I'm a 28-year-old guy dealing with costochondritis and whenever I visit the doctor, my heart rate skyrockets and my blood pressure goes up, but when I'm back home, everything seems to settle down to normal. I'm really anxious about this. Could you help me understand what's happening and any suggestions on what I could do?
Your symptoms suggest white coat hypertension and anxiety, common in people with costochondritis; to manage anxiety, consider relaxation techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation, and for white coat hypertension, ask your doctor about ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure tracking to get accurate readings and alleviate anxiety-related spikes.