Costochondritis

The possibility of a complete cure for costochondritis depends on the duration of the onset, the degree of chronicity, and the presence of underlying diseases. Generally, ① Acute type within 3 months of onset: Complete recovery is possible in over 80–90% of cases. ② Subacute to chronic type within 3–12 months: Significant improvement in 60–80% is achieved when combined with in-depth treatments such as needle acupuncture or thread embedding. ③ Severe chronic type lasting more than 12 months or accompanied by immune abnormalities: While setting functional daily recovery as a realistic goal rather than complete eradication is appropriate, gradual improvement is possible. In any case, it is rare to find a situation where treatment must be abandoned. Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective

Based on the principle that pain disappears when Qi and blood flow freely, Korean medicine believes that even deeply ingrained blood stasis and adhesions can be resolved step by step. Multi-layered treatment is possible, approaching Qi and blood stagnation in the acute phase with acupuncture and pharmacopuncture, deep blood stasis in the chronic phase with moxibustion and fire acupuncture, and deep constitutional weakness with herbal medicine. If you do not give up and consistently engage in treatment, even chronic costochondritis can achieve substantial recovery.