What causes inflammation in the chest. Discover the symptoms, diagnosis, and effective treatment options for chest wall infections, including costochondritis. Get comprehensive insights to address this common condition.

Understanding Chest Wall Infections: An Overview

Chest wall infections are a common occurrence that can cause significant discomfort and impact an individual’s quality of life. These conditions arise due to the inflammation of the cartilage and tissues surrounding the ribs and breastbone, leading to a range of symptoms that require proper diagnosis and effective management. This comprehensive guide delves into the various types of chest wall infections, their underlying causes, and the most effective strategies for addressing them.

Costochondritis: The Prevalent Chest Wall Infection

Costochondritis is a prevalent form of chest wall infection, characterized by the inflammation of the costochondral joints – the junctions where the ribs meet the breastbone. This condition can affect individuals of all ages and is typically not considered dangerous, though its symptoms can be quite uncomfortable. Costochondritis pain can vary in intensity, ranging from mild tenderness to intense, shooting pains that may worsen with deep breathing or coughing.

Identifying the Causes of Costochondritis

While the exact cause of costochondritis is often unknown, there are several factors that can contribute to the development of this condition. Injuries to the chest area, such as trauma or strain from physical activity, are common triggers. Additionally, excessive coughing or heavy lifting can also lead to costochondritis. It’s important to note that emotional stress or anxiety, while not directly linked to the condition, can sometimes exacerbate the symptoms.

Diagnosing Chest Wall Infections: The Clinical Approach

Diagnosing chest wall infections, such as costochondritis, typically involves a comprehensive clinical assessment. Your healthcare provider will begin by taking a detailed medical history, inquiring about your symptoms, and investigating any recent activities or illnesses that may have contributed to the condition. A physical examination, including palpation of the rib joints and chest wall, is then performed to identify the source of the pain. If there are concerns about underlying heart or lung conditions, additional tests like blood work, electrocardiography, or chest radiography may be recommended to rule out other potential causes of the chest pain.

Effective Treatments for Chest Wall Infections

The treatment approach for chest wall infections, including costochondritis, often focuses on relieving pain and reducing inflammation. Home remedies, such as the use of heat, rest, and over-the-counter pain medications, can be effective in managing mild to moderate cases. However, in more severe or persistent cases, healthcare providers may prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, or physical therapy to help alleviate the symptoms and promote healing.

Preventing and Managing Recurrent Chest Wall Infections

Individuals who have experienced chest wall infections, such as costochondritis, may be at a higher risk of recurrence. To prevent future episodes, it’s important to address any underlying factors that may have contributed to the initial condition, such as engaging in proper warm-up and cooldown routines during physical activity, maintaining good posture, and managing stress levels. Additionally, consulting with a healthcare provider to develop a personalized treatment plan can help mitigate the risk of recurring chest wall infections and ensure a more effective long-term management strategy.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Chest Wall Infections

If you are experiencing persistent or worsening chest pain, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly. While chest wall infections like costochondritis are generally not life-threatening, it’s important to rule out more serious underlying conditions that may be causing the pain. Your healthcare provider can perform the necessary evaluations and provide the appropriate treatment to ensure your symptoms are properly addressed and managed.

Costochondritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Costochondritis is the inflammation of the cartilage between one or several ribs and the breastbone. It is also known as costosternal syndrome, anterior chest wall syndrome, or parasternal chondrodynia. It can affect people of all ages, and will resolve on its own in time. While its symptoms can be uncomfortable, costochondritis isn’t dangerous. However, it is important to distinguish it from other causes of chest pain.

What Is Costochondritis?

Costochondritis is the inflammation of one or more costochondral joints, which joins your breastbone (or sternum) to your ribs. This inflammation results in costochondritis pain, which can vary from mild (chest tender to the touch), to intense (shooting pains down your body). The pain may worsen with a deep breath or coughing. Though the area may be sore, there should not be redness, heat, or swelling.

Costochondritis typically gets better on it’s own but the time it takes is variable. Sometimes the pain goes away after a few weeks while other times it can be a few months. One study showed that about a third of patients still had some tenderness after one year.

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What Causes Costochondritis?

Most of the time, the cause for costochondritis is unknown. However, sometimes the condition can be brought on by a strain to the area, including:

• Injuries: Trauma to the chest, causing forceful impact.
• Strain: Physical strain, related to hard workouts, heavy lifting, or excessive coughing.

Those who experience anxiety and/or stress may sometimes experience chest pain. However, chest pain caused by anxiety is most likely due to other underlying causes—not costochondritis. While costochondritis can be caused by activities that put stress or strain on your chest area, it isn’t known to be connected to emotional stress.

Costochondritis Symptoms

If you have costochondritis, you will experience pain in the chest wall, which may be difficult to tell apart from general chest pain. It can be anywhere along the seven costochondral junctions, although it is most common in the middle to upper ribs. The pain can affect just one rib, or multiple. Usually only the ribs of one side are inflamed, although it is possible for both sides to have costochondritis. The pain can be worse especially with coughing, taking a deep breath, applying pressure to the rib joints, or moving your arms excessively.

Diagnosing Costochondritis

Chest pain can be concerning and sometimes it is hard to tell what is serious chest pain and what is costochondritis. If you’re experiencing chest pain, you should consult a medical professional to rule out other serious issues.

To diagnose costochondritis, your doctor will first do a complete health intake, asking you about your symptoms, and may inquire about recent activities or illness that could contribute to the cause. He or she will then conduct a physical examination, including listening to your heart and lungs, and palpating the ribs and chest wall.

If your doctor is concerned about something other than costochondritis causing your chest pain, such as heart or lung conditions, he or she may recommend blood tests, electrocardiography, or chest radiography to gather more information.

Costochondritis Treatment Options

Costochondritis treatment options usually focus on reducing pain, and may include home remedies and medications.

Home remedies

• Heat: Try using a heating pad or hot compress on a low setting, for short periods several times a day.
• Rest: Avoid activities that bring on the pain, but you may resume when you are feeling better.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: OTC pain relievers like naproxen sodium (Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help control pain. OTC topical pain creams can also provide relief.
• Avoid coughing: If coughing is triggering your symptoms, OTC cough suppressants can help prevent flares.
• Stretching: Easy stretching exercises to help gently open your chest muscles may help you feel better.

Prescribed treatments

Your doctor may prescribe the following treatments:

• Prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs prescribed by your doctor can help calm inflammation and pain. When used excessively or in someone with other health issues, the drugs do have potential side effects, so use with caution. Side effects include causing damage to the kidneys, liver, and stomach, or worsening heart failure or blood pressure. You can also be prescribed a topical form that has fewer side effects.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapy can be helpful in relieving chest wall pain.
• Muscle relaxants: Pills that relax the muscles, such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) are sometimes used to ease pain.
• Antidepressants: There are some prescription antidepressants that help provide pain relief for persistent costochondritis. If your costochondritis is causing constant pain, tricyclic antidepressants (i.e. amitriptyline) might help.
• Anti-seizure drugs: Gabapentin (Neurontin), an epilepsy medication, can also be helpful in reducing persistent pain.
• Injections: Local injections of numbing/steroid medicine into the joint are rarely used, but may help in very persistent, severe cases.

Risk Factors for Costochondritis

Those who have a higher risk for getting costochondritis are:

• Women (70% of cases are in women)
• Those involved in heavy manual labor
• People who engage in strenuous workouts or high-impact activity
• Individuals who are prone to frequent coughing or sneezing

Tietze syndrome, often confused with costochondritis, has similar symptoms in the same area. However, Tietze syndrome includes joint swelling while costochondritis does not. In addition, Tietze syndrome is found in individuals under 40, while costochondritis can affect all ages.

Chest wall pain can also occur in other conditions such as:

• Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Chest wall pain is more common in those with fibromyalgia.
• Arthritis: Inflammation of the chest wall can also be seen in rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory arthritis conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, or lupus.
• Infection: While uncommon, infections can cause pain and swelling in the joints, among other symptoms.
• Tumors: Rarely, cancerous and noncancerous tumors can develop in the chest wall.

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When to See a Doctor

Whenever you are experiencing chest pain, you should see a doctor immediately to rule out anything more serious. For example, if you are experiencing chest pain with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, dizziness, or left arm pain, these can be signs of a heart attack and you should seek medical help immediately.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with costochondritis you should see a medical professional if any of the following symptoms appear:

• High fever
• Difficulty breathing
• Nausea
• Pain that continues to get worse
• Swelling
• Signs of infection, such as pus or redness

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K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

Myocarditis | Johns Hopkins Medicine

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Myocarditis occurs when the heart muscle becomes inflamed. When your heart muscle is inflamed, it can affect your heart’s electrical system. This can cause arrhythmia, or a rapid or abnormal heartbeat. Myocarditis can cause the heart muscle to weaken and can lead to cardiomyopathy.

Johns Hopkins cardiologist and heart failure expert Nisha Aggarwal Gilotra, M.D., explains symptoms, causes and treatment for myocarditis.

What is myocarditis?

Myocarditis occurs when the heart muscle (myocardium) becomes inflamed. Inflammation occurs when your body’s immune system responds to infections, for example. Myocarditis can be caused by viral infections or more systemic inflammatory conditions such as autoimmune disorders. In severe cases of myocarditis, the heart muscle weakens and cannot pump blood effectively to other parts of your body.

There are several types of myocarditis; some examples include:

Acute myocarditis

Acute myocarditis describes relatively recent or fast onset of myocarditis, and is usually caused by a viral infection. Acute myocarditis can develop suddenly, and symptoms may resolve rapidly as well.

Chronic myocarditis

Chronic myocarditis is when it takes longer than usual to treat the disease or when symptoms reappear after experiencing the condition. This can occur due to more general inflammatory conditions such as autoimmune disorders, in which your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissue in your body.

Lymphocytic myocarditis

Lymphocytic myocarditis is a rare form of myocarditis that can result in hospitalization for acute care. It occurs when white blood cells (lymphocytes) enter and cause inflammation of the heart muscle. This condition can occur after a virus.

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Myocarditis Symptoms

In the early stage of myocarditis, you may have few or no symptoms at all. Common symptoms may include:

• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Rapid or abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
• Signs of infection:
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in legs

Myocarditis Diagnosis

Myocarditis can be difficult to diagnose due to nonspecific symptoms and signs. Your doctor will ask for a thorough review of your medical history and symptoms, and may perform the following tests:

• Blood test
• Chest X-ray
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart)
• Cardiac MRI or biopsy may be indicated in some cases.

Myocarditis Causes

Myocarditis is rare, but when it occurs, it is most commonly caused by an infection in the body. Infections from viruses (most common, including those that cause the common cold, influenza or COVID-19), bacteria, fungus or parasites can lead to myocardial inflammation.

Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, sarcoidosis and others can also cause myocarditis because the immune system can attack any organ in the body, including the heart, causing inflammation.
Drugs or other environmental or toxic exposures can lead to myocarditis as well.

Myocarditis Treatment

There is no curative treatment for myocarditis. However, your doctor may treat an underlying cause of your myocarditis if identified, and may prescribe the following medications based on the cardiac symptoms (heart failure, arrhythmia), type of myocarditis and how severe it is:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor / angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs): Lower blood pressure and help with remodeling of the heart muscle after myocarditis.
• Beta blockers: Improve arrhythmias and help with remodeling of the heart muscle.
• Diuretics: Help decrease fluid congestion in the body, which can occur when the heart muscle weakens.
• Corticosteroids: Reduce inflammation in the body; reserved for specific causes of myocarditis.

In severe cases, where heart rhythm disorders occur, your doctor may implant a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). If the heart function does not improve and continues to cause severe heart failure, you may be evaluated for a heart transplant.

Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes, which may involve a low-salt diet and fluid restriction.

Myocarditis Recovery Time

Most cases of myocarditis are self-resolving. Other cases recover several months after you receive treatment. In some cases, this condition can recur and can cause symptoms related to inflammation such as chest pain or shortness of breath.

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Inflammation of the mammary gland treatment – Modern methods of treatment at the MHC

Inflammation of the mammary gland or mastitis in 80-90% of cases is associated with pregnancy and childbirth. This is a benign process in the tissues of the gland, limited (abscess) or diffuse (phlegmon), which requires timely intervention and antibiotics. Inflammation of the mammary gland requires timely and immediate treatment, it can be carried out at the medical center of I. Medvedev.

Inflammation of the mammary gland: general questions

Mastitis is a non-specific inflammation of the breast tissue, associated mainly with childbirth and lactation, or with mastopathy (non-lactational mastitis). Rarely, mastitis is chronic, usually acute.

Causes of breast inflammation:

• milk stasis
• incomplete emptying of the gland during feeding
• cracked nipples
• improper breastfeeding
• poor hygiene
• secretion stagnation
• Calcifications in the ducts

Symptoms of mastitis

Classic signs of breast inflammation: pain, redness, swelling, fever, dysfunction.

• engorgement, edema
• reddening of the skin
• bursting pains
• infiltrate
• pus in milk
• skin changes by type of gangrene, infiltrate

Inflammation is usually associated with a violation of the patency of the ducts and the addition of a secondary infection, which gets from the nipple into the gland tissue through the milk ducts and lymphatic vessels. With a normal level of immunity, the process is limited by a capsule, an abscess is formed, with immunodeficiency, pus spreads through the tissues – a phlegmonous form.

Diagnosis of inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis)

Usually, mastitis is quite easily diagnosed by the patient herself, but it is still worth contacting a specialist. In the medical center of I. Medvedev, receptions and emergency care are provided 363 days a year, and the treatment is based on minimally invasive and conservative methods.

If the patient has breast pain, treatment begins with diagnosis. It includes:

• inspection and palpation
• Breast ultrasound
• if necessary, puncture with histology of the contents of the punctate

Treatment

At first, when mastitis is not yet purulent, but serous, cold compresses, frequent pumping (or feeding), antibiotics can be completely dispensed with if the inflammation lasts longer than a day. Preferred in this case are penicillins, including inhibitor-protected ones. When a woman has inflammation of the breast, the treatment is different, depending on the stage of the process.

If an abscess has already formed, there is no point in prolonging it. Abscess puncture under ultrasound control can resolve the process conservatively, if not, then it is necessary to perform resection of the gland segment in which the abscess lies, with drainage of the cavity.

As for breastfeeding, it is contraindicated if there is pus in the milk, if not, then no restrictions are imposed.

Inflammation of the mammary gland and hyperplasia

Dishormonal processes, with a predominance of estrogens, also cause pain and discomfort in the gland, but, unlike mastitis, this is a non-inflammatory process. Breast hyperplasia treatment is fundamentally different from mastitis, here hormone therapy comes to the fore. Hyperplasia – proliferation of gland tissues with the formation of cysts, swelling of cells, discharge from the nipple. It refers to mastopathy, fibroadenoma and adenomas.

An important role in this disease is played by increased synthesis of prolactin, therefore drugs suppressing its production are widely used, including herbal medicine. Abraham’s tree – prutnyak – stimulates the synthesis of dopamine, which reduces the production of prolactin, this component is contained in the phytopreparation Mastodinon.

Focal single masses can be removed surgically, by sectoral or atypical resection, together with a block of adjacent tissues. An economical resection is performed at the I. Medvedev Medical Center with a good cosmetic effect, so that the patient does not have to worry about the aesthetics of the appearance and the outcome of the disease.

Inflammation of a breast cyst – symptoms, treatment. How to relieve cyst inflammation

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Why there is inflammation of the cyst in the mammary gland

In most cases, the cyst causes no symptoms and is diagnosed incidentally. But in the case of a significant size of the cyst, or its complications, various kinds of symptoms can be observed.

The most common complication is inflammation of the cyst in the mammary gland. Why does it occur? Inflammation of the cyst most often indicates the accession of the bacterial flora.

The following may help:

• Presence of chronic foci of infection
• Past viral and other infectious diseases that contribute to a decrease in immunity
• Chest injury
• Wearing tight underwear and clothing, which leads to squeezing of the ducts, their blockage
• Prolonged exposure of the site of the cyst to heat, such as compresses, heating pads, saunas, sunbathing
• Hypothermia

Inflammation of a breast cyst can be of a different nature – it can be serous, fibrinous, purulent, hemorrhagic. The purulent inflammation of the cyst is the most severe.

Further in the article we will describe in more detail what symptoms are accompanied by inflammation of the cyst, what is purulent inflammation, as well as how to treat an inflamed cyst and how to relieve inflammation.

Breast cyst inflammation: symptoms

How to recognize inflammation of the breast cyst? Symptoms of uncomplicated cysts are practically absent. In most cases, these neoplasms are diagnosed by chance during preventive examinations, or examinations for other diseases. However, if inflammation of the cyst develops, the symptoms can be extremely pronounced and not only worsen the condition of the woman and her quality of life, but also threaten with serious consequences.

So, with such a complication as inflammation of the breast cyst, the symptoms may be as follows:

• General weakness, malaise, increased fatigue.
• Increase in body temperature to subfebrile, febrile levels, often with fever and intoxication syndrome – chills, increased sweating, tachycardia, headache, loss of appetite
• Intense, throbbing, or bursting pain in the breast, which may radiate to the shoulder, neck, shoulder blade, and is not usually associated with the menstrual cycle. The pain is aggravated by palpation, or by applying the baby to the breast in the case of lactating women.
• The skin over the localization of the cyst often swells, turns red, becomes warmer to the touch, which indicates a local increase in body temperature.

With severe intoxication syndrome, nausea and vomiting may also be observed.

What does purulent inflammation of a breast cyst mean?

As mentioned above, a cyst with inflammation in the mammary gland can have a different character – it can be serous, fibrous, purulent.

Purulent inflammation of the breast cyst is characterized by the most severe course and develops as a result of the addition of pathological flora. Most often, purulent inflammation of the breast cyst provokes Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Purulent cyst with inflammation in the mammary gland usually proceeds:

• with fever up to 39-40°C
• severe pain syndrome
• hyperemia and edema of the mammary gland
• purulent or bloody discharge from the nipple can often be observed

A purulent cyst is dangerous in that the inflammatory process can spread to regional lymph nodes and thereby lead to infiltration purulent mastitis. Also, as a result of purulent inflammation, the cyst capsule can melt, as a result of which its contents spread throughout the thickness of the gland. This leads to phlegmonous mastitis, in which inflammation completely covers the entire mammary gland.

That is why it is very important to recognize the symptoms of inflammation in a timely manner and seek help from a specialist!

How to relieve inflammation of a cyst in the mammary gland

How to relieve inflammation of the breast cyst? In no case should you resort to self-medication! How to relieve cyst inflammation effectively and safely, only an experienced doctor can advise!

At the prehospital stage, a woman can take a maximum of painkillers, antipyretics (at temperatures above 38.5 ° C), or sedatives, and make a cold compress.

The choice of treatment method depends on the type of inflammation, on the size of the cyst, the general condition of the patient and necessarily requires a comprehensive diagnosis and consultation with a specialist.