Idiopathic Costochondritis: Gender Differences and Treatment Options in This Little Known Chest Pain Syndrome

Background: Patients with chest pain may remain undiagnosed. Idiopathic costochondritis (IC) has been described as one of the most common causes of chest pain. It is characterized by chest pain and costochondral junction tenderness. Higher prevalence of IC in women has been reported. We compare female and male IC patients demographics, treatment results and investigate their pain levels with visual analaque scale (VAS).