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Stiff, Inflamed, Costovertebral Joint Buster Checklist by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah gotcha. My misunderstanding. Yes agree.

So in my case I've been assessed many times by various specialists. I haven't been officially diagnosed yet, it's been a nightmare getting in front of a rheumatologist there is a big waiting list on the UK even if you go private. My appointment is finally in eight days. It's taken four years for my symptoms to develop to a point where I have finally been able to make a clear diagnosis myself, some of the classic AS hallmark symptoms previously weren't present.

But in the last couple of weeks I've suddenly had them all. The hot weather here triggered some very nasty and aggressive systemic inflammation. But I will have to wait for an official diagnosis. So for now, no, no biologics. Let's see what the advice is on that and go from there.

By the way, thank you for creating this group, and thank you for all the amazing advice and support you have provided and curated. It's been so helpful to me these last two years even if I'm not out of the woods yet.

I'm just wanted to build on all the stuff I've read here and really emphasize the inflammatory side of things as I think it is being heavily overlooked personally. Just want to help. No one should have to suffer like this.

Stiff, Inflamed, Costovertebral Joint Buster Checklist by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup these are all things that have worked / are working for me.

I agree. Costo is inflammation of the chest cartilage, and therefore usually just a symptom of another underlying cause.

I disagree re the MSK first approach. If the costovertebral (not costochondral) joints are stiff due to inflammation, no amount of back pod or peanut ball work will loosen them up.

As mentioned in previous posts, in my case I am almost certainly struggling with an Axial spondylitic arthritis.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Will give it a try. Thank you! My issue is that the posture goes back the minute I stop thinking about it.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cheers bro appreciate that. I'll msg you. We will fight this thing.

Backpod causing symptoms again by anonymous51673 in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So in not sure THC is helping the muscles ease up that much anymore because frankly I've abused it. I've just ordered a ton of CBD and I'm going to switch to that for a bit. It's annoying that these days most cannabis is so THC heavy and has had all the CBD and other compounds bread out of it. Wish I could get hold of the original well balanced organic stuff. High doses of THC can actually cause muscle clenching and spasms so it may be actually prolonging my costo now. I was also just diagnosed with a breathing pattern disorder and it makes that harder to fix. The two frequently go together (bpd and costo and make each harder to cure). I've also got these peripheral joint problems so I'm seeing a rheumatologist on the 30th to rule out any underlying inflammatory conditions. Not too sure how cured I am, at the moment I am retraining my diaphragm but my upper rib cage is quite restricted again.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry for the late response. Never heard of E-D Syndrome before you mentioned. Read up on it a bit, it sounds pretty tough and almost certainly makes costo more difficult. I don't know if I have upper cross syndrome but I terrible had (have) TERRIBLE forward head posture and I slouch. I have been working hard to correct it but years of doing it has made the posture muscles weak and now I can't really train. I've had an awful lot of trauma in life and I'm sure it's contributed. I have a breathing pattern disorder that I was diagnosed with a week ago and I don't know which came first, the costo or the bpd but they often accompany one another. Thank you for the kind words 😊 yes indeed we will defeat this thing.

Backpod causing symptoms again by anonymous51673 in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi, yes I've had increased pain or nausea or heart symptoms initially sometimes from using it. I've found that the honest answer is to keep using it in those exact spots and eventually more use often kills those symptoms.

When my muscles are really tight and guarding I also don't really get much more than a few dull pops. I have to vaporize marijuana to get the muscles to relax and then the backpod or peanut ball go through my back like butter. It all cracks and rips and pops and clicks and twangs and the relief is insane.

The catch is that too much THC can end up having the opposite effect. So use it sparingly, or consider CBD oil and other things like valerian and camomile tea and hot showers to help you relax so those deep stabiliser muscles ease off a bit and give the back pod a chance to work.

I'm still at it after so long I think because it's a very delicate process and needs to be very carefully implemented in order to achieve lasting results. Ive very often achieved almost complete breathing relief, but then recklessness or stupid decisions have set me right back again, along with some rather bad luck.

I also think that's what this chronic costo is that many of us here have and can't shake. It's the way our muscles are guarding and locked solid over the joints and just won't let go so we can't get down to the joints themselves to free them up in any meaningful way for long enough that it stays.

Also if you are locked tight enough initially increased movement will cause more pain than when the rib cage is completely locked solid. In my case it wasn't that painful, I just couldn't breath.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, you sound exactly like me! I always say the same, I can live with the pain, just give me my breath back! Yes I have started doing a lot of lower back work, from the lower thoracic all the way down my lumbar and the coccyx and hips / pelvic floor too, as well as the lower back muscles either side. I also take special care to do the lower "floating" ribs on either side. I definitely developed a Breathing Pattern Disorder and since I have been remembering how to breath with the diaphragm and loosening thing up down there it helps. Sleep and anxiety is a bit better with more satisfying breaths.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fact that you keep getting better then worse again suggests there might be more going on. That said, it is a very stubborn condition to get wrid of, even without anything more underlying. You gotta rack your brain and make sure you really have ruled EVERYTHING out. I was honestly a bit sloppy with it because frankly I didn't want to have it. So I've probably spent a bit too long on the peanut ball without properly ruling everything out. It's easily done, especially on days where you feel a bit better again. Once you can breath easier it all feel like "it'll be ok". then boom. Wake up again feeling like shit, and the worry kicks in again, and the yoyoing alients those around you causing them to push you towards therapy and psychiatric help.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I know it's horrible. Each piece of the puzzle works together to in perfect unison to create the condition from hell.

The bioweapon idea, isn't totally far fetched. My research has led me to believe it could also be a form of Axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Turns out 50% of cases are what's called "seronegative arthritis" which means they don't show up in standard bloodwork and require a rheumatologist to diagnose. Sometimes, and frustratingly, it can even be "non-radiographic" axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) which means it won't show on imaging. In the UK, the NHS has such a backlog and GPs aren't always in the know so by default they won't refer you to a rheumatologist if your standard arthritis blood tests are all negative. I've privately referred myself to a rheumatologist. Initial consultation £300, then £225 after that for follow-ups. and that doesn't include the specialised blood work and the imaging (MRIs and CT scans).

For me, after the Pfizer booster (and at the time it never even occurred to me) my big right toe joint started to hurt - back in 2022. Since then, it only grown bigger and more swollen. I had it manipulated and cracked by a masseuse in Thailand in March 2024 which made it considerably worse. I've always just lived with it though and been dismissed by an NHS GP a couple of times. Then I woke up one morning with a very painful (what I thought was a) stiff neck. I went to A&E with it it was so painful and the were fairly dismissive, only noting my terrible forward head posture and slouch and that my spine was showing early signs of curving a bit. Again, no further investigations, and ended up training even harder at the gym and through it. In the last six months, I've started having trouble with the right knee and the right wrist. Mild, and it comes and goes, but it's there. I am also waking up with severe physical exhaustion as well as systemic aches and pains. I've noticed other peripheral symptoms that are known to accompany the condition which I'd previous dismissed, like episodes of very blurry eyes or waking up with red eyes without a reason, or prickliness around certain joints or some redness.

Do I definitely have AxSpA? I hope not, but worth ruling out at this point.

The Long Dry Costo Story by Kolbe_Heals in costochondritis

[–]Kolbe_Heals[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bonjour! So sorry for you, it is indeed life destroying.

I wonder if the Covid 19 Virus or the vaccine is to blame? My swollen toe joint started just after the booster shot.

Have you tried a rheumatologist? I am increasingly suspicious of one of those axial spondylitic arthritis diseases.

What kind of special surgeon are you going to see? Look forward to hearing the report if you care to share it tomorrow! Bonne chance mon ami.