Costochondritis- Celiac Q & A

This is my 100th post....wow.

That deserves an electric slide with a pop and lock to finish it off- dance.

To those new to the blog, welcome- I've just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, the reason for my Costochondritis. To my normal peeps, may I just say thank you with all my heart to everyone who has been celebrating with me! It has warmed my heart soooooooo much. You all are such a life line to me. Seriously, I have lots of luv for you people, no lie. That's right, I said luv. Cause I'm attached to all you crazy cats. That's how I roll. All attached and stuff.

So the past week has been a wee bit NUUUUTs! My mom had her last surgery from her breast cancer battle and she's doing amazing. Cancer free looks good on her. And so do her new boobies! You knew I was gunna TMI on you. I can't stop it. So I've been with her a lot and loving it. Soooo...I won't lie, I've been unbelievably excited about the new Celiac diagnoses. And going gluten free is wild. I have slowly...okay, whom I kidding, I've been like a gigantor tornado trying to make sure everything that remotely comes near my body is gluten free. I have the food down, then yesterday I started checking the gluten content on all my vitamins, thyroid meds , makeup, shampoos, laundry detergent, leave in conditioners, hairsprays, hand soaps etc...so I've been on the phone for like 10 years so far, calling all the manufacturers, making sure that what's on my body is gluten free. I thought I was going gluten free...yeah...no...not so much. I feel a little jaded- lol-...because I was SHOCKED at how I'm practically bathing in gluten every day. One of my vitamins has gluten, my hairspray- (ewww- I'm INHALING it!? lol.), my lipstick, my mascara...AHHHH!!!! ....and the list goes on. This is encouraging- so folks, I have yet to make it one full day without putting it on my person. And I thought I was all gluten free already. oops.

I tried to cook something gluten free and well....I still have to work on what a square is. chuckle.


Alrighty then, let's get to business, here are some Q & A from my comment section, here we go!

Did you have an endoscopy? My G.I specialist suspected all my issues were coming from my stomach and wanted to do a endoscopy to check my small intestines. I showed up for the procedure at the hospital, the smell just blew me over, and I went down hill from here- hives, shaking, panic, a full blown PTSD episode and all. Glorious. My fault for not going to this hospital before hand and walking through and letting my body adjust before the procedure. So no...no endoscopy for me....soooo we went a different route.

How did you come to the diagnoses of Celiac? So here's the delio- when the 90 year old Dr. in chaps-lol- Michelle!!...told me he thought I had Celiac, I started rocking out the gluten free diet (or so I thought!). This meant that my gastro doctor could not do any normal Celiac tests on me unless I wanted to go back and do a "gluten challenge" for a month. I most certainly did not, I had started to feel better and there was no looking back. So this is how I was diagnosed:

1. My blood was packed with protein.
2. After 5 weeks of being mostly gluten free, I started having heart palpitations, so we did a blood test to check my thyroid 2 weeks ago- and it confirmed that my meds were waaay too strong due to my body beginning to heal without gluten in it- super cool. (Heart Palps are one major symptom to thyroid meds being too strong- and since the only change I'd made was the gluten, I requested that it be tested....no, that's a lie- I called and sorta demanded it...in a nice but- I've had this crap for way too long and my heart is skipping beats, run his test now...sort of voice.).
   
3. Then we did a blood test that showed I was experiencing malapsorbtion- a marker for Celiac. If you are consuming gluten, you can do a stool test for this.
   
4. And last, we did Genetic testing, the test I was waiting on. Mine came back positive, positive, positive. I can back with the strongest DNA combination for Celiac disease that you can have. Holla!
5. So with those results and my symptoms, the conclusion was Celiac. ta-da!
   

Are there other ways to conclude Celiac? Sure, absolutely. I did the best I could with where I am in my life. I wish I could have done the endoscopy. But it's all good. Other Celiac and more traditional tests can be checked out HERE.

Do you feel better being off gluten?
Crap yes- I feel better! Healed, No. But one day at a time. Here is what I have slowly noticed:

• My headaches are GONE. (Insert booty shake victory dance here)
• I can wake up easier. While on heavy gluten, I can easily sleep 14 hours a day. If you suffer from fatigue or mood swings, maybe getting checked would be a good option.
• My insomnia is gone
• I think I'm a Celiac who's stomach hates Citric Acid- steering clear
• My nails are starting to grow
  
• My back pain /tightness is releasing more and more each day
• My right neck/shoulder pain is getting less and less
  
• My stabbing attacks have almost stopped and my breathing is getting better and better. My pain is about 25% less than it was 6 weeks ago. Am I nervous it won't all together go away? Yes. Si. For Shizzle . I totally am. But I can't focus on that, I have to focus on the task at hand: Target gluten. Slay Gluten. Then run like mad from the SOB... So yes, I still have Costo and I have no idea how long it will it will hang around. I'll keep you posted.
• TMI ALERT, PEOPLE! I'm not constipated anymore if I stay away from dairy and gluten, and I don't have diarrhea any more due to staying away from canola and palm oil. Here's the deal...can't believe I'm going to say this.Ugg. The next time you visit the loo, check out your ...(you know)...and if it's soft, fluffy, light brown, and one long tube-ish , and you have this little experience once or preferably 2 or 3x a day, chances are your digestive system is SUPER happy with you! But if you are constipated, have diarrhea-ish/ or stringy/ or pile-ish poo etc...then yes, getting checked for Celiac could be a good thing. Mercy,I want to wash my hands just writing about it. AHHH!!!

So what do you eat now? Well, Since my tummy is so jacked up, I'm not drinking cokes, or eating gluten, dairy, soy, corn, or any oils. Not until my stomach is healed. I hoping to add corn, soy, oil, and possibly dairy back into my diet after 6 months to a year. So currently I'm eating a pretty plain all organic diet:

• Homemade toubule Salad- I substitute water or applesauce for oil
• Red Beans
• Black Beans
• Brown Rice Cakes
• Veggies
• Lundberg Brown Rice
• Mary's quina Pretzels- the sea salt ones
• Chocolate Chips- Yum!
• Sweet Potatoes
• Apples
• Bananas
• Blueberries

How does it feel to have this answer? Weird, amazing, overwhelming, peaceful...and just right. I feel like a I just met a weird brother I never knew I had, ya know? But one that I want to shake with excitement...and then make him go square dancing with me and tell everyone we are related. Even though he's ugly and awkward and I'm pissed off at him, I'm proud to finally know him. I also feel a little guilty. I know there are so many amazing people out there waiting for their good news of healing. It's so strange to go from, "I'm a girl with Costo" to " I have Celiac." I'm still in shock. But I feel really blessed, and eternally grateful to God for this gift. After walking through the past 3 1/2 years, living the anti-gluten life will be my honor. And I know in my heart that I will never feel bad for myself for being a gluten freak, cause this kind of freakishness is totally welcome. Bring it on!

If you'd like to check out another great chick who has costo and Celiac as well- you can follow Alyssa's healing journey at Young and Going Gluten Free.

What did you do when I found out? Well...my hubby and I quietly celebrated all day on Friday. He brought me roses, very sweet....and then I got money and went shopping!! haha! It was awesome! I love shopping by myself and never do it anymore...I mean...am I going to ice my ribs in bed in a comatose state while in a new pair of hot jeans before I drag my exhausted self to the granny stroll? Nada. But maybe one day....so did I buy a pair of super sexy unneeded pair of hot jeans and a romper that is OH SO CUTE??!- You bet I did!! I went crazy. lol. I even bought lipstick. What?! Then my hubby rubbed my feet Friday night and we watched a chick flick. It was such a quiet, but really joyful and peaceful day. I was in awe and shock all day. And you know I strolled extra saucy during my granny stroll..uh huh!

Are you going to do a Celiac blog? You know it!! It's in the works.

Alright folks- wanted to add a few random links where folks are chatting about Costo and Celiac:
Chatty Link 1
Chatty Link 2
Chatty Link 3
Super Long but AWESOME Link 4
Chatty Link 5
Random person with Costo and Celiac

Here's a website with more Celiac info and both GI and non-GI symptoms of Celiac

And remember, I'm not saying that everyone with Costo has Celiac. What I AM saying is that it's one more option to check out: if you notice your costo gets worse after you eat...or your attacks happen sometimes when you aren't lifting anything at all (sign of delayed gluten reaction) or just chilling, get yourself checked for Celiac. If you're looking to get tested on your own, cause your doctor is a knuckle head, these are some great tests in the USA:

My Celiac ID
The University of Chicago Celiac Testing Center

Well, that wraps up this post. Let me know what I can answer- or if I can help in any way. Much luv and prayers to everyone. May you feel the hope seeping through this blog to you, and the peace of God leading you to towards healing.

Costochondritis- Q & A

A reader posted these questions in my comment section. I'll do my best.

1. How do you check to see that your costo is still around? Is there a certain movement that you do or can you just feel it regularly without movement? Is it only on one side?
I feel it constantly, on the left side. Occasionally, on the right as well.


2. Is your chest tender? Can you feel it underneath your clothes?
Yes, tender to the touch and Yes. Always


3. What methods of pain alleviation help you? Have you ever seen any kind of improvement or is it too hard to tell?
That's a loaded question that I'm walking through and working through. The biggest change I've seen is while keeping a calender of my pain, it's gone down a couple of notches as I've figured out what makes it worse. This way, I can nail the sources of aggravation. As you read through the blog, you can see has worked and what has not. And I blog about what I've tried HERE.


4. What kinds of natural anti-inflammatories are there? I'm worried that I am taking too many Ibuprofen and needing to get my kidneys flushed.
Unfortunately, I'm not an expert in this area. I stopped taking anti-inflamms because they didn't help me. I did at one point take natural willow bark. I'd go to your local health food store and chat it up with them. I think it's a balance of taking the edge off...and trying not to mask the pain, but digging to find out why we have it in the first place.


5. How often would you say you check for pain and if so, how do you check for it? Do you think this leads to increased inflammation?
I don't have to check for it, it never goes away. If a costo sufferer has to check for it, that's a great sign. I feel it just standing and breathing. It's not a matter of if it's there or not, it's a matter of if it escalates to where it's stabbing-heart attack feeling-can't catch my breathe pain, or moderate pressure- in- my- chest-I can't -think -about- anything- else -but- THIS- pain. And yes, if a costo sufferer is constantly checking for the pain, I do think it will get more aggravated.


6.a. Has you ever felt this kind of pain in your back?
Yes, when I was diagnosed, I felt I was walking around with a spear sticking through my heart to my back. The massage therapist has saved the day with my back. I still have to be very aware of my posture and stretching so that my back doesn't pain the for the sins of my ribs.


6.b. Is yours only on one side and if so, which side?
Left side, sometimes on the right. But always on the left.


7. What would you say is your daily schedule (Heating, diet, exercise) relating to costo and what methods you think have helped?
It changes depending on what is helping and what's not. I'm always on the hunt for the formula that works best for me. Currently, almost daily, I ice, walk, rest, medical massage therapy, skilled relaxation, keep a calender, journal, pray, read, sauna, eat organic, now trying gluten free. It's all trial and error.


8. Do you believe in the possibility that costo needs to be inflamed in order to get blood flow to the area in order to be healed?
No. I think circulation is key, not inflammation. This is why light exercise, sauna and massage therapy can be helpful in the healing process.


9. What did you in the two years where you were not diagnosed with costo? Did you just continue to work out regularly?
I was terrified every day, not knowing why I couldn't breathe without pain. I continued to work out. Hard. Very Dumb. Very driven, but very dumb. But I had no clue that I was making it worse. At that time the pain was so bad- I couldn't tell the difference between the pain of breathing or picking up a 20 lb weight- it all killed me. I did, however, stay away from the beach press- both a regular bench press and an overhead bench press. I ended up in the ER every time I tried one. Then slowly, I became more debilitated, and stopped it all together. The bouncing from just walking would take my breathe away.


10. What was the exact exercise that led to you having costo?
I was driving down the road to work when I had my first attack. I was just....driving. I do not believe mine is trauma alone. I believe it's auto-immune, emotional, and food related as well. I was training physically VERY hard at the time. I had just changed my diet, my physical routine, and had just had my heart shattered into pieces by my 7 year on and off again cheating man who got another girl pregnant. Ladies, if he shows you who he is the first time? Believe him.

-)

Alright, so there you have it. Ladies and gents, I'm no pro and my answers may or may not help anyone. But if you have learned just one little helpful hint from this blog, I am BEGGING you to put your story out there for others to read or listen to. I don't care if it's on this blog, or an e-mail to a friend, a FB page, or in support group, or a forum, or sharing with all your co-workers. Share your condition. Pay it forward.

You can help others with their condition by taking just a few minutes to talk about yours. Share your story. We gotta tear down the fear and stigma that comes with invisible illnesses. And by sharing with just one person your story, so can they learn from you, it becomes a little less invisible.

End Rant.

Costochondritis- Most Popular Questions

So we all have questions about Costochondritis. I had tons when this all started for me.

I thought you all might be interested in this...whenever a person googles a certain phrase and lands on my site (I cannot believe that I just used "google" as a verb, ha!). I'm able to see what that phrase is. Don't worry, I don't get any personal information or anything like that. lol. I'm in too much pain to care even if I did (chuckle).

However, being able to see what is most googled (about costochondritis) has been fascinating. So below, you will find the most popular questions googled about costo. Wild, huh?

I'm no doctor...so the following are all of your questions and just my opinions for answers. You knew I was going to write that. No need for some crazy "BUT LUCY TOLD ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" lol. You have a brilliant brain, so use it wisely. Just think of all my blog posts as a part of your journey. Pieces to your puzzle. This crazy, jigsaw, jacked up, messed up puzzle titled, "I'm being stalked by Costo. gag."

1. Can I get Costochondritis from weight lifting? Yes Yes Yes. Scroll down and you'll find the post on it. That, scoliosis, and stress is how I got it. Gag. Blah. Eww. The costo-sternal joints are not the the strongest part of our body. With inflammation, irritation, and low blood flow, this area is a susceptible target for inflammation and injury.
   
2. Can I die from Costochondritis?- No. Costochondritis is not fatal. The pain may kill you, but the condition won't.... it's a joke, people. Just a chuckle. No one is dying from the pain. If you have Costochondritis alone, you are in no danger, just heaps of pain. Hence, very important to get all major conditions ruled out. You want to make sure that your symptoms are Costo. alone.
   
3. Does Costochondritis make your back hurt? Mercy, yes. Hunching over subconsciously to protect your chest/ribs causes stress on your back muscles, often causing a lot of pain. Also, I've been told the pain in the chest can simply radiate to the back- going straight through. My back pain started 3 months after the chest pain. Sleeping on my back, good posture, stretching, walking, and medical massage therapy have alleviated the back pain my case. YES! A victory!
   
4. Does Costochondritis show up on an x-ray? I have heard of a case or two where they saw the inflammation on the x-ray (such as from the comment on this post- thx Melissa). Unfortunately, most often, it doesn't show up this way. Bummer. It's usually diagnosed through physical exam. Getting diagnosed is half the battle.
   
5. How long will it take to heal? Friends, I wish I knew. This is the million dollar question. Everyone is different. Click on my post in the right column for more info. on this question. Anywhere from 2 weeks to a life time. I know....Eek, gag, crap, sigh, and REALLY? .......Think of your body as an equation. A+B+C=D. It's up to each of us to figure out the different variables in our own case. The cause of your pain is the best place to start. Was it from lifting a baby? Did you get it by repetitive light trauma, like painting? Stress? Did you get it from playing sports? Did you get it b/c you have poor eating habits and your stomach, liver, kidneys, or colon are crying out for a cleanse and better food? I'm not sure. But you really have to take inventory of your body. And I know...we are all like, "we don't have TIME FOR THIS!" But folks. You will have to make time. Because Costo is one stubborn SOB.
   
6. Where do you feel the pain of Costochondritis? Most often, but not always, the pain is felt in the 3-6th ribs. Most often it is seen on the left side- where the under wire of the bra is located. It can range from constant dull pressure to sharp stabbing "attacks" pain. I have them both. Joy. You can have pain when breathing, exercising, laughing, picking up any objects, eating large meals. Basically, if you exist, you can feel the pain. lol. I know, I know....not funny. =)
   
7. Can Costochondritis be caused BY acid reflux? If you have acid reflux and costo...instead of thinking, "oh crap, this really sucks." You should be very thankful. This means you can really focus on your diet and do some cleanses and you could possibly be feeling better in a couple of months! If you have acid reflux...change your diet TODAY. Eat Organic foods and stay away from nightshade foods (foods that cause inflammation). Consider doing a full body cleanse. If you have acid reflux, it's a huge sign that your intestines are NOT happy with you. This could possibly be one of the causes of Costo. for you. And that is awesome! So don't waste any more time. Get it under control! I know, I'm ranting. =) I can't help it.
8. Does Costochondritis CAUSE acid reflux? No. Intestinal issues cause Acid Reflux and costochondritis, not the other way around. Just my opinion.
   
9. Can/Will a bone scan show Costochondritis? If you have infectious costochondritis from an infection, yes, some times it can show up in a bone scan. I have had a bone scan, it showed nothing. This is most likely since I have inflammatory Costochondritis caused by scoliosis, stress, bracing, acid reflux, and a stomach that needed serious cleansing and help with the foods I'm eating.
10. Can stress cause costochondritis? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. It is often called the "bracing disease." I totally recommend skilled relaxation exercises daily. Scroll down to see the skilled relaxation exercise I use.
    
11. Should I go swimming with Costochondritis? It's different for everyone. Try it once and you'll know immediately. I cannot swim at ALL. Very Very painful for me. Some percentage of people do better when swimming. Unfortunately, you will have to do some trial and error with Costo. Blah.
    
12. What type of doctor will/can diagnose costochondrtitis? Any doctor who is familiar with Costochondritis can diagnose it. The key is finding that doctor. I have found certain general practitioners and pain management doctors to be the most knowledgeable.
    
13. Can Costochondritis cause pain in the upper back and shoulder too? YES!
14. Does/can Costochondritis pain come and go daily? Yes. If yours comes and goes, be VERY thankful for this. It means you are closer to healing that those with constant pain.
    
15. Can I/should I stretch with Costochondritis? Yes. Very gently. Scroll below for stretches.
    
16. Should I work out if I have Costoshondritis? Yes. Walking is great. You want to be as stress free as possible. Walking/working out relieves stress, allowing you to sweat out toxins, and keeps your muscles loose. Some people also believe that the only way to heal this condition is for the ribs to oscillate. Kind of like oiling up the joints. You can get your ribs to oscillate with skilled relaxation breathing exercises and/or light jogging or working out in ways that get the ribs moving via breathing heavier than your resting heart rate.
    
17. Can an under wire bra cause Costochondritis? Yes. Or it may just be the straw that breaks the camels back. Just my opinion. Scroll down and read the post on this subject..
    
18. Can Large Breasts cause Costochondrits? Not the breasts themselves, but the bra (that you have to wear to support the weight) can. And/or the weight of the breasts can put lots of pressure on your ribs, causing or contributing to costo. I'm no expert in this area. lol. ha-ha! But I do know that this is a VERY common question.
19. Will a Breast Reduction help? I do know of a couple of women who went this route. It helped some ladies and didn't help others.
    
20. Why can't a doctor help me? This is the 2 million dollar question. Here's the bottom line. Costochondritis accounts for 3 out of 10 people that go to the emergency room with chest pain. Crazy. One would think with such statistics, this condition would be well known and talked about ALL the time. My little ol' opinion is that since our condition is not deadly, it's quickly dismissed. And unless a doctor has lived through the crippling pain of Costo....to them it's just "inflammation."
    
21. Does Costochondritis burn? Yes. It can burn, stab, spasm, be lots of pressure, mimic a heart attack, etc.
    
22. What makes it worse? Everything! Moving, breathing, talking, running, laughing, picking up objects, coughing, throwing up, cold weather, sitting for long periods of time, driving and ...etc....
    
23. Is costochondritis affected by the seasonal changes? Yes. Whether it's allergy induced inflammation due to Spring, or Bracing induced pain due to the cold weather, yes, both weather and seasons can affect Costo.
24. Does Caffiene make my Costo worse? Yes. Scroll down to read the post on caffeine and Costo.
25. Will a full body cleanse heal my costo? Not sure. But it's totally worth a try. I'm in the middle of one and will let you know how it goes!
26. What natural remedies can heal my Costo? Mercy...scroll way down to read the mammoth post I wrote on this. =)
27. How do I not go crazy? Good question...sigh. I know...this condition affects every aspect of your life. It's very tough. In the middle of this monsoon of a storm, my sanctuary has been spending time soaking up the bible, lots of journaling, praying, and basking in the peace of God before I go to bed. This is has been my sanity. This is where I find peace.
    

There you have it! Whew. That made me tired. Feel free to let me know if I missed or need to add something. I'm by no means the expert on anything but my own body. Hoping that as individuals, we all become our own specialists. And as a group, we all become each others greatest supporters. Remember...when you don't know, it's time to learn. And when you do know, it's time to teach.

Costochondritis- Q & A

More Q & A
Great Questions
Just my opinions for Answers. =)

Is the dull constant discomfort a normal symptom?
For me, yes, even on the best days: I have dull constant discomfort.
Worst of days: constant stabbing pain and can't breathe deeply.
Had I taken care of mine early on or known what my diagnoses was, I wouldn't be in this 3 year boat of blah. =) So really baby your Costo, don't lift anything that hurts. Run away from heavy objects! =)

Do others feel best in the morning and then start to get more symptoms
throughout the day?
Yes, My best moments of the entire day are in the mornings. Your body has been relaxed all night, and so you aren't "bracing" at night... and your body has had time to fight some of the inflammation. We irritate it as we go about our day talking, laughing, picking up adorable kids etc.

Does it make sense that lifting my 30 lb daughter would aggravate it?
Oh mercy, yes. I have 6 nieces and nephews and I can't pick up any of them. Weight lifting of any kind is very traumatic to Costochondritis. Also, sitting for long periods of time like driving is really hard on your Costo.

Has anyone had any long term problems with being on Celebrex or similar meds?
I haven't personally taken Celebrex.

Any non-traditional types of drs or therapists to try (a friend recommended
acupuncture)?
Healing Naturally Post

Costochondritis- Q & A

Okay, here are some great questions on a forum I'm a part of...insert sassy, adorable, authoratative voice here "please use your own discretion and consult your doctor for all your medical questions." =)

Medical Massage Therapist:

Lucy:
Could you please talk a little more about what type of therapy
the therapist does? You mentioned massage therapy, and I
know when I've tried that in the past, I could not tolerate it
at all, and I got terribly ill for days after with what seemed like
a horrible flu. Does the therapist massage the front of your
ribcage? That might be a little difficult, I would imagine, but
I do remember thinking quite often "if I could get these
muscles to release throughout my ribcage, esp. under the
breast area...the thought of it though just makes me cringe.


You are SO SO SO right! Before I found my medical massage therapist, when I went to normal massage therapists, I would walk out in SOOOO much pain. Laying on my stomach was YIKES, OUCH, and oh CRAP THAT HURTS! So laying on my stomach with someone pushing into my back would leave me bed ridden for days afterward in pain.

However, my back was killing me, so I found this medical massage therapist who works at my physical therapists office. And for 2 months, I did massages sitting in a chair (on my back only), much more comfortable and less painful. I wouldn't let her put me on the table. But I got little relief from it in terms of the Costo and the back relief was very temporary. My therapist asked me for 8 weeks if she could please work on the Costo. I was like "over my dead body, chick-a-dee." =)

Then one day she looked at me and was like, "I've had Costo before, please let me work on your ribs"...after a shocking minute, I said, "okay, 10 minutes." So this is what the first session looked like:

1) Lay on back

2) Therapist VERY lightly would lay her finger on the tender spots in between my ribs(at the sternum around the 7th rib) and stay there for about 2-3 minutes until she felt the sore spot lightly release. She would work her way outward to the sides. She started on the left side of my rib cage and then moved over on the right side. I was so tender, the pressure she used was equivalent to a light touch to the lips and I still screamed and she was like "breathe woman!." However, when I left that day, my chest was opened up a little and I wasn't in more pain when I left than when we started like I normally was with a message therapists. It shocked me.

For the next 8 weeks, that was our drill. VERY light (penny on your stomach) pressure, me laying on my back. As we continued the therapy, my chest muscles started opening up and every week I could take a little more pressure and breathe a little deeper. Melissa (my therapist) said she was literally pushing out the inflammation and opening up the chest muscles.

Starting on the ninth week, I could take more and more pressure as she got deeper and deeper into the inflammation. It's a light talking session. Her constantly asking how the spots feels and me answering. I had no idea until I started the therapy that there were pockets of inflammation ALL OVER my ribs, not just where it hurt like crapola to breathe. And my BACK started to feel better!! That rocked.

After 8 weeks, we would do part of the therapy laying on each side. She would start the light pressure with one hand at my sternum on rib 7 and with one hand and on my back on the same rib on my spine and work her way together with her hands until they met in the middle. ....always following along the same rib.

Currently, out we start on each side and then I lay on my back and she does repetitive strokes starting at the sternum in between the ribs and working her way out again. She also stretches the rib cage, diaphragm, and neck muscles. And she has me doing the stretch every day where you stand in the doorway and step through to stretch the chest muscles (do the stretch with your hand near your shoulders and then again, only with the hands higher up on the door frame).

I've been going for 3 1/2 months...Melissa feels my pain will resolve in about 6 more months...we shall see. That would a miracle. =) My results so far are that I can breathe soooo much better, which I'm so excited about. After everything I've tried, I'm staying with this since I'm seeing results.

Anyhoo, so that's the dealio. It's been a huge blessing to me. My back is almost pain free. Pretty Cool. =) I know that was really long winded. Hope it helps. =) Oh- and I didn't really see progress until I married the therapy with no talking. Yup, the cruddy no talking policy. But it helped me. The less irritating we can be to our ribs, the better.

How do you go about finding the right medical massage therapist?
I'd call around to the physical therapist offices in your area and ask if they have a massage therapist who deals with chronic illnesses or costochondritis. If you can't find one, then start calling the massage therapists and see if you can find someone who has worked on Costo.

Did you ask about if they had experience helping people with costco?
Definitely. If they aren't familiar with the condition or willing to do the research on the condition, then run! =)
If you find someone you think would be a fit but hasn't worked on Costo., I'd meet with whomever you choose and basically interview them first, and print out info on Costo. Also, print out my previous post on how the massage is done by my therapist and take with you and talk to her/him.

FYI: If they ask you to start the massage laying on your stomach...bolt out of there, they don't know what's going on and you'll walk out in a lot of pain.

Is the type of massage different?
The biggest difference for me is that even though we work a lot on the chest, neck and back muscles, we spend most of the time working on the cartilage inbetween the ribs, gently pushing the inflammation from the sternum to the lymph nodes, then from the spine to the lymph nodes under the arm- and stopping a LOT when we land on a spot that is tender to keep the light pressure on the spot and once it releases a little bit, she continues working her way out. It's a very slow process. Since the ribs have such a low blood flow, massage can help get blood flowing and circulating in your ribs...and that is a beautiful thing.

Injections:

And I believe it was Lucy who said the Intercostal blocks weren't beneficial for her
because she's had costo over 2 years (?). I suppose since I've had costo
for decades (over 3) that doing this then would probably not help, is that
what you're saying Lucy?

I think it's different for everyone. Unfortunately for me, my Costo wasn't diagnosed until 2 years later. I'm currently going on 3 yrs right there with you. Ick!! Had mine been diagnosed off the bat, I personally think the intercostal shots would have really worked. However, I was a personal trainer at the time, and still searching for a diagnosis, I continued lifting weights. The WORST thing I could have done! AHHH!! So my pain got worse and worse and I got desperate. Now I can't lift a pen without pain. You know how that goes. (However, I can breathe deep without pain, now. Yay!) So I think I contributed to my inflammation greatly over those 2 years. But for those who haven't exasperated the pain, shots may be a wonderful tool through the journey of healing. Some speculate they only mask the symtoms. For me, they didn't work, but I really hope it works for someone else.