Funmi had been to two hospitals in three days, convinced she was having a heart attack. Each time, her ECG and troponin were normal. At Mascot Healthcare, one specific examination finding — point-tenderness at the costochondral junctions — provided the explanation she needed.
Software developer, Lekki. Presented with sharp, left-sided chest pain worsening on movement, deep breath, and pressure on the sternum — for 3 days. Two hospital visits had excluded cardiac cause. Mascot Healthcare confirmed costochondritis on examination.
CostochondritisFunmi had done a heavy gym session involving cable rows and chest press on Monday. The pain started that evening — left-sided, sharp, and frightening. By 10 pm she was in the nearest hospital. ECG: normal. Troponin at 3 hours: undetectable. "We don't see anything," the doctor said. "Rest." She went home.
By Wednesday, the pain was unchanged. She went to a second hospital. Again: ECG normal, troponin normal. Again: "Your heart is fine." She was frustrated and frightened. The pain was real. It was making her breathe in shallow gasps and prevented her from sleeping comfortably.
She came to Mascot Healthcare on Thursday. The doctor listened to the history — particularly the onset after chest exercises — and performed a focused musculoskeletal examination. Pressing firmly on the left 3rd and 4th costochondral junctions reproduced Funmi's pain exactly. "That's your chest pain," the doctor said. "This is the chest wall, not the heart."
Costochondritis is a benign but distressing cause of chest pain. The clinical key is reproducible point tenderness at the costochondral junctions — which differentiates it from cardiac pain.
Localised sharp pain over the left sternal border and rib junctions — onset after a heavy lifting session.
Pain significantly worse with twisting, arm movements, and reaching overhead.
Sharp increase with deep inhalation — making her breathe shallowly and increasing anxiety.
Pressing directly on the affected rib-sternum junction reproduced the exact pain — a hallmark of costochondritis.
Cardiac causes excluded at two previous hospital visits.
Paracetamol 1 g QDS — insufficient for musculoskeletal inflammation.
Resting — appropriate; not actively treating the inflammation.
Breathing shallowly — adaptive but counterproductive (can cause basal atelectasis and worsen anxiety).
Costochondritis confirmed by reproducing the pain on direct palpation of the 3rd and 4th left costochondral junctions. No further investigations were required.
Treatment: a short course of a painkiller taken with food; a pain-relief gel rubbed into the tender area; rest from weight training for 2 weeks. Funmi was counselled: costochondritis typically resolves in 2–4 weeks; pain during deep breathing does not indicate lung damage; breathing deeply through the pain is safe and helpful.
She was given a written explanation of costochondritis to share with her employer (she had considered taking extended sick leave) and her family.
Costochondritis — left 3rd and 4th costochondral junctions (point tenderness reproduced on examination; cardiac causes excluded)
A short course of a painkiller; a pain-relief gel to the tender area; rest from upper body training × 2 weeks; breathing reassurance; follow-up as needed
At 1 week: pain reduced by 60%. At 3 weeks: fully resolved. Returned to gym training at 4 weeks without recurrence.
Funmi's chest pain resolved completely within 3 weeks. She returned to gym training at 4 weeks. No cardiac event was ever present.
Costochondritis is a common, benign cause of chest pain that can be terrifying because it mimics cardiac pain. The differentiating feature is point tenderness at the costochondral junctions — something a physical examination reveals in seconds.
When cardiac causes are appropriately excluded, a musculoskeletal chest examination is the essential next step — not more cardiac investigations.
Chest pain that's worse when you press on the sternum is not a heart attack — it's costochondritis. NSAIDs and reassurance fix it.
Walk in to Mascot Healthcare, Akoka — same-day consultation, transparent pricing, 4.9★ rated.