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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffDoctors don't know what causes most cases of costochondritis. Only some cases of costochondritis have a clear cause. Those causes include:
- Injury. A blow to the chest could cause costochondritis.
- Infection. Infection can develop in the costosternal joint, causing pain.
- Fibromyalgia. Recurring costochondritis could be a symptom of fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia often have several tender spots. The upper part of the breastbone is a common tender spot.
- Pain from other areas of your body. Pain signals can sometimes be misinterpreted by your brain, causing pain in places far away from where the problem occurs. Your doctor might refer to this as "referred pain." Pain in your chest can sometimes be caused by problems with the bones in your spine compressing the nerves.
