What causes sternal chondritis?

Sternal chondritis is also a relatively common disease. The cause of this disease is not particularly clear at present. It is generally believed that it is related to the patient's previous respiratory tract infection, such as viral infection, or chronic strain. In addition, combined with illness and nutritional disorders, sternal chondritis may be induced. This disease generally does not require treatment and has a certain degree of self-healing ability, but it still requires a certain degree of attention.

What causes sternal chondritis?

The cause of costochondritis is still unclear. Many patients have a history of viral upper respiratory tract infection before the onset of the disease. Therefore, the occurrence of the disease may be related to viral infection, or it may be related to chronic strain of the costochondral joint ligaments, costochondral nutritional disorders caused by various reasons, tuberculosis, systemic malnutrition, acute bacterial upper respiratory tract infection, rheumatoid arthritis, costochondral joint subluxation, chest impact injury, severe coughing, etc.

Differential diagnosis:

The initial symptom of nonspecific costochondritis is local pain in the chest wall. After a few days, swelling and bulge appear at the affected area. The pain is aggravated by activities such as deep breathing, coughing, and chest straightening, as well as after fatigue. Some people experience acute onset of the disease, and may feel stabbing, throbbing or soreness in the chest; others experience a slow onset of the disease, and may unknowingly feel a bow-shaped swelling at the junction of the sternum and costal cartilage, accompanied by dull pain. The pain of costochondritis varies in severity and is prone to recurrence. The course of the disease varies in length and can heal on its own within months or years.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test:

MRI examination has good tissue resolution and can clearly display tissue structures such as bone and bone marrow, cartilage, ligaments, meniscus, synovium, bursa, muscle, etc. It can also perform multi-parameter and multi-directional imaging. It has high diagnostic value for lesion display and injury degree assessment, and provides an important basis for early clinical qualitative diagnosis. It is the preferred examination.

Costochondritis generally does not require treatment and can heal on its own, but it still needs to be taken seriously to avoid the above factors that aggravate the pain symptoms. No matter what the symptoms are, you need to go to the hospital for treatment and avoid self-diagnosis or medication.