In order to
diagnosis, your doctor will do a physical exam, pressing on your chest to check for areas of tenderness. He will also take a look at your range of motion and listen to your breathing. While there is no laboratory or imaging test to confirm a diagnosis of costochondritis, order additional tests like a chest X-ray.
The
treatment will be focused on
pain relief, and doctors will probably recommend one or more of the following:
- Antidepressants.
- Anti-seizure drugs.
- Narcotics.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Other treatments might include:
- Stretching exercises. Gentle stretching exercises for the chest muscles may be helpful.
- Nerve stimulation. In a procedure called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), a device sends a weak electrical current via adhesive patches on the skin near the area of pain.
- Surgical and other procedures.
