Costochondritis is the inflammation of the costal cartilage that connects the rib to the sternum (breastbone). While the costal cartilage is seen as an extension of the rib, it actually articulates with both the rib and sternum at two joints – sternocostal joint which is between the sternum and costal cartilage and the costochondral joint which is between the rib and costal cartilage. In costochondritis, the inflammation may also affect the movement at these joints.

continue reading What is Costochondritis? Pain in Rib, Sternum Area

Trapezitis is an inflammatory pain arising from the trapezius muscle (Picture 1) causing a severe neck spasm. This muscle lies at the back of the neck and helps in shrugging movement of the shoulders along with upward movement of the head. Unlike torticollis, the pain and stiffness due to trapezitis, is episodic and lasts for 3-5 days at a time. Bad posture is frequently incriminated as the cause for trapezitis. Watching television or working on a computer with an awkward posture, or even the use of a thick pillow can cause frequent episodes of neck spasm. The pain of trapezitis can be felt more during extension of the neck backwards as in looking upwards. The trapezius muscle at the back of the neck becomes hard and stiff and a light massage to this area tends to relieve the pain.
continue reading Trapezitis – Symptoms and Treatment

Torticollis or wry neck (Picture 1) is a disease since birth, which causes fibrosis of the muscle sternocleidomastoid. The fibrosis can also be a result of birth trauma or trauma during childhood to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Normally, this muscle helps in nodding and side to side movements of the neck. Thus, sternocleidomastoid fibrosis halts its further growth, causing a decrease in neck movements and fixed rotation of the head to one side. The short and tout band of the fibrosed sternocleidomastoid can be seen in front of the neck on the affected side. Unlike trapezitis, the symptoms of torticollis are generally permanent unless treated with corrective surgery.
continue reading Torticollis – Symptoms and Treatment

Neck spasm is a painful and discomforting stiffness of the neck muscles. It is a highly disabling condition, which greatly prevents a person from leading a normal life. Neck spasm is seen either since childhood, in which case we call it torticollis, or in adulthood, where we call it trapezitis. Both these diseases have entirely different origins, but yet they cause the same symptom, a stiff and painful neck. Injury from road accidents can also lead to neck spasm from fracture of neck vertebrae or with a whiplash injury.
continue reading Neck Spasm – Causes and Treatment

Valmontemmanuel Asked :
I have been feeling this pain in the manubrium, occasionally. It resurfaces, sometimes. I felt this when I was first year in college. Now I am in third year and I feel the pain when I wake up from sleep in morning.

I am assuming this is because of my sleeping positions. I move many times and my bed is sort of imbalanced, since it is old already and fragile. When i try to press it, in the middle of the bone which holds the first intercostal bones, it hurts.

continue reading Morning Sternum (Breastbone), Manubrium Pain Upon Waking