How to sleep with costochondritis: Sleeping Positions That Improve Your Posture

13.12.202010.07.2023 by alexxlab

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How You Sleep Determines Your Health. How I cured my costochondritis… Update 4 years later. | by Faye

5 min read

Jan 23, 2021

4 years ago, I was diagnosed with Costochondritis. Costochondritis is a condition that causes chest pain due to inflammation of the cartilage and bones in the ribcage. Pain that could mimic a heart attacks or heart conditions. At 21 I thought I was having a heart attack, shooting sharp pains in my right rib cage that had me uncontrollably screaming in pain. After 2 hospital visits (one was an ER vist), I was diagnosed with costochondritis. I asked the doctor how I got it, I was told “it happens”. I was disappointed with that answer which led me to do countless research in search for the cause, all leaving me with the same answer that Costochondritis has no clear cause. I was in pain. My right ribcage was inflamed, I could barely walk because I was in excruciating pain, and even breathing hurt! I was frustrated and I knew that googling and searching online for an external source was not going to cure me internally and that it was up to me to figure out what was going on with my body. I took the time and listened to my body. I reflected how I’ve been living the 2 weeks prior to my diagnosis. I inspected every pain episode, I thought about the physical activities I did, how I slept, how I ate, etc. I was dedicated in solving it as if it was my life was at stake. And I figured it out….

2 weeks after I was diagnosed with Costo, I figured it out what caused it and started recovery that eventually lead me to fully recover.

It’s been 4 years since I was diagnosed and haven’t felt that pain since. Costo was something I never really talked about and often forget I had because I recovered. Its all in the past for me. I published an article on medium 4 years ago about my story, my experience and had over 12k views. I have people emailing me to this day asking for advice. I joined this Facebook group Costochondritis Support Group with thousands of people suffering from costo and are desperate for a solution. And me being one of the few rare ones that fully recovered, I decided I wanted to share my experience and my perspective in hopes that people will recover.

https://medium.com/@fayetagle/i-was-diagnosed-with-costochondritis-6d51d62afa8

Your sleeping position has a profound impact on your health on so many levels. I realized that what caused my Costochondritis was how I was sleeping. I was sleeping on my side.

There are many factors that led me to costo, however, the main factor and the most significant that factored to my costochondritis was that I was sleeping on my right side. Months leading up, I was sleeping on my right side and I woke up on my right side. 8–9 hours every day sleeping in an improper position created unnecessary tension and pressure on my right side. (Imagine me in college days, living in a dorm with noisy roommates, stressed with assignments, my bed against the wall, sleeping on my right side facing the wall, unconsciously trying to get away and feel more comfortable… we tend to face our body’s to the wall unconsciously when we sleep to feel more at ease.) My costo pain was on my right side and I was sleeping on my right side.

Whichever position you sleep is where you direct the flow of blood simply because of gravity. If you sleep on your right or left side is where you direct the flow of blood. Its simple physics. This will inevitably put unnecessary tension and pressure in certain areas of your body because there is no balance in the flow of blood throughout simply because of improper position. Sleeping in an improper position creates poor blood circulation throughout, causing imbalance and poor recovery.

Lets say your fulltime job is lifting boxes. If your lifting the boxes with improper form, you will eventually injure your back simply because improper form is putting unnecessary pressure on a specific area on your body. If you lift any weight with correct form, the distribution of the weight’s pressure in your body will even out. This is the reason so many package delivery workers have back problems simply because they’re lifting boxes every day for 8–10 hours, 5 days in a week with improper form. This is what happens when you sleep an improper position. If you’re constantly putting pressure on your body 7–9 hours a day, every day, for the rest of your life eventually some pain or injury will happen.

When sleeping on your back, your spine is align in a neutral position, allowing the blood to flow throughout the body having no tension or pressure. Your body is at its most relaxed state and your organs functions at its best when you sleep on your back. We sleep to recover. You need proper form that would allow for your body to restore itself.

I know, I thought the same too when I first started…. however I trained myself. I knew that the pain I felt, the sudden, sharp, stabbing pain, I never wanted to feel that again..

and I didn’t.

It may seem uncomfortable to make the changes but you have to take care of your body now. You shouldn’t suffer and hope one day it miraculously goes away. It won’t. You have to take responsibility in your health and take the necessary steps to improve your health. Its a process, it will take time to fully recover. Costochondritis may be difficult to manage, however, I will leave you with this quote that speaks the practicality and reality of every day life,

“But difficult does not mean impossible, difficult means a little more effort. Difficult means a little more determination. Difficult means a little more intention.” -Osho

Your mattress, should be firm, a mattress that is too soft will cause your spine to fall out of alignment. We spend almost a third of our lives in bed, so get rid of your old mattress and invest in a mattress that would support your spine and overall improve your health.
Your pillow should be ergonomically designed for back sleeping. Every pillow is designed differently. Having the right pillow plays an important role in keeping your body align.
Listen to your body, Your body is sending you messages whether you‘re aware of it or not. Be attentive to the messages your body is trying to communicate with you. For example I was constantly feeling stiffness in my neck, that had me always cracking my neck to relieve tension. I realized it was the pillow I was using and bought a new pillow and hadn’t had tension in my neck since. How does your body demand attention?

Take care.

Sleeping with Rib Pain | BetterSleep

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by BetterSleep

Jun 9 2022 • 5 min read

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Rib pain can be more challenging than pain in other parts of the body because it restricts breathing. When you sleep, you put pressure on the rib cage, which often worsens the pain. Find the underlying cause, so you can get treatment, and try these tips for sleeping better with rib pain.

Why Do My Ribs Hurt When I Wake up?

Believe it or not, you are not alone if you wake up in the morning with pain in your ribcage that eventually lessens or goes away. Many people experience rib pain, and there are many potential underlying causes:

Rib injury. Fractured or bruised ribs cause pain at all times, but it may worsen in the morning because you’ve been putting pressure on them throughout the night. You might have injured your ribs in a car accident, by falling, or when playing sports.
Muscle injury. You can also strain the muscles between the ribs—the intercostal muscles—resulting in rib pain. Sports or heavy lifting can stretch and tear these muscles.
Costochondritis. This is inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and sternum in the chest. It can feel like a heart attack but it’s fairly common and can be treated with rest and medication.
Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is still not well understood, but it causes musculoskeletal pain throughout the body. It often causes pain and stiffness in the morning, so you might wake up with pain that lessens as you move more.
Ankolysing Spondylitis. This is an inflammatory disease that causes vertebrae in the spine to fuse. It often affects the rib cage as well, causing stiffness, pain, and difficulty breathing. It’s important to get a diagnosis and treatment for this condition as soon as possible.
Pleurisy. This is inflammation in the layers of tissue that cover the lungs. It might cause additional pain as you wake up because you’ve been putting pressure on the tissue. There are several underlying causes of Pleurisy, so it’s important to get a diagnosis.

Whether your ribs hurt only when you wake up, throughout the day, or at random times, it’s important to see your doctor. You might have an injury, or you could have a condition that requires treatment.

How Should You Sleep with Bruised Ribs or Other Rib Pain?

If you have rib pain from an injury or other cause, sleeping can be uncomfortable and difficult. Whether it’s a bruised or fractured bone or muscle pain between your ribs, a few tips can help you sleep better:

If you have a bruised or fractured rib, the best way to sleep is upright. Use pillows and bolsters to help you sit up in bed, or sleep in an easy chair. Lying on your rib cage at night puts pressure on the injury, which can cause significant pain.
Use lots of soft pillows to cushion your rib cage as you sleep. You can use them to prop up your body and create a barrier around you that restricts involuntary movements during the night.
Try pain medications recommended by your doctor before you go to bed. Anti-inflammatory medications can help you reduce pain and sleep better.
If your source of pain is not an injury, find the sleep position that feels most comfortable. For instance, if you have ankylosing spondylitis, avoid curling your spine and instead, sleep with your body in a straight line.
Reduce stress with meditation. Stress can worsen all kinds of pain, especially pain associated with conditions like fibromyalgia.

Ultimately, the most important thing you can do to manage rib pain and sleep better is to see your doctor. You need to know what is causing the pain so you can address and treat it.

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How long does costochondritis last? – Medicines and vitamins

Medicines and vitamins

Medical Reviewer: Poonam Sachdev, MD

What’s happened
- What is costochondritis?
What does costochondritis look like?
- What does costochondritis look like?
How long does the pain last
- How long does costochondritis pain last?
Diagnosis
- How is costochondritis diagnosed?
Care
- How is costochondritis treated?
When to See a Doctor
- When should I see a doctor?

What is costochondritis?

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the chest wall between the sternum and ribs. Costochondritis usually resolves on its own, although inflammation can last from weeks to months.

Chest pain can be scary. If your chest hurts, the first guess might be that you’re having a heart attack.

There are soft tissues in the breast that can be irritated due to infection, injury or an autoimmune disease. One cause of inflammation from this irritation is costochondritis. pain this may seem like a heart attack, but the cause is unrelated.

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the chest wall between the sternum and ribs. Most of the ribs and sternum are connected by cartilage. This cartilage can become inflamed and cause chest pain. There is no single definite cause of costochondritis, but it is often caused by trauma, overuse, sports injuries, or arthritis.

Costochondritis is also known as costo-sternal syndrome, parasternal chondrodynia and previous chest syndrome.

What does costochondritis look like?

The main symptom of costochondritis is pain. However, other symptoms do exist. They include:

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Left chest pain
Sharp or dull pressure
Multiple ribs affected
Pain with deep breathing or cough
Pain in the chest which may radiate to the back or stomach
Gentle pain on pressure rib/chest
Stopping pain when you sit still

Costochondritis is more common in women and people over forty years of age. If there is associated swelling, the condition is known as Tietze’s syndrome, and it affects young adults.

How long does costochondritis pain last?

Costochondritis is a self-limiting, benign condition. It is not related to the heart and other causes of pain must be ruled out because this is usually a diagnosis of exclusion.

Costochondritis usually resolves on its own, although it sometimes lasts longer. The inflammation can last from weeks to months and can limit your ability to work and participate in daily activities without pain. Pain usually worsens with deep breathing and movement of the upper body. longevity Symptoms vary depending on whether the condition was caused by a recent upper respiratory illness or recent exercise.

How is costochondritis diagnosed?

Costochondritis is diagnosed by a doctor. They will do history and physical examination. The examination will involve applying pressure to the area where the sternum and ribs meet. The diagnosis of costochondritis is usually made if the area is sore and painful.

A chest x-ray may be done if symptoms are severe or if symptoms do not improve with treatment. They may also run tests to make sure you haven’t had a recent heart attack.

The pain experienced may resemble that of lung disease, gastrointestinal problems, and arthritis. Differential diagnosis (i.e. other similar diseases) includes:

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herpes zoster of the chest
myalgia
traumatic muscle pain
sliding rib syndrome
fibromyalgia
painful xiphoid syndrome

How is costochondritis treated?

In many cases, costochondritis can go away on its own. If not, there are several treatment approaches depending on the symptoms. Treatment is aimed at relieving pain. The simplest treatment approaches include:

Cold or hot packs
Cessation of strenuous activity
OTC pain relievers such as Advil, Tylenol, and Alev

In some cases, if the pain is severe enough, the doctor may prescribe strong pain medication. Sometimes, physical therapy may be needed. Therapy that usually helps with symptoms includes stretching exercises and nerve stimulation. With transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, a weak electrical current is used to hit the area of pain – hopefully masking the pain signals so they don’t reach your brain.

If none of these work, the last step may be to inject drugs and steroids directly into the area of pain.

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Atypical treatment includes antidepressants. They are known to treat chronic pain that makes it difficult to sleep at night. Anti-seizure drugs are also well established in the treatment of chronic pain.

When should I see a doctor?

Sometimes costochondritis goes away on its own. Because it is a medical problem with chest pain, it should be carefully monitored. You should call your doctor or call 911 if you have severe chest pain. It never hurts to be persistent in figuring out what’s wrong!

Also, whether you have already been diagnosed or not, you should call your doctor if you have:

Fever
Signs of infection such as swelling, redness or being placed near your ribs
Pain that gets worse even with medication
Severe pain with every breath

In general, costochondritis is a musculoskeletal disorder that mimics other conditions that cause chest pain. If you have chest pain, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Identifying the cause of your pain early can help prevent future complications.

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referenced literature SOURCES:

Cureus: “Atypical costochondritis: complete resolution of symptoms after rib manipulation and soft tissue mobilization. ”

Harvard Health Publishing: “Chest pain can be caused by other conditions.”

Mayo Clinic: Costocartilaginous chondritis.

MountSinai.com: “Costocartilaginous chondritis.”

Costochondritis – a problem with the thoracic cartilage

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum (located at the costosternal joint). The pain of this disorder can be similar to a symptom of a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack in women – watch out for some other conditions. Costochondritis without swelling is called Tietze’s syndrome.

Symptoms

The most common cause of costochondritis is pain and tenderness, which usually appears on the left side of the sternum, affects more than one rib, and is aggravated when the patient breathes deeply or coughs. Since such symptoms can be signs of a heart attackHeart disease and heart attacks: every woman should know this, when they appear, it is imperative and urgent to consult a doctor.

Causes

In most cases, costochondritis has no obvious cause. Sometimes it develops as a result of exposure to the following factors:

Trauma. A blow to the chest can cause costochondritis.
Physical stress. Heavy lifting and very intense physical activity, as well as a strong cough, are associated with the development of costochondritis.
Arthritis. In some patients, costochondritis is caused by specific problems, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis Arthritis – a variety of forms and complications, or ankylosing spondylitis.
Infection of the joint. The costosternal joint can be infected with viruses, bacteria and fungal organisms. For example, this happens with syphilis, tuberculosis, aspergillosis.
Tumors. Cancerous and non-cancerous tumors can also cause costochondritis.

Risk factors

Costochondritis is most common in women over the age of forty.

Diagnosis

During the examination, the doctor feels the area of the costosternal joint to detect swelling and an area of increased sensitivity. He may also move the patient’s hands in certain ways in an attempt to bring on the symptoms of the disease.

Because there are no laboratory tests or medical imaging tests to diagnose costochondritis, tests are performed during the diagnostic process to help rule out other possible causes for the symptoms the patient is complaining about. Among such tests are X-ray examination, electrocardiogram, and so on.

Treatment

Costochondritis usually resolves on its own, although in some cases symptoms may persist for months or even longer. The goal of treatment is to alleviate these symptoms.

Medications

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are especially often recommended for pain and inflammation relief in costochondritis. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe prescription NSAIDs.
Opioid painkillers. For very severe pain, your doctor may prescribe medications that contain codeine, such as hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, and others) or oxycodone (Percocet, Roxilox, and others). These drugs can cause dependence, so the duration of their use should be minimal.
Antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline are often used to control chronic pain – especially if it keeps the patient awake at night.
Anticonvulsants. The cure for epilepsy Epilepsy – the sacred disease gabapentin has been successfully used for chronic pain, including those caused by costochondritis.

Therapy

Stretching exercises can be very effective for costochondritis. Which exercises are suitable in each case, the physiotherapist must decide.
Nerve stimulation. In a procedure called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, a small electrical current is sent under the skin with a special device that can disrupt or mask pain signals, preventing them from reaching the brain.