Sue,
Many people with AS have one or the other. Try this link
http://www.medicinenet.com/costochondritis_and_tietze_syndrome/article.htm is may explain the symptoms a little better and the diseases it is associated with. I refuse to go to rheumies here where I live because the ones I have been to in the past have little knowledge of AS and out of three only one had worked with a patient with AS. My best luck in NC has been through neurologist, neurosurgeons and orthos all documenting AS in their records, if I was a rheumy in this state I would personally turn in my medical license and find a job.
My PCP diagnosed the costochondritis after a through exam of my ribs from the back, front and sides. Part of the exam showed signs of tietze because of the tenderness which made me sit up after putting pressure two ribs in the back. They feel like they are floating and pressure applied causes severe pain causing me to maove away. The inflammation of the ribs and tendons near the joint cause cramps and spasms along with the pain.
As for trigger points it takes a trained person to determine to look for the correct diagnosis as one triger point can lead to several different things. Much like when I studied pressure points in the martial arts. Applying different amounts of pressure to a pressure point will cause a small amount of pain to a local area or do some real damage with even more pressure.
I would asked the doctor what her opinion is about the chance of it being costochondritis. There are ligaments, tendons and muscles also involved. She may have been hitting a muscle instead of getting to the base of the problem. I'm sure it would not be the first time a doctor made a mistake giving someone an injection if that is what has happened here.
Brent
