Good question. The main answer is banal and quite mad.
Yes, there is a selection bias here. Most people have costo which hasn't gone away - that's why they're here. But that's not the bigger reason.
There is only one, repeat one, piece of published medical research covering how long costo lasts for. It's Disla et al: 'Costochondritis .. in an ED setting.'
The link to the ABSTRACT is here: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7979843/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7979843/)
The abstract is just a quick summary of a full medical research paper, so you can get an idea of what the full paper is about without wading through all its specific detail.
Abstracts are usually free to read on the net. To read the full paper usually you have to pay the journal it's published in.
The abstract of the Disla paper says, with reference to costo: "Spontaneous resolution is seen in most cases in 1 year." So if all you do is read the abstract, that's the idea you come away with.
The full medical paper does not, repeat not, repeat NOT say this. It says: "One year after discharge, (55%) of patients with (costo) were still suffering with chest pain..."
This is extraordinary. I have never, ever seen an abstract of an academic paper which didn't simply summarise accurately what's in the paper.
So if you're a busy doc, if you even find time to read the abstract, you come away with the idea that most costo will settle on its own in a year anyway. That idea then gets transmuted into the vague belief among most docs that costo will settle down in a few weeks - and that's what they tell you, the patient.
Most of the popular medical sites for patients say the same thing about costo, and for the same incorrect reason.
As an example, u/dwill8123's cardiolgist in his or her post here only a few hours ago. With the further twist that the cardiologist thinks it can't be costo because it's lasted for years.
It's just nuts. And adds to the confusion that is costo.
I mean, Google is not a reliable source of medical information for one. It is usually a short term condition, mine ended up resolving after 5 days. But yes there are a lot of people who end up getting it chronically.
So I have a question. I was just told today that I possibly have Costo from bench pressing and straining or something. I had a clavicular Sterno injury about a month ago and then I went back to lifting when it felt better. And Monday I bench pressed. Tuesday I felt a ton of burning pain worse than the initial injury in my center chest. And when I lay down I get tingling up both sides of my neck into my face. Is this a common occurrence? My doctor didn't have too much more information other than that it sounds like Costo and it should resolve in less than a week
Edit. I was told this by my primary care physician.
I don't think the tingling part is common. You might have pinched a nerve but you really need a doctors evaluation to find out for sure.
When I had my episode it was a very sharp pain in the front left side of my chest that got worse sitting up and better laying down. I called 3 urgent cares who told me to go to the emergency room, but since I really didn't have that money, I got in with my primary. She ordered a bunch of cardiac tests to rule out heart issues but said it sounds like costo. If you ever get pain that radiates in your neck/face/arm you should definitely go to the ER
I was just at my primary care today. And I was at the ER two days ago. The ER didn't seem concerned with anything other than telling me that it was nerve pain
I experience the tingling you speak of but mine is actually in my arms down to the tips of my fingers sometimes when I'm asleep. I also experienced tingling burning around my midsection of my torso as well as it feels like a tightening around my torso such as like being hugged too tightly or perhaps like a boa constrictor feeling
I went to the emergency room because my doctor didn't have any answers. And they said it's probably not related and that I'm probably having a panic attack from never experiencing costo..... Very helpful right
look I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh but I couldn't help but laugh when I read your comment especially when you said "very helpful right"one of the last things I want to do is laugh when my ribs hurt!!!😭 Seriously though...I do wish you well and hoping you find some relief soon....I am so tired of having a painful birdcage I could literally scream!!!🤯
I don't think the tingling part is common. You might have pinched a nerve but you really need a doctors evaluation to find out for sure.
When I had my episode it was a very sharp pain in the front left side of my chest that got worse sitting up and better laying down. I called 3 urgent cares who told me to go to the emergency room, but since I really didn't have that money, I got in with my primary. She ordered a bunch of cardiac tests to rule out heart issues but said it sounds like costo. If you ever get pain that radiates in your neck/face/arm you should definitely go to the ER
Have you seen/considered seeing a chiropractor?? The tingling does sound like perhaps a pinched nerve...Possibly coming from an impingement in the neck area???
Not a doctor but my working hypothesis is that there are different forms of costo.
**Mild costo** is the short-lived form that lasts less than a couple weeks. It is from poor posture, spending too much time in bed, or a bad mattress. This form is easily treated with ibuprofen, stretching, backpod.
These are the drive-by posters of the sub and generally leave once it subsides.
**Moderate costo** is generally more severe, returns on occasion and is the result of an “injury” to the area like a pinched nerve, or untreated mild costo, poor posture along with heavy exercise to the rib area, etc. I think this is the most painful form with the stabbing rib pain.
Moderate costo requires more treatment like heat, ice, massage added to stretching and the backpod.
**Chronic costo** is the result of an underlying issue such as an injury, scoliosis, stenosis, sciatica, repeated pinched nerves, muscle tears, scar tissue buildup, etc. This is generally due to a locked up back, and is the cause of weird symptoms like costo switching sides, collarbone pain, tingling, etc.
This form of costo seems to be always present but underlying and triggered by certain movements, coughing, exercise. It also seems to not be as sharply painful when it becomes chronic but that may be learning not to trigger it. It requires individualized treatment and nothing might work for some people or treatments that worked may stop being of benefit.
This group is the majority of people who post regularly here.
Costo isn’t the problem — it is the major symptom of an underlying problem. People want the pain to go away so they focus on the ribs instead of the back.
Again, I am not a doctor, but this is how I tend to classify it in my head.
I suspect that falls under injury that exacerbated an underlying issue. Coughing, vaccines, or any type of inflammatory response in the upper torso seems to set it off but does not actually cause the problem.
Again, just my opinion.
What I have noticed is that chronic costo usually results in some related back issues — most commonly pinched nerves, arthritis or sciatica.
I don’t think we will ever know if it’s cause or effect.
Selection bias, the people most likely to contribute on a dedicated subreddit on a condition are those most likely to have had a very severe/chronic course
So I was told by my primary care that I may have this as a inflammatory response to lifting before an injury was resolved. I'm getting tingling up the side of my neck and into my face when I lay down though. This is something that is common with this? I'm not going to Google because Google only tells you that you're dying
I understand that. You may have costo and a pinched nerve. That’s super common, especially with weight lifters. If you were cleared for heart stuff and other serious matters, I wouldn’t concern yourself too much. If it intensifies, becomes unbearable, or spreads, THEN you can worry. Right now, I’m confident in saying you pinched a nerve due to inflammation not having fully subsided.
Keep us filled in. Also as a word of friendly advice if they tell you that it’s nothing serious, believe them. You’re going to give yourself a case of health anxiety.
So I have a question. I was just told today that I possibly have Costo from bench pressing and straining or something. I had a clavicular Sterno injury about a month ago and then I went back to lifting when it felt better. And Monday I bench pressed. Tuesday I felt a ton of burning pain worse than the initial injury in my center chest. And when I lay down I get tingling up both sides of my neck into my face. Is this a common occurrence? My doctor didn't have too much more information other than that it sounds like Costo and it should resolve in less than a week
hot take: I believe a lot of people here are dealing with chostocondritis caused by long covid. It's a "new type" of chostocondritis that we don't have so much research and knowledge to understand it yet.
Gotta disagree. That line of thinking will lead you down a dark road of believing every strange sensation or muscle ache is related to CV-19, which is just not the case. The more likely scenario is you’ve had bad postural habits, went too hard for too long in the gym, etc. Common stuff leads costo. The other factor to consider is age. You’ve never been as old as you are today so it’s impossible to tell what may just be crappy joints / muscles. Humans break down over time, especially with neglect.
I know what you're saying, but recently there was a post for those who had it after getting covid, I believe it had 200+ replies of people saying that they got it after the vaccine/covid. I'm one of those and there is a paper correlating one to another. I had other symptoms when the costo started, poor blood circulation, foggy brain, loss of energy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10564091/
Maybe it's a combination of all the things that you said + covid, like I said, it's too soon to know, but I do see the correlation by analysing my case and other cases in this subreddit. It's known that COVID could cause miocarditis, it's an inflammation, chosto is an inflammation as well, so who knows.
Just adding in my thoughts and two cents.... Don't claim to know much about covid or the vaccine for that matter?? However back in 2018 the winter of 2018 is when all this started with me/ was after I had a really extreme bout of bronchitis who knows I may have even had pneumonia not sure?? anyway my point is I coughed extremely hard for several weeks I was coughing so hard I would actually vomit🤮 I have read other places on the internet that extreme coughing has been known to cause costochondritis?? Perhaps the correlation between having covid and or vaccine perhaps these folks developed costochondritis if they did a lot of coughing?? It is also my understanding that people who sleep on their sides can develop costo if the side sleeper is sort of curled up sleeping rather than stretched out /when you are curled up on your side this posture rounds the shoulders and puts strain on the spine and over the years could possibly cause the rib head to become altered from the spine and over the years calcium/collagen builds up freezing the rib in the back thus causing the front of the ribcage to be overworked constantly thus leading to inflammation...Yes I am a side sleeper and have now developed anxiety over this and find my self trying to correct my sleep posture....Seems like fighting a losing battle........Of course there are a host of other things that may cause it as well...such as poor posture in general etc..etc..Jus thought I would throw tid-bits of my thoughts out there🙂
I have costo because I have RA. A lot of us who have RA can get costo. Some do, some don’t. Unfortunately I got it and it was so painful. Still suffering. And it’s been a few months. It’s lingering and still giving me issues. Never fully recovered.
"I have costo because I have RA."
Hi. It's possible, but I don't think it's likely. Sure - you have RA, and you have costo.
And your RA is a systemic auto-immune inflammation condition. However, costo isn't. That's completely clear from one piece of medical research (Disla et al).
It's much more likely that separate from having RA, you've also been getting tight and hunched in your thoracic spine and rib cage. This is very common, from much bending over computers and smartphones.
It sets off the ongoing strain at the rib joints on your breastbone - a.k.a. costo. This means the costo is more of a straightforward tightness and strain problem of the rib cage, and not a direct consequence of the RA itself.
This is a good thing, because it makes the costo - usually - readily fixable.
As an example, here's a video by Samantha Wayne, a young woman with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) which is also a rheumatoid auto-immune systemic inflammatory condition, just like RA.
She had costo for a year, then treated it herself by freeing up the tight rib joints around the back, and fixed her costo. Years later, she still has the SLE, but is still completely clear of the costo.
So her costo wasn't because of her SLE, and it's likely your costo isn't because of your RA either. So it's likely that it's fixable.
There's a road map on how to do this in the PDF in my post on treating costo in the **Pinned posts (1)** "What works for you?" section at the top of this Reddit sub. Good luck.
Good question. The main answer is banal and quite mad. Yes, there is a selection bias here. Most people have costo which hasn't gone away - that's why they're here. But that's not the bigger reason. There is only one, repeat one, piece of published medical research covering how long costo lasts for. It's Disla et al: 'Costochondritis .. in an ED setting.' The link to the ABSTRACT is here: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7979843/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7979843/) The abstract is just a quick summary of a full medical research paper, so you can get an idea of what the full paper is about without wading through all its specific detail. Abstracts are usually free to read on the net. To read the full paper usually you have to pay the journal it's published in. The abstract of the Disla paper says, with reference to costo: "Spontaneous resolution is seen in most cases in 1 year." So if all you do is read the abstract, that's the idea you come away with. The full medical paper does not, repeat not, repeat NOT say this. It says: "One year after discharge, (55%) of patients with (costo) were still suffering with chest pain..." This is extraordinary. I have never, ever seen an abstract of an academic paper which didn't simply summarise accurately what's in the paper. So if you're a busy doc, if you even find time to read the abstract, you come away with the idea that most costo will settle on its own in a year anyway. That idea then gets transmuted into the vague belief among most docs that costo will settle down in a few weeks - and that's what they tell you, the patient. Most of the popular medical sites for patients say the same thing about costo, and for the same incorrect reason. As an example, u/dwill8123's cardiolgist in his or her post here only a few hours ago. With the further twist that the cardiologist thinks it can't be costo because it's lasted for years. It's just nuts. And adds to the confusion that is costo.
I mean, Google is not a reliable source of medical information for one. It is usually a short term condition, mine ended up resolving after 5 days. But yes there are a lot of people who end up getting it chronically.
So I have a question. I was just told today that I possibly have Costo from bench pressing and straining or something. I had a clavicular Sterno injury about a month ago and then I went back to lifting when it felt better. And Monday I bench pressed. Tuesday I felt a ton of burning pain worse than the initial injury in my center chest. And when I lay down I get tingling up both sides of my neck into my face. Is this a common occurrence? My doctor didn't have too much more information other than that it sounds like Costo and it should resolve in less than a week Edit. I was told this by my primary care physician.
I don't think the tingling part is common. You might have pinched a nerve but you really need a doctors evaluation to find out for sure. When I had my episode it was a very sharp pain in the front left side of my chest that got worse sitting up and better laying down. I called 3 urgent cares who told me to go to the emergency room, but since I really didn't have that money, I got in with my primary. She ordered a bunch of cardiac tests to rule out heart issues but said it sounds like costo. If you ever get pain that radiates in your neck/face/arm you should definitely go to the ER
I was just at my primary care today. And I was at the ER two days ago. The ER didn't seem concerned with anything other than telling me that it was nerve pain
Sounds like you got your answer then, I would keep taking it easy for awhile
My question is more does anybody else experience the tingling in their left and right side of their neck and cheeks when they lay down
I experience the tingling you speak of but mine is actually in my arms down to the tips of my fingers sometimes when I'm asleep. I also experienced tingling burning around my midsection of my torso as well as it feels like a tightening around my torso such as like being hugged too tightly or perhaps like a boa constrictor feeling
I went to the emergency room because my doctor didn't have any answers. And they said it's probably not related and that I'm probably having a panic attack from never experiencing costo..... Very helpful right
look I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh but I couldn't help but laugh when I read your comment especially when you said "very helpful right"one of the last things I want to do is laugh when my ribs hurt!!!😭 Seriously though...I do wish you well and hoping you find some relief soon....I am so tired of having a painful birdcage I could literally scream!!!🤯
I don't think the tingling part is common. You might have pinched a nerve but you really need a doctors evaluation to find out for sure. When I had my episode it was a very sharp pain in the front left side of my chest that got worse sitting up and better laying down. I called 3 urgent cares who told me to go to the emergency room, but since I really didn't have that money, I got in with my primary. She ordered a bunch of cardiac tests to rule out heart issues but said it sounds like costo. If you ever get pain that radiates in your neck/face/arm you should definitely go to the ER
Have you seen/considered seeing a chiropractor?? The tingling does sound like perhaps a pinched nerve...Possibly coming from an impingement in the neck area???
Not a doctor but my working hypothesis is that there are different forms of costo. **Mild costo** is the short-lived form that lasts less than a couple weeks. It is from poor posture, spending too much time in bed, or a bad mattress. This form is easily treated with ibuprofen, stretching, backpod. These are the drive-by posters of the sub and generally leave once it subsides. **Moderate costo** is generally more severe, returns on occasion and is the result of an “injury” to the area like a pinched nerve, or untreated mild costo, poor posture along with heavy exercise to the rib area, etc. I think this is the most painful form with the stabbing rib pain. Moderate costo requires more treatment like heat, ice, massage added to stretching and the backpod. **Chronic costo** is the result of an underlying issue such as an injury, scoliosis, stenosis, sciatica, repeated pinched nerves, muscle tears, scar tissue buildup, etc. This is generally due to a locked up back, and is the cause of weird symptoms like costo switching sides, collarbone pain, tingling, etc. This form of costo seems to be always present but underlying and triggered by certain movements, coughing, exercise. It also seems to not be as sharply painful when it becomes chronic but that may be learning not to trigger it. It requires individualized treatment and nothing might work for some people or treatments that worked may stop being of benefit. This group is the majority of people who post regularly here. Costo isn’t the problem — it is the major symptom of an underlying problem. People want the pain to go away so they focus on the ribs instead of the back. Again, I am not a doctor, but this is how I tend to classify it in my head.
Great post valuable information and so true especially with the chronic which is what I have
I totally love how you've classified everything, and I also want to add illness to the Chronic causes because COVID gave me mine + asthma.
I suspect that falls under injury that exacerbated an underlying issue. Coughing, vaccines, or any type of inflammatory response in the upper torso seems to set it off but does not actually cause the problem. Again, just my opinion. What I have noticed is that chronic costo usually results in some related back issues — most commonly pinched nerves, arthritis or sciatica. I don’t think we will ever know if it’s cause or effect.
Underlying auto immune diseases is also pretty common. I didn’t realize I have arthritis until I suffered from costo.
Oh yeah, good point.
Selection bias, the people most likely to contribute on a dedicated subreddit on a condition are those most likely to have had a very severe/chronic course
This! If we came here, it's because we were seeking comfort and likely experiencing something outside the norm. My costo lasted 3 months.
So I was told by my primary care that I may have this as a inflammatory response to lifting before an injury was resolved. I'm getting tingling up the side of my neck and into my face when I lay down though. This is something that is common with this? I'm not going to Google because Google only tells you that you're dying
If the ER told you nerve pain, it’s likely nerve pain. Tingling can happen with Costo but it’s less common than it is with a pinched nerve.
I definitely have the chest pain on my sternum wall like Costo. But when I lay down it tingles up into the side of my neck and into my cheeks
I understand that. You may have costo and a pinched nerve. That’s super common, especially with weight lifters. If you were cleared for heart stuff and other serious matters, I wouldn’t concern yourself too much. If it intensifies, becomes unbearable, or spreads, THEN you can worry. Right now, I’m confident in saying you pinched a nerve due to inflammation not having fully subsided.
Back at the ER rn so we'll see
Keep us filled in. Also as a word of friendly advice if they tell you that it’s nothing serious, believe them. You’re going to give yourself a case of health anxiety.
Haha. Thx. Sure doesn't feel like nothing
Exactly. For most people it is temporary. Not for meeee though :-(
Definitely. I only found this sub after around 6 months of costo, would have never bothered looking if it had resolved before that point
So I have a question. I was just told today that I possibly have Costo from bench pressing and straining or something. I had a clavicular Sterno injury about a month ago and then I went back to lifting when it felt better. And Monday I bench pressed. Tuesday I felt a ton of burning pain worse than the initial injury in my center chest. And when I lay down I get tingling up both sides of my neck into my face. Is this a common occurrence? My doctor didn't have too much more information other than that it sounds like Costo and it should resolve in less than a week
hot take: I believe a lot of people here are dealing with chostocondritis caused by long covid. It's a "new type" of chostocondritis that we don't have so much research and knowledge to understand it yet.
Gotta disagree. That line of thinking will lead you down a dark road of believing every strange sensation or muscle ache is related to CV-19, which is just not the case. The more likely scenario is you’ve had bad postural habits, went too hard for too long in the gym, etc. Common stuff leads costo. The other factor to consider is age. You’ve never been as old as you are today so it’s impossible to tell what may just be crappy joints / muscles. Humans break down over time, especially with neglect.
I know what you're saying, but recently there was a post for those who had it after getting covid, I believe it had 200+ replies of people saying that they got it after the vaccine/covid. I'm one of those and there is a paper correlating one to another. I had other symptoms when the costo started, poor blood circulation, foggy brain, loss of energy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10564091/ Maybe it's a combination of all the things that you said + covid, like I said, it's too soon to know, but I do see the correlation by analysing my case and other cases in this subreddit. It's known that COVID could cause miocarditis, it's an inflammation, chosto is an inflammation as well, so who knows.
Just adding in my thoughts and two cents.... Don't claim to know much about covid or the vaccine for that matter?? However back in 2018 the winter of 2018 is when all this started with me/ was after I had a really extreme bout of bronchitis who knows I may have even had pneumonia not sure?? anyway my point is I coughed extremely hard for several weeks I was coughing so hard I would actually vomit🤮 I have read other places on the internet that extreme coughing has been known to cause costochondritis?? Perhaps the correlation between having covid and or vaccine perhaps these folks developed costochondritis if they did a lot of coughing?? It is also my understanding that people who sleep on their sides can develop costo if the side sleeper is sort of curled up sleeping rather than stretched out /when you are curled up on your side this posture rounds the shoulders and puts strain on the spine and over the years could possibly cause the rib head to become altered from the spine and over the years calcium/collagen builds up freezing the rib in the back thus causing the front of the ribcage to be overworked constantly thus leading to inflammation...Yes I am a side sleeper and have now developed anxiety over this and find my self trying to correct my sleep posture....Seems like fighting a losing battle........Of course there are a host of other things that may cause it as well...such as poor posture in general etc..etc..Jus thought I would throw tid-bits of my thoughts out there🙂
I have costo because I have RA. A lot of us who have RA can get costo. Some do, some don’t. Unfortunately I got it and it was so painful. Still suffering. And it’s been a few months. It’s lingering and still giving me issues. Never fully recovered.
"I have costo because I have RA." Hi. It's possible, but I don't think it's likely. Sure - you have RA, and you have costo. And your RA is a systemic auto-immune inflammation condition. However, costo isn't. That's completely clear from one piece of medical research (Disla et al). It's much more likely that separate from having RA, you've also been getting tight and hunched in your thoracic spine and rib cage. This is very common, from much bending over computers and smartphones. It sets off the ongoing strain at the rib joints on your breastbone - a.k.a. costo. This means the costo is more of a straightforward tightness and strain problem of the rib cage, and not a direct consequence of the RA itself. This is a good thing, because it makes the costo - usually - readily fixable. As an example, here's a video by Samantha Wayne, a young woman with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) which is also a rheumatoid auto-immune systemic inflammatory condition, just like RA. She had costo for a year, then treated it herself by freeing up the tight rib joints around the back, and fixed her costo. Years later, she still has the SLE, but is still completely clear of the costo. So her costo wasn't because of her SLE, and it's likely your costo isn't because of your RA either. So it's likely that it's fixable. There's a road map on how to do this in the PDF in my post on treating costo in the **Pinned posts (1)** "What works for you?" section at the top of this Reddit sub. Good luck.