Costochondritis

The repetitive motion of holding and lowering a baby during childcare continuously contracts the splenic muscles (splenic major and minor) and the extensor muscles, accumulating micro-traction damage at the costochondritis junction. In the case of breastfeeding postures, as the position of leaning the neck and shoulders forward becomes fixed, chronic compression is added to the anterior thoracic structures, making it easy to lead to costochondritis. Postpartum pelvic and ligament relaxation, which increases systemic joint fragility, is also a contributing factor to the onset of the condition. From a Korean medicine perspective, after childbirth, the body's vital energy (Jeonggi) and blood are depleted, and digestive function weakens, leading to insufficient nutrient supply to muscles and ligaments. When repetitive childcare movements cause energy stagnation in a state where digestive function—which supplies energy to digestion and muscles—is impaired, stagnant blood easily accumulates in the costal cartilage area. At Dongjedang, we relieve myofascial tension around the sternocostal region using acupuncture and needle acupuncture, and aid in the recovery of weakened postpartum tissues with constitution-tailored herbal medicine that reinforces the energy of both the digestive system and the liver.