Intercostal neuralgia is the process of squeezing or irritating the roots of the nerve endings of the spinal column, accompanied by bouts of pain, respiratory failure and constant discomfort.
Development reasons
Intercostal neuralgia can occur regardless of age and field of activity. The causes of intercostal neuralgia are associated with the presence of degenerative processes in the spinal column and inflammation of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity:
Clinical picture
Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia:
The pain with intercostal neuralgia can be so severe that a person’s breathing becomes clogged. The intensity of the manifestation of the pain symptom and its duration can be different, depending on the stage of development and the causes that provoked the disease.
Symptoms differ based on the location of the damaged nerve ending. Intercostal neuralgia on the left has symptoms similar to heart pains, intercostal neuralgia on the right has signs of hepatic, renal colic, as mentioned above.
Diagnostic methods:
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia is a laborious and lengthy process. The disease proceeds in acute or chronic form, and conservative therapy is aimed at stopping painful symptoms, prolonging remission and reducing the frequency of attacks.
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia is symptomatic, with medication. To release the nerve from pressure, a course of massage is performed, exercises are appointed. Intercostal neuralgia in the acute stage, the development of which is caused by infectious diseases, can be cured only by curing the root cause of its appearance. Regardless of the type of intercostal neuralgia, the patient is prescribed physiotherapy:
Physiotherapy is aimed at stopping the pain syndrome, relieves muscle spasms, with a long course of procedures, the nerve is released from under pressure. During a pain attack, it is recommended to use topical drugs with anaesthetic effect – ointments and gels.
If drug therapy does not give a positive result, the patient will be offered:
As a rule, the above-listed procedures are enough to stop the pain syndrome, ease the patient’s suffering and help return to normal life.
In some cases, surgical treatment is resorted to:
The surgery is performed in extreme cases if the disease was neglected and irreversible pathological processes began.