ordeal.

Thank you for your feedback at your convenience.

Thank You,


Collagen

1 User Review
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Posted by Zander (Anytown, USA) on 02/09/2024
★★★★★

Had a bout with sub-clinical hypothyroidism. TPOab, hashitoxicosis, all said to be part of Hashimoto's, (thankfully, mine is now in remission according to the clinical standard > 100 TPO anti-bodies.) At one point during those hellish months, I noticed I could see my sternum poking out from my chest slightly. The entire area had been slightly tender for months and I had thought nothing of it.

I asked a quite well known functional medicine doctor who specializes in thyroid issues if he had noted a correlation between thyroid disorders and incidence of tendonitis (costochondritis.) He indicated he had not, which surprised me. Incidental reporting on the internet seems to indicate a correlation, indeed, among Hashimoto's sufferers, and it is largely accepted that the thyroid requires quite a lot of protein and collagen to function properly and particularly, to heal.

My costochondritis became worse and worse. It produces frightening sensations mimicking heart issues as described in the heading for this topic. I tried every anti-inflammatory supplement and diet, rested the area - you name it. But suddenly it occurred to me, why not try supplementing collagen? Perhaps my struggling thyroid was drawing the collagen away from my rib cage to use to bolster and heal. Well, I took 35 mg of Type l & lll Marine Collagen from a company with two trees as their logo and was quite improved within 24 hours. I researched further. If these two types could help, perhaps another kind could as well. So I started with Type ll. Guess what that's made of? Chicken STERNUM - the very area that had been so alarmingly inflamed. I'm going to add this. I'd love to see Art or another researcher look into the collagen - costochondritis connection. I really believe I've hit on something.


Herbs, Grapefruit Seed Extract

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
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Posted by Jennifer (Atlanta, Ga) on 07/25/2012
★★★★★

I have had a struggle off and on for years with this malady. I do believe in most cases it is the result of an infection- viral or fungal. The things that help me most are antiinfective herbals. I usually take three capsules of goldenseal and olive leaf TWICE a day for several days. If it is severe, I add six - ten drops of grapefruit SEED extract in water ( chased with juice as it tastes yucky ). These all target a broad variety of infections and usually make a noticeable difference. I also take aleve or ibuprofen, but the herbs seem to GET rid of the problem a lot faster.

Excellent herbal antiinfectives : andrographis, grapefruit seed extract, cat's claw, and olive leaf extract . If you have an infection and want to avoid antibiotics, these are scientifically legitimate and have been studied. I usually have good results with three capsules TWICE daily ( six total ) for several days. For colds, flu, viruses, etc.. These are safe and QUITE helpful!!

My doc has said he thinks costo is usually a viral infection, and these herbs are effective for many bacteria, viruses and fungii. More info on these can be found at Sloan Ketttering Memorial website or Pubmed.

Replied by Mike
(Morrisville, Nc)
07/23/2013

Hello - you shared that you usually take 3 capsules of goldenseal and 3 capsules of olive leaf TWICE a day for several days, And then if it is severe, you add six - ten drops of grapefruit SEED extract in water.

Question: What is the dosage of each goldenseal capsule and olive leaf capsule that you take?

Also, are you taking 3 capsules of goldenseal and 3 capsules of olive leaf... twice a day? That would mean you are taking 12 capsules in one day, correct?

Has this been working for you? You can send your response to my e-mail if you want: mjhoner (at) outlook.com

Replied by Yola4
(Leh, New Jersey)
01/21/2021

Hey Jennifer, I don't know if you still frequent these boards but I'm praying that you do!

What are the dosages of goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, and olive leaf extract that you take? Also u said twice a day for the goldenseal and olive leaf ... for a total of 12 a day? I've been in so much pain over the past 4 years due to various ailments and then my mom my very best friend passed away and I really can't take much more... I need relief so please respond! Thxs Lonnie

Elsa D.
(New Zealand)
12/15/2021

hi Yola4

I would try a clay poultice at the painful back

or activated charcoal poultice using the juice of comfrey to wet.

do it at bedtime and leave it overnight.

massage your back and chest.

love elsa

Replied by CATHY
(TEXAS)
06/08/2022

Hi Costo people;

Almost all costo is caused by back injury or trauma to the chest/rib cage. Only a small percentage get costo from infection etc to chest.

This protocol will not work for those of us who got Costo from injury, not infection.

Good luck! Glad it works for some!

Cathy/Texas


L-Lysine

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Luz (Anchorage, Alaska Usa) on 01/03/2013
★★★★★

I take two tablets of 1000mg the first day and than 1 every day until the pain is gone normally 3 days, but it comes back after stress or heavy lifting.

Replied by Lulzim
(Kosovo)
01/17/2015

Hello, I have one question about this Goldenseal Capsule; does it has any kind of other name because I'm not sure if I can find in my country with this name. What does Goldenseal contain.

I greatly appreciate your help.

Thank You

Replied by Timh
(KY)
01/18/2015
2063 posts

L: Goldenseal contains the alkaloid Berberine which is antibiotic. Oregon Grape Root also contains Berberine.


Murivenna Massage Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Rhea (Kerala, India) on 09/27/2019
★★★★★

I looked up middle of the chest pain and corresponding back pain and got the term Costochondritis today. The first time I had it was last year when I fell flat on my back from a height of 6 feet. Back hurt and in a day or two so did my sternum. Murivenna was massaged into both areas twice a day. Immediate pain relief. Continued for three days and stopped. When pain recurred, continued once a day for a few more days, then once in two days. In 10 days, pain-free. Didn't think about it again till last week when the same pattern of pain recurred after a severe chest infection. Attributed it to muscle pain from coughing.

But when the chest infection cleared and the pain increased during movement (e.g. when getting up after lying down or when changing sides while lying down) I became concerned. There were sharp pains brought on even when sniffing. Again, warm Murivenna massage to the rescue. One time and the relief lasted three days. It was when the sharp pain returned while sitting up this evening that I looked it up on the Net. Costochondritis. Family away. Can't wait for them to get back tomorrow to massage it into my back properly. It doesn't work as well when I do it myself. I know if this is done continuously for 3-5 days once a day, the pain will be gone. Murivenna, an Ayurvedic oil, is a normal item in homes in Kerala, India. It is used for muscle pains and sprains. Used when children fall and hurt their elbows and knees, or when you have strained your muscles with physical work. Murivenna is usually warmed and massaged into affected areas and left on for 20 minutes or so. It is absorbed by then or else wiped off and washed with warm water. (It can also be left overnight e.g. in the case of a hurt knee or ankle using a cloth soaked in the oil. Tied up in plastic to protect the bedclothes).

Murivenna literally means cut/wound (murivu) oil (enna) in Malayalam, the local language. Somehow, I have never used it for that. Only for muscle pains. It is cheap and available here in the local Ayurvedic pharmacies. Lasts ages as you only have to use a little at a time and you need to use it only for a few days. If pains last beyond that, then you know you have to get medical attention.

I read on the Net how people are suffering for months from this condition.Felt I had to share. Do try it. Hope this info helps. Good health to you.

Replied by Elsa Dalit
(New Zealand)
12/15/2021

I have costochodritis too. Left side.

These are the things I am doing:

1- I use Dr Ho's deep muscle massager for should pain and rotator cuff

2- I massage the painful areas

3- I rub my back, up and down at the edge of the door

4- I listen to the spooky rife frequency

5- I use magnet

6- I do stretching

7-buteyko breathing

8- since I know what is wrong- I don't panic And carry on with my daily things to do, if it hurts, I just try to ignore it or I listen to Rife frequency in YouTube . It will go anyway and Pray ACV and baking soda is good. Position your arm in confortable position or put on top of a pillow Things like that. Love Elsa No pain killer please


Vitamin D

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Sunshine (Montreal) on 07/25/2016
★★★★★

Last winter had costochondritis real bad, heavy pain and felt desperate. After a couple weeks of painkillers that did not do much and I hate taking anyway, I stopped to wonder what could be missing. Though in winter I practically never set foot ouside, cause of the cold and realized I was not getting any sun/light. Got the idea to pop open the oily kind of vitamin D and rub it directly on my chest. In two days the pain receded to 2/3 and the third day felt no pain at all. Was amazed! Now I know we're all different, but it's worth trying considering how cheap vit D is.. In any case, the key question remains your best chance at finding out what could truly help.

So what is your body missing?


Vitamin D
Posted by Sunshine (Montreal) on 07/25/2016

Forgot to mention the Vit D is 1000 IU that I apply on the chest.



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