- Costochondritis is an inflammatory process which is commonly caused by musculoskeletal dysfunction of the rib joints at the back where they attach to the thoracic spine and at the front in the chest where they attach to cartilage. This is universally due to long-term poor posture with a stiffening, rounded, kyphotic middle-back from slumping in sofas or dropping the chest and poking the chin forward and sitting at computer screens that are too low and texting on mobile phones.
- Repeated minor trauma to the chest wall, overuse of the arms, or viral respiratory infections can commonly cause chest pain due to costochondritis. Occasionally, costochondritis as a result of bacterial infections can occur in people who use IV drugs or who have had surgery to their upper chest. After surgery, the cartilage can become more prone to infection, because of reduced blood flow in the region that has been operated on.
Different types of infectious diseases can cause costochondritis.
Viral: Costochondritis commonly occurs with viral respiratory infections because of the inflammation of the area from the viral infection itself, or from straining from coughing.
Bacterial: Costochondritis may occur after surgery and be caused by bacterial infections.
Fungal: Fungal infections are rare causes of costochondritis.
Source : NHS