I have had chest pain and ribs hurting off and on for many many years. It’s definitely what the AI wrote about. I have always been a shallow breather now I know why. I try to breathe deeply off and on through out the day. I am also on an inhaler. 2 puffs in the morning. Pain is awful it sometimes in the chest feels like I’m having a heart attack but not. An other times it’s like someone stabbing you and cutting you along the side along your ribs. I have learned to live with it. They don’t want to gives us any thing to help with the pain! I don’t like it but what do you do? But yeah, it’s common with AS.

@A MySpondylitisTeam Member, @Sherie The internet has loads of YouTube demos as well as printed instructions how to do diaphragmatic breathing exercises. The first couple of times i felt that intense stabbing sharp pain and heaviness that radiates into the neck, shoulders and stomach i thought i was having a heart attack and wasted hours in the ER with that fun work-up😑. Then i wondered a few times if i had COPD even though ive never been a smoker and I have no excess weight. Finally i learned about costochondroitis in Spondylitis. I began regularly doing 10 repetitions of back lying diaphragmatic breathing exercises one to 4 times a day. In the beginning it's as difficult as any other exercise and even painful. I had a hard time taking the breath into the abdomen where the abdomen rises without the chest rising. I had to really think hard about it. Who knew breathing could be so hard! Something everyone takes for granted, yet so many people actually do not breathe efficiently because they've never heard of breathing into the belly, which is not swallowing air, it's just a matter of being able to move the diaphragm. At first i could only breathe in for a count of one second, out for just two. Ive been at it regularly for a couple years now. It takes patient consistency to overcome a damaged body part. Now i can breathe in for 8-10 seconds, hold for 10, and out for 20 to 30. The best part, knock on wood, is that i have not had a costochondroitis flare in 2 or 3 years. Mine was so bad that i lost the ability to speak up at all in a large room, even in a small quiet room my voice would cut out completely. Now people comment frequently how strong my voice is. I can even sing soprano again. With all things autoimmune, medication is never the answer. Indeed, most of the meds, if not all, make pain worse and even lead to more pain in areas you wouldn't have had it because of the damaging side affects of the meds. Your best pain relief will come when you eliminate the triggers, add anti inflammatory antioxidants to your daily diet, and find the right combination of supporting exercises for the ailing body parts. Yes, that is easier said than done, but it is still doable. The key is that you are consistent with your lifestyle and dietary improvements as well as avoiding the triggers that cause your pain. Yours in better health, P 😌🙏

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A MySpond...

Hello 👋🏼 Sherie! I'am so sorry you have to experience that. I know it's awful 😞 I would be nice if they could give us something to help but you're right they just don't. I hope you have a good day today 💖🤗