Is it my heart? That is the question behind almost every chest pain, and it is the right question to ask first. Chest and rib pain deserves a proper medical check before anything else, and nothing on this page replaces that. But many people are left with pain after their heart has been cleared, and that is where these groups come in.

Costochondritis, pleurisy and plain rib pain can hang around for weeks and flare with a deep breath, a cough or rolling over in bed. They are also hard to explain to family who assume that if the heart is fine, everything is fine. Members here know the difference. They share how they sleep, what positions ease a flare, how they manage the anxiety that comes with every twinge, and how long their own episodes lasted.

Which group is right for you

• Chest Pain Support & Awareness: for anyone with ongoing chest pain, including people whose tests came back clear but who still need somewhere to talk about it.
• Costochondritis Support & Relief: for people with inflammation where the ribs meet the breastbone, the sharp, pressing pain that is so often mistaken for something more serious.
• Pleurisy Support & Relief Group: for those with pain from the lining of the lungs, usually worse with breathing, and for the recovery period after the cause is treated.
• Rib Pain Support & Relief: for rib pain from strains, bruises, cracked ribs or an unknown cause, where sleeping and coughing are the usual sticking points.