Read about the journey that ended my 20 years of suffering with Tietze's Syndrome »Why You Shouldn’t Self-Diagnose Chest Wall Pain
Filed under: Tests | 6 Comments »Tietze’s syndrome is a rare disorder, and there are a few dozen other ailments that can cause similar rib cage pain. Just in case you haven’t been diagnosed yet (or if you’ve diagnosed yourself), here are a few really good reasons why you should see a doctor now:
- Chest wall pain doesn’t necessarily have to be Tietze’s syndrome. In one study, two patients with chest wall pain that emergency room personnel first thought was due to costochondritis turned out to be a heart attack [1].
There are many causes of chest pain that you cannot diagnose yourself:
- You might have an infection that needs antibiotics such as pseudomonas aeruginosa or staphylococcus aureus which could lead to abcesses and mediastinitis, a serious medical emergency [3].
- Thoracic disc herniations are rare, but may require surgery to correct.
- Your pain could be the first sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
- It could be bone lesions that could lead to sacroiliitis, psoriasis, and palmoplantar pustulosis [2].
- You could also have fibromyalgia (tenderness in the second costal joint is a common complaint in this disease)–eight percent of patients going to the emergency room with chest wall tenderness are found to have fibromyalgia [1].
Your pain could be caused by any one of the above diseases and many more. It could even be a stress fracture or a tumor–but if you try and self-diagnose, how would you ever know until it’s too late?
References:
1. Disla, E, Rhim, HR, Reddy, A, et al. Costochondritis. A prospective analysis in an emergency department setting. Arch Intern Med 1994; 154:2466.
2. Vittecoq, O, Said, LA, Michot, C, et al. Evolution of chronic recurrent multifocal osteitis toward spondyloarthropathy over the long term. Arthritis Rheum 2000; 43:109.
3. Pollack, MS. Staphylococcal mediastinitis due to sternoclavicular pyarthrosis: CT appearance. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1990; 14:924.
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I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS CHEST PAIN SINCE 2007,FEB.AND STILL HAVE IT TODAY. DON’T KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE .WHAT DO YOU THINK.
Andrea, seeing as you’ve had the pain for so long I’m going to assume you’ve already seen a doc. Tietze’s pain can last for years (mine 16+). Have you seen a rheumatologist?
I have had this pain since 1998. I was born in 1983, I am 26 now and still have this pain. I deal with it by obviously stopping what I am doing, putting my fist to be chest and pressing on it and taking deep breaths, I feel like passing out from the pain, but if I don’t take deep breaths it last way too long and I have to take short breaths so the pain wont be so bad, but taking short breaths makes it last longer.
I starting running, probably not the best thing, but I always thought it was my heart, my doc almost laughed at me when I told her of my pain, she siad I was healthy and that I could not be having little heart attacks, she siad it had to be a panic attack, but I am not nervous or anything like that, I will be having a great time running or sitting there watching t.v. when it will hit me like a ton of bricks. I mentioned about the 17 year old football star or however old he was, dropped dead on the field from and undiagnosed heart problem. Anyway I saw someone else when I was getting a pap and told her about my pain and right away she said it sounds like Costochondritis, I looked more into it and it sounds more like Tietze, the pain goes to my shoulders and neck making it feel numb and sharp pain all at once.
Lately I have been tired all the time, my bf is worried about me, I feel nauseous, dizzy, strange light rash I get once a month on my upper body, my tummy gets destended like by two extra inches!! I have no idea what is wrong with me.
Sammi,
If I were you, I’d make an appointment to see and endocrinologist. Try and find one at a teaching hospital (i.e. affliliated with a university)–that’s where I went for a dual diagnosis of Tietze’s syndrome/reactiev hypoglycemia. I’m not saying you have the same thing, but in teaching hospitals they are usually PhD/MDs who love research and puzzles so they won’t stop until they figure out what’s wrong!
Stephanie
I was diagnosed in feb 05 with teitze syndrome and was of work for 6 months, I tried physiotherapy with ultrasound waves, worked to begin with then that trigger it back of, also tried injections into the affected rib joint still didnt work. Did manage to settle it for a bit and have managed to control it with regular pain relief with the odd big flare up.
Nearly 2 weeks ago was at work (im a nurse) started my shift and was fine 2 hours later started getting pain in my chest had to have ecg on ward got taken to a & e where they decided to keep me in over night the pain I suffered and am still suffering was the worst so far had to have regular morphine and antiimflammatory drugs I cant even walk far without getting alot of pain. But what has shocked me more hardly any doctors have heard of it or they pass it of as m/skeletal pain. I sometimes wonder have I really got this or is it something else i have never been referred to a rheumatologist only been given ecgs to outrule my heart. I will see my doctor to ask to be referred as this takes over my life and I hate it
Emma,
Yes, please insist on that visit to a rheumatologist. I totally understand how the pain can completely overwhelm you and rule your life. It’s hard to do anything when you are in that much pain.
Best,
Stephanie