Today in my Long Beach office I evaluated a 42 year old male who had been using medical marijuana to treat the pain and inflammation associated with Tietze’s Syndrome. Tietz’es Syndrome is an inflammatory process that affects the junction where the ribs attach to the sternum. This area is known as the costo-cartilage. This patient describes having sever bouts of chest wall pain which in the past have required toradol injections, heavy NSAID doses and even opiate use. Currently his symptoms are treated exclusively with medical marijuana. READ ON…

As medical director for Medical Cannabis of Southern California I often evaluate patients who experience costochondritis. Costochondritis is is pain at the location of the cartilage where the ribs attach to your sternum (breast plate). Ultimately it is the result of inflammation of the cartilage and the joint. Typically it is very painful and is often treated with rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like motrin or if treating the underlying cause if it is easily defined. Recently I had two patients who were treating their chest wall pain with cannabis with great success.