What is costochondritis?

What is costochondritis?

Costochondritis is a harmless swelling (inflammation) of cartilage in your chest. The cartilage connects your ribs to your breastbone (sternum), creating the costochondral joint. Costochondritis feels like a sharp or aching pain. The pain can start suddenly or develop slowly and spread across your chest.

Because the pain is in your chest, you might misinterpret costochondritis as a heart attack.