Costochondritis and Crohn's?

So things for me just keep getting more and more interesting it seems. I ended up going to the ER last night for something completely different from my Crohn's related pain. I'm only 23 but I was having severe and really sharp pain in the center of my chest along with feeling nauseous (just spit up some mucous) and headache and feeling really cold then hot. I called my insurance nurse and she told me to call 911 and go to the hospital because it could possibly be a heart attack even though I'm so young and have nothing in my history that would link to that. So I called and had my first ever ambulance ride. They decided pretty quickly it wasn't a heart attack (which I didn't think it was.. but just to be on the safe side). But it turns out that they think it's Costochondritis.

I was looking some stuff up tonight about this and found a few different mentions that it can also be associated with IBD. So I was wondering if anyone else has this? I'm not sure what I will be able to really do about this besides taking the narcotics they gave me. They suggest NSAIDS, but all us Crohnie's know that's not good for us. The tylenol I took for it before getting my prescription filled didn't do a thing. I'm concerned since the cites differed greatly on how long this can take to clear up. Some say a week at the most and others say 4-8 weeks. Ah! I can't take the narcotics for much longer since I have to drive and go to school. So I'm kind of stuck. I think I should call my GI doc about this too.. since I'm curious if this was possibly causing the other jabbing pains I had been having for the past couple of months - which is why he had me do the capsule endoscopy (which I'm still awaiting the results of). Also, even after taking the pain pills today I had pain while trying to eat solid food. Like it hurt while going past that point in my body. Even when I wasn't having the pain otherwise.. just while eating.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Or any suggestions on what to do for the pain since I can't take the "normal" NSAIDS and the tylenol did nothing. Thanks in advance!

Yes, I have Crohns and do have Costochondritis, too. I am only 22 and they also thought it might possibly be a heart attack so I went to the ER also. They prescribed me prednisone for it because at that time I wasn't on any steroids for crohns.

I also found that a nice warm heating pad on the area kind of helps it. Also, try to get a lot of rest if possible and do not lay on the side that is bothering you. Mine seems to flare up when I am going through a crohn's flare. Hang in there and it will eventually go away!

Thank you guys for replying! I have a couple questions for the both of you though.

Lauren21, did the prednisone they prescribed you help the pain go away? I'm currently on Entocort.. which is a form of steroids.. but that apparently hasn't helped at all since I was on it before any of this happened. Is your pain with the costochondritis is one specific spot or does it radiate? The pain I had that I really noticed was in the center of my chest. But I was reading some stuff about this and it said it could happen anywhere in your ribs and radiate outwards. I had been having some jabbing pains in my right and left side around the bottom of my ribcage and now I'm trying to figure out if that as this or just the Crohn's. Thank you for the suggestion of the heating pad. I'm trying that right now. How long does yours seem to last? Does it go away quickly, especially with the prednisone? Thanks again for your help!

WantRelief, do you know what kind of things strain your chest? I don't even know how this happened.. so I don't know to stop it from coming back.. that is, once it goes away. You said yours last for several weeks.. what do you do about the pain during that time? Just use the narcotics? I'm trying to figure out what to do since I have to go to school which requires me to drive there. Plus I've got tons of reading to do.. and when I take the narcotic it makes me pass out.

Do you guys, or anyone else, have any suggestions on the eating thing? Everything hurts.. even water. I've just kind of eaten whatever.. but mostly sticking to liquid stuff.. but it just all hurts. I'm going to call my GI doc and primary care doc in the morning to see what I can do about all this. Hope you all are feeling good. Thanks again for all your help.. it makes such a difference because I've never ever experienced this before.

Thank you for your response Lauren. I have an appointment schedule with my primary care physician for the morning. I also spoke with the nurse at my GI doc's, and she said he was out of the office but she would definitely ask him about something for the pain since she agreed that NSAIDS were a bad idea.

I will let you know what happens tomorrow. I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions.. :)

I've also had many bouts with costochondritis. When it is bothering me it is extremely painful to breath or move the slightest bit, especially trying to get out of bed. I have a 10-month old baby and picking him up is near impossible when the costochondritis is active. I usually hit the heating pad and go for a massage for the littlest bit of relief. I never thought of linking it with Crohn's but I guess it does make sense.

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34 year old female
diagnosed 2004
moderate Crohn's
sacroiliitis big-time

Before I was diagnosed with Crohn's I had a pain in my hips for years that never showed up on anything. Then I started having lower back pain. i thought it might have been related to being an older and larger than normal figure skater (middle aged peggy fleming wannabee), but my Ortho told me it was "sero-negative arthritis." He treated me with vigorous exercise and we attempted antidepressants. SSRI's can be helpful with pain as well as GI issues because there are lots of serotonin receptors in the GI tract.

Anyway, a while after my Crohn's diagnosis, I went back to this guy, and things started to fit together. Joint pain often precedes Crohn's flare-ups. I now check in with a rheumatologist occasionally, although the CD treatment has helped with the joints.

I've also ended up in the ER with costochondritis, although never to the extend you're all suffering.

when you think about it, that whole rib/chest area is protecting the guts, and if the guts are inflamed, it can be affecting the stuff around it. Consider the connection and perhaps you can get some treatment that way.

Susan