close window
Housecall Archives
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffCostochondritis usually goes away on its own and is short-lived, although in some cases it may last for several months or longer.
To ease your pain until it fades, your doctor may recommend:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve)
- Antidepressants, specifically a category of medicines called tricyclic antidepressants, if pain is making it difficult to sleep at night
- Muscle relaxants, which can also help ease pain
References
- Proulx AM, et al. Costochondritis: Diagnosis and treatment. American Family Physician. 2009;80:617.
- Mercier LR. Costochondritis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/173904979-4/924114114/2088/162.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00012-5--sc0235_3245. Accessed Dec. 2, 2009.
- Stulbarg MS, et al. Symptoms of respiratory disease and their management. In: Mason, RJ, et al. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: W.B. Saunders; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/173904979-4/924114114/1288/249.html#4-u1.0-B0-7216-0327-0..50033-1--cesec23_1578. Accessed Dec. 2, 2009.
- Meisel JL. Diagnostic approach to chest pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 2, 2009.
- Phillips K, et al. Treatment of musculoskeletal pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 2, 2009.
- Boulanger BL. Costochondritis. In: Garfunkel LC, et al. Pedatric Clinical Advisor. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03506-4..10078-1--s0200&uniq=174188909&isbn=978-0-323-03506-4&sid=925053234#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03506-4..10078-1%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-03506-4. Accessed Dec. 2, 2009.
- Chang-Miller A (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 5, 2009.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 4, 2009.
Find Mayo Clinic on