Costochondritis

Okay, so I know by now that if I mention anything at all to the nurse when I go for my shots, it will be investigated and addressed, especially when I casually say, 'Oh by the way, I've kinda had this little thing that has happened the past couple of weeks". "What is it?", she asked. "More symptoms? Itching? Nausea?"

"Well, yes," I say, "but actually I've had this before and I've gotten stress tests and all that, but it has always turned out normal. Just a little bit of chest pain, on and off the past couple of weeks or so". Okay, so you read what happened after that. Official diagnosis? Costochondritis. What is it, you ask? It is inflammation of the cartilage that joins your ribs to your sternum. Is it painful? Oh yes, often times mimicking chest pain that people will think may be a heart attack. Cause? Who knows... but several things may be a factor. Like repeated minor trauma to the chest or viral respiratory infection, on occasion a bacterial infection or IV use or surgery to the upper chest.

Fortunately, I have a PT who is very astute and on top of things. So when I went to therapy yesterday, she asked how I was and how my trip went. So, i was casually relating all the walking and carrying of my luggage and I told her that the doctor told me I had some inflammation on my chest or maybe I strained it from traveling, since i can only carry things on my left arm. She knew right away what it was and when she palpated my chest/sternum, she was able to pinpoint right away which ribs were affected. So, heat was applied and I had to do some breathing exercises to expand my chest wall to facilitate mobility in the ribs. I didn't even realize that I had been breathing alot through my mouth and nose because it hurt to breath and expand my ribs. Isn't that something? Dr. Robinson said I can take naproxen or ibuprofen if I need to to relieve the pain. Linda, my PT, told me to put heat on my chest wall a couple of times a day; the massage therapist showed Frendell how to put his hands on my rib cage to make sure it's expanding when I'm breathing.

So, it is not my heart, which I'm glad to know, but it does hurt quite a bit. Even when I lay down, sometimes I get the chest pain., sometimes it even radiates to the back. Oh well, another thing to deal with. Later on, I go back to the podiatrist. I know she will NOT be happy with all the walking I did in DC. Oh well, what can I do?

And we got to see Froy in the evening and it was nice to catch up with him. Got home, slept for 3 hours and then the tingling in my feet woke me up. What in the world is wrong with my body? don't answer that.. it may shock me...