Costochondritis eMedicine Rheumatology

Description: Synonyms and related keywords: chest wall syndrome, costochondral syndrome, costosternal chondrodynia, Tietze syndrome, chest pain, costal chondritis, costochondral joint
Costochondritis is a common cause of chest pain in children and adolescents. The condition is characterized as an inflammatory process of 1 or more of the costochondral cartilages that causes localized tenderness and pain of the anterior chest wall. Most cases of costochondritis are idiopathic. The remaining cases may result from costochondral irritation due to direct trauma, aggressive exercise that caused a strain, or a prior upper respiratory tract infection with cough that caused repeated stretching and strain at the costochondral junction. Costochondritis is a relatively benign and usually self-limited condition. Patients are often evaluated initially in the ED or, with acute conditions, in their primary care physician's office. The term Tietze syndrome implies swelling; costochondritis refers to pain alone.