Costochondritis

Costochondritis is painful inflammation in the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breastbone (sternum).

Those sections of cartilage are your costochondral joints. They’re stiff and strong to help your ribcage protect organs like your heart and lungs.

The inflammation can make breathing or moving your chest very painful. The pain can start suddenly or develop slowly and spread (radiate) across your chest.

Some people assume that any chest pain is a sign of a heart attack. But the same issues that cause heart attacks don’t cause costochondritis, and having costochondritis doesn’t mean you’re having a heart attack. But you should always visit a healthcare provider if your chest or ribs hurt, especially if the pain doesn’t get better in a few days.

How common is costochondritis?

Costochondritis is one of the most common causes of chest pain. Experts estimate that around one-third of people who visit a healthcare provider with chest pain or rib pain have costochondritis.