An inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone. The cause usually isn't known. In some circumstances, it develops after trauma or a muscle strain. Costochondritis causes pain and tenderness on the breastbone, pain in more than one rib or pain that gets worse with deep breaths or coughing. The pain is sharp, aching or pressure-like and affects more than one rib. Acute injury leading to fracture of ribs also causes severe pain in the ribs.

Interventional therapy:

Costochondritis is usually self-limiting. But at times becomes chronic and is quite disturbing. If the initial management with medications fail, an USG guided intervention is quite helpful. The intercostal nerve and costochondral junction which is the main cause of pain is identified and medications are injected very specifically. Many a times a repeat procedure might be required according to chronicity. Sometimes a RFA (Radiofrequency ablation) is required to get a lasting effect.
In case of rib fractures, intercostal nerve blocks alone are quite useful to reduce the pain.