Hey there. I get this. It's horrible, isn't it?

In my two years of increasing dosages of painkillers, the pain did not go away, in fact it got worse, and the painkillers did nothing for it. If you are on such heavy doses and it's not working, then it doesn't work....and yes, you are destroying your liver, big time.

For me personally, my pain was from bracing. Notice how your body feels just prior to an attack, or even during an attack. Pay special attention to your shoulders in between attacks. Are they up around your ears from anxietY? If so, you could have a traditional case based on pulling your chest out of alignment. Relaxation is key here. You need to stay hyper aware of your shoulders and stress in your upper body if you feel this is the case.

A really good massage therapist working on these muscles did wonders for me.

In between, get a very good guided meditation tape (the whole Naparstek series are amazing) which you can get on Amazon.

Bathing in Epsom Salts may help to due to the magnesium.

Even if you have a classic case of chronic costochondritis, you can lick this. It takes not eating crappy food, too many stimulants (like coffee), tons of water, and the relaxation techniques.

I did try accupuncture at one point, and it didn't help me, but it might help you as well.

Good luck. If you've been on pain killers for a couple of weeks, and it doesn't help, it won't. Believe me.

I have had costochondritis for about two years, but only had it diagnosed a week ago. I was told there was no cure, so I have been extremely frustrated, because the pain can be really awful. I have been applying heat but it hasn't had much effect. HOWEVER, this morning, quite by accident, I discovered a wonderfully effective treatment- frozen cubes of aloe-vera "goo" and lavender! All are anti-inflammatory. Just place the cube on the sore area and let it melt. The relief is sublime :) :)

Here's the recipe:

Take two (or more) stalks from an aloe vera plant (take from the outer layers, they are more mature), and slice off the skins with a knife. Be careful, because the goo inside is very slippery. In a bowl, add together all the clear aloe-goo, a few tsps of dried lavender and about 16 drops of lavender oil. Put everything in a blender and whizz until smooth and slightly frothy. Then pour into an ice tray, freeze, and use as needed. I tried it three hours ago, and haven't had any hint of pain since.... I feel like a different person!!!

Try it out and let me know what you think!