Costochondritis

There's not a lot of research on costochondritis, but I think there should be.

I started having pain in my lower ribcage on the left side after lunch yesterday. I thought maybe it was my pancreas, since I know intestinal inflammation can lead to pancreatic inflammation. Naturally, this meant I was worried because pancreatitis is a serious condition, but I did what all chronically ill people tend to do - I waited a few hours before freaking out. Well, the pain got worse, to the point that it hurt to breathe and I couldn't get out of bed, so I called an ambulance and went back into the ER.

The doctor did not see me until after my blood tests were processed - thanks for leaving me in pain, doc. Since my pancreatic enzymes were normal, she quickly diagnosed it as costochondritis - inflammation in the rib cage. After doing some research online, this is what I've learned:

Costochondritis is most common in women over 40, and is associated with menopausal symptoms. While not commonly diagnosed, this is probably due to vitamin D deficiency, as costochondritis is also associated with vitamin D deficiency from inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Obviously, I have the latter, and am on vitamin D supplements.

The only current treatment for costochondritis is anti-inflammatories. The reason we need more research on costochondritis is that it may be a prelude to osteoporosis - which is usually not diagnosed until it is too late. IF costochondritis really is linked to vitamin D deficiency - for which there are currently few studies - then vitamin D serves as a treatment, and the diagnosis could be used to identify patients at risk for osteoporosis.

There is also, currently, no physical therapy remedy for costochondritis, that I could find. However, physical therapy is one of the key preventive measures for osteoporosis, making this diagnosis and treatment even more important.

While the medical field has no reason to vet the opinion of a lowly PhD student, I think it is worth looking into. And for my fellow endometriosis sufferers, be aware that pelvic inflammation can lead to malabsorption of vitamins. I have some friends who have already been diagnosed with costochondritis, but who have not been tested for a vitamin D deficiency. If you have this diagnosis, it is worth the blood test, and may save you significant suffering in the future!

~Alison