Costochondritis

Costochondritis is a condition that causes chest pain due to inflammation of bone cartilage and chest wall. Also called Tietze syndrome, costochondritis occurs when there is inflammation of the junction between the coast and sternum bone. At this junction there is a cartilage that connects the bones. Cartilage becomes irritated and inflamed. Depending on the extension of costochondritis can be very painful inflammation.
It is often difficult to pinpoint a single cause of costocondritei. The condition is considered to be due to continuous overload, the microtraumelor. The most common age group affected is young adults between 20-40 years. Costochondritis lesion may appear as an overload in athletes. Costochondritis can be found after a traumatic injury, viral upper respiratory tract infections.
Most patients with costochondritis experience pain in the upper chest, sternum. Due to severe conditions such as heart disease should be diagnosed with costochondritis similar pain only after the exclusion of more severe disease. The pain of costochondritis is usually exacerbated by activity or exercise. Often pain is worse when stretching cartilage is swollen due to deep breathe.Reaching the area affected by costochondritis can be very painful for the patient.Due to the multitude of nerve branches originated from the chest pain may be experienced in the shoulder or arms as well. Tietze syndrome involve chest pain and redness or swelling in sensitive areas.
The disease usually responds to treatment some simple steps. It costocondritei help determine the cause and if some activities that lead to inflammation of the joints can be avoided. To decrease inflammation will cause pain and avoiding activities that exacerbate the condition. Exercise, stretching and deep muscle inspirurile worsening chest pain symptoms and slow the healing process. Application of local heat may be helpful in costochondritis. Apply heat several times a day especially when it will conduct activities that will irritate the symptoms.
Steroidal anti-inflammatory medications help in two ways. The first help reduce the painful symptoms by making patients more cooperative, while the second decreases inflammation is the main problem.Associated symptoms usually improve significantly costocondritei is 4-8 weeks. If pain persists it is associated with only moderate acitivitatile demanding. All symptoms should resolve in 6 months.
Pathogenesis and causes:Tietze syndrome similar though not identical with costochondritis.The syndrome is characterized by swelling, while costochondritis costal cartilage shows no swelling. Today it is recognized that the presence or absence of swelling is only an indicator of the severity of the condition. Once thought that the condition is associated or caused by a viral infection gained during surgery but proved that this is not the case. Most patients had recent surgery.Is an inflammatory joint disease that causes costochondritis localized pain and tenderness. Any of the seven joints costochondritis may be affected more than one is affected in 90% of cases. Most often affected are the coastal jonctunile 2-5.