How To Treat Costochondritis

Costochondritis is a chest condition that involves inflammation in the cartilage around the sternum. This condition is not considered dangerous, but it can cause significant chest pain. Costochondritis is fairly common and is more common in children and women than men. For children, it is one of the more common causes of chest pain. Doctors will typically do a lot of tests to make sure a patient's chest pain is not caused by something more serious before diagnosing costochondritis. Treatment often does not require medical intervention, but medications or surgery may be necessary for severe cases.

Avoid Triggering Exercises

One thing patients can do to treat costochondritis is to avoid triggering exercises. What exercises are considered triggering may vary from patient to patient. In general, it is best not to participate in contact sports such as soccer, rugby, football, and martial arts. As a general rule, if an exercise starts causing chest pain, patients don’t do it until the condition has fully gone away. Individuals should make sure to get plenty of rest so the cartilage in their chest can heal. It is always a good idea to consult with a doctor to find out to what extent physical activity should be limited.

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