Intercostal neuralgia is common. Intercostal neuralgia
Intercostal neuralgia(synonym – “ thoracic radiculitis) is a neurological pathology that occurs as a result of damage or compression of the intercostal nerves, manifested in the form of pain.
The pain experienced by patients with intercostal neuralgia is one of the most severe. On the scale, it ranks third, along with acute kidney pain.
Intercostal neuralgia is often confused with other diseases, especially if the pain occurs on the left (simulates pathologies of the heart, stomach). Often even experienced doctors are misled.
Anatomical features
The thoracic vertebra consists of a massive anterior part (body) and a posterior part, an arch from which processes extend. At the junction of the body with the arch there are vertebral notches - superior and inferior. When the lower notches of the overlying vertebra are compared with the upper ones of the underlying vertebra, an intervertebral foramen is formed. The spinal nerves leave the spinal canal through it.Anatomy of intercostal nerves:
- From the anterior part of the thoracic spinal cord, nerve bundles emerge that perform motor function, and from the back - sensitive.
- Then, inside the spinal canal, the anterior and posterior bundles unite to form the thoracic nerves of the spinal cord. There are a total of 12 pairs of nerves in the thoracic region, corresponding to the number of segments of the spinal cord.
- The spinal nerve exits the spinal canal through the intervertebral foramen.
- Beyond the spine pectoral nerve is divided into two bundles: anterior and posterior. The posterior one goes to the back muscles. Front bun, in fact, is the intercostal nerve. The first intercostal nerve runs along the edge of the rib. All the rest are located in the thickness of the intercostal muscles, filling the spaces between the ribs.
Irritation or compression at any of these levels can lead to intercostal neuralgia. Species nerve fibers, part of the intercostal nerve:
- motor– innervate the intercostal muscles, the diaphragm, provide breathing movements;
- sensitive– provide skin and other types of sensitivity;
- vegetative– control vascular functions, sweat glands etc.
Causes of intercostal neuralgia
The main cause of pain associated with intercostal neuralgia is compression of the thoracic spinal nerves at the point of exit from the spinal canal.Causes of intercostal neuralgia:
| Cause | Description |
| Sudden awkward movements. | Sudden movement may cause short-term compression intercostal nerve. This leads to pain. |
| Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. | Degenerative disease, characterized by the destruction of intervertebral discs. Factors leading to the development of neuralgia:
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| Injuries |  Types of injuries leading to intercostal neuralgia:
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| Infectious diseases | Infections that most often lead to the development of intercostal neuralgia:
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| Hypothermia | Cold causes irritation of the intercostal nerves, leading to attacks of intercostal neuralgia. |
| Increased physical activity | With excessive physical strain, microtraumas of the intercostal muscles occur. |
| Radiculopathy (radicular syndrome) |  Radiculopathy is compression of the spinal root. At the same time, irritation and pain syndrome extend to the intercostal nerve. |
| Herniated disc |  A disease characterized by protrusion intervertebral disc beyond the vertebra. The prolapsed part of the disc compresses the nerve emerging from the intervertebral foramen. In the thoracic spine, spina bifida are rare, since the vertebrae are connected to the ribs and take part in the formation of the chest; they are securely fixed. |
| Tumors of the spine, spinal cord, surrounding tissues |  Tumors in the area where the nerves pass through the spinal foramina, reaching a fairly large size, cause compression. |
| Spondylolisthesis |  Rarely found in the thoracic spine. It is characterized by the sliding of the overlying vertebra forward from the underlying one. As a result, both the spinal cord and the nerves extending from it are compressed. |
| Congenital defects development of vertebrae and ribs |
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| Lead poisoning | Lead renders toxic effect on nervous tissue. |
| Alcohol abuse | Ethanol has a toxic effect on nervous tissue. |
| Osteoporosis |  A disease characterized by rarefaction and destruction of bone tissue. This leads to a decrease in the height of the vertebrae, their deformation, and increased fragility. |
| Hormonal disorders |
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| Hypovitaminosis |
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| Scoliosis and pronounced violations posture |  With significant curvature of the spinal column, conditions arise for compression of the intervertebral nerves. |
| Ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis) |  Chronic disease of the intervertebral joints, leading to deformities of the spinal column. |
| Vertebral hemangioma |  A rare condition when a benign vascular tumor is located deep in the vertebral body - hemangioma. It makes the vertebra more fragile and susceptible to injury. |
Signs of intercostal neuralgia
| Symptom (group of symptoms) | Explanation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pain in the area of the affected nerve | The leading symptom of intercostal neuralgia. The pain is very intense and occupies the third position (severe pain) on the generally accepted scale. May be comparable to hepatic or renal colic. Duration of pain:
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| Increased pain during movement and physical activity | Factors that can provoke increased pain and pain in intercostal neuralgia:
**Hereinafter when describing medications. Source: Mashkovsky M.D., “Medicines - edition 15, revised. and additional”, Moscow, LLC Publishing House “Novaya Volna”, 2005. What ointments are used in the treatment of intercostal neuralgia?
Vitamin preparations prescribed for intercostal neuralgiaWhen a nerve is compressed, its nutrition and functioning are disrupted. Therefore, for intercostal neuralgia, they are prescribed vitamin preparations, helping to improve metabolic processes in nervous tissue.
Physiotherapy for intercostal neuralgia
Is massage effective for intercostal neuralgia? Medical massage is effective for intercostal neuralgia, so it is almost always included in the overall treatment program.
Acupuncture for intercostal neuralgia Acupuncture (acupuncture) - direction of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice of inserting thin metal needles into specific points on the body. Acupuncture effects:
Manual therapy for intercostal neuralgia In most cases, intercostal neuralgia is associated with compression of the nerve exiting through the intervertebral foramen. Thus, this pathological condition falls within the competence of chiropractor.The effects that a chiropractor seeks to achieve in a patient with intercostal neuralgia:
Osteopathy for intercostal neuralgia Osteopathy is a branch of medicine that involves influencing the root cause. An osteopathic doctor, using light movements, pressure, etc., tries to eliminate factors that led to compression of the nerve in the intervertebral foramen:
Osteopathy is somewhat reminiscent of massage and manual therapy, but the effect is lighter and more accurate. Physical therapy for intercostal neuralgiaWith intercostal neuralgia, it is necessary to limit any physical activity. As the attacks subside, the patient begins to exercise physical therapy under the supervision of a specialist.Swimming is beneficial for patients with intercostal neuralgia. How to treat severe neuralgia? If, despite treatment, severe pain persists with intercostal neuralgia, then treatment is carried out in a hospital, stronger drugs are prescribed:
How to treat intercostal neuralgia at home?Neuralgia is a disease that is often accompanied by very severe pain and is treated for a long time and with great difficulty. Therefore, it is worth visiting a neurologist in any case. It is necessary to understand the causes and understand how serious the disease is.Can be used at home(after consulting your doctor first!):
Traditional methods of treating intercostal neuralgia
How is intercostal neuralgia treated during pregnancy? The treatment regimen for intercostal neuralgia in pregnant women is not much different from the standard one. Peculiarities:
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Intercostal neuralgia is a symptom of compression or irritation of the spinal nerve.
The pain from this is very strong and excruciating.
Due to its symptoms, this disease can be confused with other diseases of the spine and heart.
Most often, neuralgia occurs in young people over 30 years of age and in the elderly, very rarely in children.
Irritation or compression of the nerves running from the spine to the intercostal space
Intercostal neuralgia occurs when the nerves running from the spine along the intercostal space are irritated or compressed.
The nature of the pain caused can be different: aching, dull, sharp and burning. It may be constant, or it may appear from time to time.
- Increased pain from physical activity.
- Painful point can be felt between the ribs during examination.
- The pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin and can last for hours or days.
Causes of intercostal neuralgia
- Wearing tight underwear.
- Shingles (herpes stuck).
- Performing physical activity without special training.
These are only the most common causes that lead to neurological disease. But they all have one thing in common: pain is caused by pinching the spinal nerve root in the thoracic spine or pinching or irritation of the intercostal nerves in the intercostal space.
It should be noted that the cause of spasms can be stress, poisoning, consumption large quantity alcohol, diabetes and lack of vitamins B. In women, the disease occurs during menopause, due to changes in the spine, against the background of hormonal disorders.
Osteochondrosis - as a cause of neurology
A very rare occurrence. This department is inactive and the load on it is very small.
The development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, as well as other parts of the spine, can be a metabolic disorder, lack of necessary vitamins and microelements, lack of physical activity.
For these reasons, a hernia forms on the spine intervertebral disc or osteophytes, in turn, they compress the nerve endings of the spine.
Neuralgia, which developed against the background of osteochondrosis, is not an independent disease, but only a symptom of osteochondrosis.
When a nerve is pinched, the pain goes along the entire nerve and gradually surrounds the person, although it does not have a clear localization.
Sensitivity disturbances may appear - numbness or burning along the affected nerve. Due to unclear localization of pain and the inability to understand exactly where it hurts, doctors may make an incorrect diagnosis.
A person may undergo a course of treatment that is completely unnecessary for him, only because of an incorrect diagnosis. For example, pain may occur in the heart area and radiate under the shoulder blade. Such symptoms can be mistaken for angina pectoris.
It is not the symptom that needs to be treated, i.e. intercostal neuralgia, and the cause itself is osteochondrosis. First of all, you need to remove the pain, and only then begin to treat the disease.
The patient is recommended to spend several days at rest and take a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, the drugs quickly relieve pain and, due to their anti-inflammatory effect, reduce swelling. After the pain stops, I proceed directly to the treatment of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms of muscular-tonic syndrome may include the presence of muscle tightness.
They arise as a result of innervation and contraction of individual muscle fibers.
These are the places where pain is most concentrated - trigger points.
Muscular-tonic syndrome can occur due to prolonged exposure to static tension and irritation of the roots of nerve endings. All this entails inclusion defense mechanism, which limits the pathological zone.
With prolonged spasm, venous stagnation forms and edema develops, which stretches the fibrous capsule and irritates the receptors.
The first stage of treating the syndrome is identifying and treating the cause of the pain itself.
The second stage is the elimination of trigger points existing in the muscles. And the third stage, changing the lifestyle, so that the static load changes to dynamic.
Hypothermia is a condition that occurs after a decrease in body temperature below 36.6 degrees.
Due to hypothermia, inflammation of the intercostal nerves is possible.
Pain during inflammation of a pulling nature near the affected nerve, which can radiate to nearby tissues in the form of attacks.
Sometimes muscle nerve atrophy may occur, and several cases of paralysis have been recorded.
Mild nerve inflammation may go away on its own within a few weeks. In cases of severe inflammation, use hormonal drugs- prednidazole.
Wearing tight underwear for women
In women, there is a risk factor for intercostal neuralgia such as wearing tight underwear.
Thin girls are especially susceptible to this disease, because due to their thinness they have a small subcutaneous fat layer and for this reason the nerves are located quite close to the skin.
The pain occurs due to mechanical compression of the nerve by the hard underwires of the bra.
If the cause of intercostal neuralgia is inflammation of the tissues surrounding the nerve or the nerve itself, caused, for example, by a virus herpes simplex, then the pain will be of a constant burning nature and rashes will appear on the skin at the site of pain.
After treatment, the virus does not disappear from the human body, but continues to reside in the spinal nodes.
During a decrease in immunity and other factors that can trigger the activity of the virus, a vesicular rash may occur, or as it is otherwise called herpes zoster.
Pain can occur both before and after the rash appears. Sometimes a rash may not appear at all.
Intercostal neuralgia can occur even after infectious diseases have been cured.
First of all, a course of immunosuppressive therapy, a course of painkillers and antiviral drugs.
A correct and timely diagnosis greatly facilitates and shortens the course of treatment of the disease.
The first stage is pain relief
First of all, the patient needs painkillers. Usually, doctors prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for these purposes. The choice of such drugs in pharmacies is huge; you should not take anything on your own. Only a doctor can prescribe correct and correct treatment.
At severe pain injections of drugs such as ketonal, ketorol and others are prescribed. The course of treatment with painkillers lasts from 5 to 10 days.
The second stage is the use of ointments and injections (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of ointments or injections. Drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin, piroxicam and others are prescribed. These drugs are taken systematically by the hour, without waiting for the next manifestation of pain. This group of drugs is prescribed with special precautions and is strictly prohibited for people with gastrointestinal diseases. People with such diseases successfully use a drug such as Flexen. The drug is available in the form of capsules and injections. The capsules are made in such a way as to completely eliminate contact with the gastric mucosa. Injections, in turn, are prepared right before injection into the muscle, which eliminates the need for stabilizers and preservatives.
The third stage of treatment is vitamin therapy
B vitamins (B1, B6 and B12) are prescribed. Experienced doctors prescribe intramuscular injection vitamins according to this scheme: B1 - according to even numbers, and B6 - according to odd numbers. Sometimes doctors prescribe multivitamins. To relieve muscle spasms, muscle relaxants (sirdalud, clonezepam and tizanidine) are prescribed. Practice prescribing sedatives if necessary.
For very acute pain, blockades are made using novocaine or lidocaine. The pain relief effect is very fast, but this procedure Not suitable for everyone. It all depends on the individual tolerance of the administered substances.
The fourth stage - physiotherapeutic methods
Most often prescribed: currents, electropheresis and phonopharesis of drugs, ultraviolet irradiation. Acupuncture, cauterization and laser therapy have a good effect on intercostal neuralgia.
Prevention
An essential method of preventing neuralgia is.
Focus your exercises on developing and increasing the mobility of the spine. Avoid drafts and hypothermia. Don't stay in uncomfortable positions for a long time. Strong physical activity is contraindicated for older people.
Watch your posture, do not lift or carry heavy objects. Avoid mono-diets and fasting.
Take multivitamins, and in particular vitamin B. You should also treat diseases that can provoke neuralgia: diabetes, atherosclerosis and vascular disease. Timely diagnosis and treatment of spinal pathologies.
At bad conditions work (sedentary work or heavy load on the spine), a work-rest regime should be observed. Try to avoid colds and infectious diseases.
Intercostal neuralgia is a painful condition caused by irritation of the intercostal nerves or their compression. Intercostal neuralgia, the symptoms of which are usually observed in older people, is explained by age-related changes that are relevant to the condition of their blood vessels. As for children, this disease is extremely rare in them.
General description
Intercostal neuralgia is a pain syndrome provoked reflexively, which occurs, as we noted above, as a result of a certain effect on the intercostal nerves. Quite often this type of neuralgia occurs against the background advanced stage, which occurs as a result of compression applied to the roots of the intercostal nerves.
As others possible reasons the occurrence of this disease, there are a number of diseases, which in particular include hormonal spondylopathy, progressive degree, neoplasms concentrated in the spine, etc.
An attack of the disease can be triggered by a cold or hypothermia, poisoning or infection, mental stress or injury. In addition, the factors influencing the appearance of intercostal neuralgia also include excessive physical activity, carried out out of habit or without the necessary pre-warming.
Thus, when considering a number of factors, it is possible to determine the main causes leading to the appearance of intercostal neuralgia, namely intoxication, cooling and infection.
It is noteworthy that quite often clinical practice indicates the occurrence of intercostal neuralgia as a result of herpetic lesions. It often occurs as a kind of response to irritation directed at the nerve trunks, which occurs as a result pathological course processes in the area of neighboring tissues and organs. In particular, such processes may include diseases of the ribs and spine, deformation of the chest area, etc.
It is also customary to identify the cause of intercostal neuralgia (which corresponds to a generalized version of intoxication) as taking certain medications, against the background of which pinched nerves occur. Long-term use of certain medications often provokes the development of complications, which occurs due to the actual breakdown of their components in the body in this case.
In general, a significant content of toxic substances, as well as inhalation of metal salts, all accompany damage to the nervous system, often provoking intercostal neuralgia.
Intercostal neuralgia: symptoms
The main symptom of intercostal neuralgia is pain, which is concentrated in the heart area. This pain, in its essence, differs from the pain that accompanies heart disease, and, first of all, in that in the case of intercostal neuralgia, this pain is neuropathic in nature. In other words, it is provoked by certain diseases associated with the nervous system, as well as with its elements or damage relevant to them.
The appearance of a symptom in the form of pain in the ribs is explained by the fact that, as we have already noted, compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves occurs - you can see the essence of the process below:
Despite the fact that the nature of pain is neuropathic, it can manifest itself in different ways, being burning or aching, sharp or dull. In some cases, patients complain of episodic pain, in others the pain is constant. Naturally, given the appearance of pain due to damage, pain provoked by irritation of nerve fibers intensifies if the patient increases motor activity. So, a sudden movement of the body, loud talking, normal sneezing or abrupt change body position - all this with intercostal neuralgia will lead to a significant increase in pain.
Considering the characteristics of pain during intercostal neuralgia, we note that they also appear when certain areas of the body are palpated (that is, when they are palpated). In particular, such areas include, again, the intercostal region or spine, the chest area, etc. By the way, in the part of the chest in which sharp pain, the segment of nerve that was directly damaged is located.
It is noteworthy that the duration of pain cannot be constant - subsequently, necrosis of the nerve root simply occurs. This, in turn, leads to a calming of the patient, who does not experience symptoms of intercostal neuralgia and pain in particular. Meanwhile, this does not mean the disappearance of the disease. So, the usual state and sensations are replaced by new ones - this is a decrease in tidal volume, which manifests itself in the form of shallow breathing of the patient, which is also accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the chest.
Pain with intercostal neuralgia is, of course, predominantly concentrated in the area between the ribs, but it can also be noted in other areas, for example, radiating under the shoulder blade or to the lumbar region. Such a reflection of pain often does not give the right to unequivocally state the primary source of nerve damage.
In addition to pain, intercostal neuralgia is accompanied by some other symptoms. In particular, these may be clearly noticeable twitching or muscle contractions. Intense sweating may also be observed, and a change in skin color is possible - it may either turn red or, conversely, have a very pale appearance. It is possible that the skin may tingle or lose sensitivity in certain areas.
The pain that occurs in the chest area is defined by doctors, as well as by the patients themselves, as “girdling” pain, which is explained by their occurrence along the intercostal spaces.
There are also some external signs that indicate the disease we are considering. Thus, patients are often in an “antalgic” position, which looks like this: the body bends towards the healthy side while attempting to maintain this position. This is explained by the fact that as a result of such manipulations with his own body, the patient thereby stretches the intercostal spaces. As a result, the pressure decreases, the nerve endings are irritated much less, which ultimately leads to a decrease in immediate pain.
An additional role in the described tactics is played by psychological fear associated with the expectation of pain, as a result of which patients strive to maximize possible time be in a similar body position.
Difference between the disease and heart disease
Having examined the characteristics of pain and symptoms in general, we can draw some conclusions. In particular, I would like to touch upon the commonality of pain in the chest area that occurs with this type of neuralgia with certain diseases associated with the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It is the definition exact nature pain makes it possible to distinguish diseases from each other, as well as to identify the causes that provoked this pain.
It should be remembered that although pain is the main symptom indicating both neuralgia and heart disease, the nature of this pain differs in both cases.
Intercostal neuralgia is characterized by constant pain noted over a very long period of time. Naturally, in this case, it will not be possible to eliminate it using the same, one might say, traditional nitroglycerin for heart problems. Increased pain is noted, as was also stated earlier, in the event of any movement of the body or change in its position.
If we're talking about about the relevance of any disease associated with the cardiovascular system, then there is already a periodic and short-term pain suppressed by the use of medications (for example, the same nitroglycerin). Pain caused by heart disease does not intensify with any body movements.
We also note that heart pain is characterized by a violation heart rate in combination with change blood pressure(it either increases or decreases). If we are talking about intercostal neuralgia, then its symptoms exclude such manifestations, respectively, pulse and pressure remain within normal limits.
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia
As a basis for successful treatment, measures aimed at eliminating pain are undoubtedly used. You can get rid of them only when the impact of the irritating factor is completely eliminated. As we found out, pain occurs as a result of squeezing and compression of nerve endings; accordingly, the patient is primarily prescribed pain medications.
If a doctor discovers during an examination that there is an irregularity in the location of the cervical vertebrae and vertebrae of the thoracic region, they need to be “returned to their place,” which implies the need for physiotherapeutic procedures and massage.
Carrying out manual therapy This can only be done by a specialist, this is extremely important to remember! Otherwise, you may not only encounter a number of side effects caused by inept intervention, but also with disability.
Osteopathy is also widely used as an additional treatment measure, the procedures of which ensure the restoration of the position of each part of the spine in accordance with their accepted anatomical location. Ultimately, there is a rapid restoration of blood circulation and normalization of lymph flow, which, in turn, restores the balance of internal nerve endings, muscles and the body as a whole.
Reflexology is also useful in treating of this disease and in the recovery of the patient. To this is added physical education with a certain set of exercises. Effective treatment can be supplemented with various ointments.
Concluding our article, I would like to note that intercostal neuralgia often develops into chronic stage, in which there is a systematic recurrence of pain. To avoid this, you should reconsider your lifestyle, minimizing any type of stress, the same applies to reducing the intensity of sports. Drinking alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. Stressful situations and worries, as you know, have a negative effect on the nervous system, and therefore, if possible, they should also be reduced.
If symptoms relevant to intercostal neuralgia appear, you should consult a neurologist; in addition, a visit to a chiropractor and physiotherapist may be prescribed.
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Answer only if you have proven medical knowledge
Diseases with similar symptoms:
Asthma - chronic disease, which is characterized by short-term attacks of suffocation caused by spasms in the bronchi and swelling of the mucous membrane. A certain risk group and age restrictions this disease does not. But, as medical practice shows, women suffer from asthma 2 times more often. According to official data, today there are more than 300 million people with asthma in the world. The first symptoms of the disease most often appear in childhood. Elderly people suffer from the disease much more difficult.
Heart defects are anomalies and deformations of individual functional parts heart: valves, septa, openings between vessels and chambers. Due to their improper functioning, blood circulation is disrupted, and the heart ceases to fully perform its main function - supplying oxygen to all organs and tissues.
Myocardial dystrophy in medicine is called repeated damage to the heart muscle. The disease does not carry inflammatory nature. Often, myocardial dystrophy is a complication of heart disease, which was accompanied by a malnutrition of the heart muscle (myocardium). As the disease progresses, a decrease in muscle tone is observed, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for the development of heart failure. Heart failure, in turn, occurs due to a decrease in blood flow to the myocardium, causing the cells to not receive what they need to survive. normal operation, amount of oxygen. Because of this, myocardial tissue can atrophy or even become necrotic.
The most common disease among diseases of the nervous system is intercostal neuralgia. She is capable of inflicting the most severe and excruciating pain on her patient. This pathology is a consequence of compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves, which leads to pain in the sternum. Many people who have never encountered this disease may confuse attacks of neuralgia with various heart diseases. Today I will tell you about the symptoms, causes and treatment of this disease, because if it is not recognized in a timely manner and treated, the consequences will not be long in coming.
The causes of this disease include both common inflammatory diseases and the use of certain medications. Very often develops in the process age-related changes, against the background of diabetes mellitus, pathological conditions spine and ribs, as well as a lack of B vitamins. People of any age and gender are susceptible to this disease. Hypothermia of the body, constant stress and nervous strain can also lead to neuralgia, including intercostal neuralgia.
Main reasons:
- Chronic and acute diseases of the nervous system;
- The presence of infectious foci in the body;
- Long-term use of certain medications;
- Injuries to the spine and chest;
- Neoplasms, hernias and cysts of the spine.
The most common cause of neuralgia is still thoracic osteochondrosis. Advanced osteochondrosis leads to pathologies of the spine and surrounding nerves and muscles. This is when intercostal neuralgia begins to manifest itself.
Intercostal neuralgia symptoms and treatment at home
Now let's learn about the main symptoms of this neurological disease. The main symptom is a characteristic pain that is localized in the chest area. The more nerves affected by pinched nerves, the stronger and more extensive the pain will be. It can even radiate to the lower back or shoulder blade area.
The affected area itself may be swollen, pale, and there is a change in skin sensitivity. Distinctive feature pain with intercostal neuralgia is that it is very strong and constant. To many it even seems unbearable. Next, I will tell you how neuralgia manifests itself and how to treat it at home.
Intercostal neuralgia - symptoms
The first signs of neuralgia are, of course, pain in the chest. The pain can be on one side of the sternum or bilateral. The pain is so strong and acute that the patient feels as if it permeates the entire body. In this case, there is a feeling of burning, numbness and tingling of the skin. During a deep breath, the pain intensifies significantly. The main thing is not to confuse neuralgia with acute diseases other organs. For example, symptoms may resemble renal colic or a heart attack.
What should you do if you have these symptoms? Immediately call a doctor at home, and if the pain intensifies on the left side, then it is better to call ambulance. After the ECG is done, the doctor will be able to diagnose accurate diagnosis(rule out heart disease).
Which doctor treats intercostal neuralgia - neurologist. Of course, you can seek help from a therapist, but more accurate diagnosis can only carry out narrow specialist for nervous diseases.
How to treat intercostal neuralgia
In this section of the article we will look at how to treat and how to treat this disease. Treatment is complex and consists of taking painkillers, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic drugs. Warming ointments and gels that have a distracting effect are also used. Acupressure has proven itself well for neuralgia.
Basic treatment:
Pain relief - includes taking analgesics for 3-5 days. For very severe and excruciating pain, the doctor can make a special blockade (injecting novocaine or lidocaine into the affected area);
Treatment of the inflammatory process - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for these purposes. These can be either tablets or injections. Usually, the doctor first prescribes injections in the first 3 days, and for further treatment- also a remedy, but in tablets. Voltaren, nimesulide, diclofenac, movalis, and so on - these are all drugs with anti-inflammatory effects;
Relieving muscle spasms - mydocalm, baclofen or baclosan (take 1 tablet 3 times a day for no more than 7 days);
Vitamin therapy - with similar diseases Doctors always prescribe B vitamins (Kombilipen, Milgamma).
Today, you can buy special patches in pharmacies. They are able to relieve pain for 12 hours, reduce swelling and fight inflammation. They are attached to the lesion for 12 hours, then removed and a 12-hour break is taken. It is very convenient to use various medicinal ointments and creams. I will write about this form of medication in more detail below, in another section of the article.
Magnetic therapy has a good effect. If you have an ALMAG device, be sure to use it for home treatment. A course of 5-7 procedures will be enough to relieve pain and inflammation. Read the instructions for using the device at home
How to treat intercostal neuralgia during pregnancy
Unfortunately, women during pregnancy can also develop this disease. How intercostal neuralgia manifests itself in pregnant women - the symptoms are standard. What medications will be used to treat neuralgia in pregnant women directly depends on the severity of the situation.
Very often it is possible to cure with gentle methods, which include taking vitamins, massage and rubbing ointments. You should not self-medicate; only a specialist can prescribe therapy.
There are a huge variety of special types of exercises for neuralgia for pregnant women, which help restore blood flow in the spine and joints, relieve pain and improve well-being.
How to treat intercostal neuralgia at home
Any form of intercostal neuralgia can be treated at home. It is enough to take medications prescribed by your doctor and stay in bed. Most often, various ointments and gels and tablets are used for home treatment. The most acute phase the disease lasts no more than 5 days - it is during this period that it is important not to burden the body and follow the recommendations of a specialist.
Ointments for intercostal neuralgia
Ointments and gels for neuralgia are used externally. The treatment will have a good effect when you rub it in 2-3 times a day. They are able to quickly cure the disease, as they penetrate well deep into the tissue, delivering the necessary substance to the affected area. The question arises, which ointment is best to apply so that the disease goes away quickly. It is very difficult to answer this question, which ointments help better, and which are the most effective and best. All this is individual.
Note! For the best therapeutic effect use ointments for neuralgia (fastum gel, bystrumgel, dolobene and others) together with ointment that improves vascular blood supply. For example, capillary. It is enough to mix them in equal proportions and apply to the sore spot. The recovery period will be significantly reduced.
In addition to ointments and gels, you can use dry heat and various warming tinctures and solutions. You can make them yourself, or you can buy them in pharmacies. Liquid validol and menovazin have excellent analgesic effects.
Remember! You should not take a hot bath or steam bath while sick. Water procedures can increase swelling and make you feel worse.
Massage for intercostal neuralgia
It is very useful to do massage (especially acupressure) and therapeutic exercises for neuralgia. Main goal Such procedures include pain relief and relaxation of affected muscles. Massage can be done both on the chest and on the back. The main condition is to first stroke and warm up the muscles, and only then begin to knead the affected area.
During the massage, you should not overdo it; this concerns kneading the most sore spot. It is advisable to conduct massage sessions with a specialist so as not to cause harm. For example, you can ask a neurologist for a referral for a massage (usually it is done in day hospital), or call a paid massage therapist to your home.
Intercostal neuralgia - treatment with folk remedies
After reading various reviews about treatment folk remedies, I have highlighted several recipes that really help. Here are the main ones:
Vaseline-turpentine mixture. Mix 2 parts Vaseline and 1 part turpentine. With this mixture massage movements rub the sore spot, then wrap yourself in warmth and lie down for a while;
Iodine tincture with glycerin. In a dark glass container, mix pure glycerin and pharmacy tincture iodine, shake thoroughly. It is important that this mixture is not rubbed in, but applied to the sore spot with a cotton swab at night every other day. Repeat the procedure 15 times;
Horseradish or black radish juice (freshly squeezed). It must be rubbed into the sore spot several times a day.
Traditional medicine has been used for several millennia. She can offer us more than 100 ways to get rid of various diseases. It is advisable to use it in addition to the main treatment. After all, there are situations when the disease can progress if it is not treated correctly.
Dear readers, today you learned what intercostal neuralgia is and how it is treated by official and traditional medicine. Take care of yourself and do not allow yourself to develop this disease.
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Be healthy! Taisiya Filippova was with you.
One of the most common reasons chest pain is intercostal neuralgia. This is a disease that occurs when the intercostal nerve is irritated or pinched, the main symptom of which is acute pain. As a rule, intercostal neuralgia affects elderly and old age. This disease also occurs in young people (especially in people leading a sedentary lifestyle, as well as in swimmers) and even sometimes in children (mainly during periods of intensive growth). About why it develops this pathology what are clinical manifestations, the principles of diagnosing and treating it, we will discuss in our article.
What is the intercostal nerve
Less commonly, intercostal neuralgia can develop against the background of the following diseases:
- food poisoning (acute gastroenteritis);
- spondylopathies;
- diseases of the ribs and chest deformities;
- allergic diseases;
- toxic (alcoholic) polyneuropathy;
- diabetes mellitus;
- organ diseases digestive tract causing deficiency of B vitamins in the body (chronic gastritis, colitis, hepatitis, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum);
- thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Microtraumas caused by regular excessive physical activity, especially in combination with hypothermia, can also lead to intercostal neuralgia.
Clinical manifestations of intercostal neuralgia
The main symptom of this disease is pain along the intercostal space. The intensity of pain can vary: from sharp, acute, severe, shooting (more often) to constant, medium intensity. The pain intensifies when the patient moves, when coughing and sneezing, and even when breathing. Often a person takes a forced position: leans towards the affected side in order to minimize the range of movements in it. Some patients, when coughing, laughing or sneezing, press their palm firmly against the affected intercostal space for the same purpose: to reduce the range of movements in this area so that it hurts less.
Very often, the pain with intercostal neuralgia intensifies under the fingers of the doctor performing palpation: he easily probes the direction of the pain along the nerve. It is worth noting that patients can characterize their sensations not only as pain, but also as burning, tingling, and late stages diseases - such as numbness in the intercostal space.
When the intercostal nerve on the left is damaged, the pain often imitates the sensations of angina pectoris: patients evaluate the pain as burning, with irradiation (spread) to the left arm, scapula, and spine. However, angina pain still does not depend on movements, coughing, laughter, etc., and, moreover, decreases after the patient takes nitroglycerin tablets or its analogues. However, in order not to miss such an important cardiac pathology, in doubtful cases the doctor prescribes an ECG for the patient. It is important not to confuse intercostal neuralgia with myocardial infarction, because the pain with it is also not reduced by nitroglycerin. Therefore, if pain suddenly arises in the heart area, you should not tempt fate, hoping for the best, but you need to play it safe: call an ambulance medical care and undergo an electrocardiogram.
In some cases, when the nerves of the lower ribs are affected, the nature of the pain may resemble the sensations of renal colic(sudden sharp pains in the lumbar region of a cramping nature, radiating to the leg or groin). In such cases, you should also not delay, but it is important to immediately seek help from specialists. Remember that it is still better to be vigilant regarding your health.
Less commonly, intercostal neuralgia can copy the manifestations of diseases such as pleurisy, stenosis of the thoracic aorta, and mediastinal tumors.
Diagnostics
The doctor will make a diagnosis of typical intercostal neuralgia without much difficulty based on the patient’s complaints, medical history and life history, as well as based on the results of an objective examination:
- upon examination, you will notice possible redness or paleness of the skin over the affected nerve;
- upon palpation, the patient will note pain along the affected intercostal space;
- heart examination (palpation, percussion, auscultation) will not show any pathological changes this organ.
If a specialist has doubts about the nature of the patient’s pain syndrome, he will prescribe him additional methods studies that will help confirm or refute a particular diagnosis:
- plain radiography of the chest organs;
- Ultrasound of organs abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space.
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia
Therapy for this pathology, as a rule, is carried out in 2 directions: alleviating the patient’s condition by reducing, or better yet, relieving pain, and treating the disease against which the neuralgia arose.
In the vast majority of cases, the patient is treated on an outpatient basis. For the first 3-7 days of the disease (depending on its severity), the patient is prescribed bed rest. Moreover, his bed should be flat, hard, with an orthopedic mattress or a shield placed under a regular mattress. Staying on a bed with a sagging mesh is strictly contraindicated: it can only worsen the patient’s condition.
General drug treatment
A patient with intercostal neuralgia may be prescribed drugs from the following groups:
Local treatment
First of all, in this section I would like to note dry heat on the affected area. However, it must be a source of indirect heat, such as a knitted item or woolen scarf. Applying hot objects to the affected area is not only unhelpful, but even harmful. With minor heating, local blood flow in the area is activated, but as it cools, the opposite effect will be noted: increased swelling and increased pain.
Ointments and gels containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also be used. These are drugs such as dolobene, DIP-relief, fastum-gel and others.
Other ointments or solutions that do not contain NSAIDs, but include anesthetics and reflex substances, also have analgesic effects. These are drugs such as menovazine, capsicam, finalgon - they can also be used to treat intercostal neuralgia.
A relatively new dosage form for the treatment of this pathology and other inflammatory diseases musculoskeletal system are transdermal patches. They are impregnated with one or more anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances, which, after being glued to the affected area, are slowly released and have a long-lasting effect directly on the affected nerve. One such drug is Voltaren. A patch with a special composition can also be used, which does not contain NSAIDs, hormones and other usual substances, but has a pronounced analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect - nanoplast forte.
Non-drug treatment
When acute symptoms intercostal neuralgia has been eliminated, non-drug treatment methods will help to quickly restore the functions of the affected areas, namely:
- therapeutic massage (improves metabolic processes in the paravertebral muscles, tones them, reduces swelling, relieves pain);
- physical therapy (exercises to strengthen the muscular corset of the spinal column, prescribed by a doctor for a specific patient);
- manual therapy (it normalizes the connections between the vertebrae and eliminates pinched nerves);
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapy (magnetic therapy, laser therapy, electrophoresis, UHF).
Traditional medicine recipes
Methods will help alleviate the condition of a patient with intercostal neuralgia traditional medicine, but always in combination with traditional treatment by an appointed specialist.
- To reduce pain, you should lubricate the affected area with freshly squeezed radish or horseradish juice.
- You can also prepare a rue tincture for analgesic purposes (2 tablespoons of the raw material, pour 250 ml of boiling water and leave for 14 days). During intense pain apply compresses to the affected area.
- A lotion made from steamed wormwood will also relieve pain (steam the wormwood, then grind it into a paste, add sea buckthorn oil and apply to the painful area).
- If the patient has geranium growing at home, you can use it. Tear off a leaf and rub it on the affected area, wrap it warmly.
- A gauze compress moistened with flax seed infusion should be applied to the area of the affected nerve.
- You can prepare an ointment using Vaseline and aspen buds. Grind the buds, add Vaseline in a ratio of 1 part Vaseline to 4 parts buds. Rub into areas of greatest pain 2-4 times a day.
- The patient will feel better after a warm bath with sea salt and sage.
- You can take a healing decoction (chamomile flowers, lemon balm leaves, tincture of valerian officinalis, orange skins, honey) internally - it will strengthen nervous system generally.
- Traditional medicine can also be purchased ready-made at a pharmacy. Such a remedy is pepper plaster. Before using it, you need to degrease the affected area with alcohol, dry it well, then apply a patch and wait for the effect. After some time, the skin under the patch will begin to burn. You cannot endure it forcefully; this way you can seriously burn your skin. If intense burning occurs, the patch should be removed.
Prognosis and prevention
With a timely diagnosis and adequate therapy both the intercostal neuralgia itself and the underlying disease, complete recovery is noted.
It is easy to understand that, due to the many causes of the disease, methods of specific prevention do not exist. To reduce the likelihood of its occurrence, you should promptly treat diseases that may result in intercostal neuralgia, as well as avoid stress, avoid excessive physical exertion and hypothermia.
