Causes of pathology
The reasons for the development of neuralgia can be different: inflammatory processes, injuries, bacteria and viruses, poisoning with drugs and various substances, autoimmune diseases, circulatory disorders in the vessels supplying the nerve.
- infections such as shingles, Lyme disease, or HIV
- pressure on bone nerves, blood vessels or tumors
- kidney disease or diabetes
- age
What are the symptoms of intercostal neuralgia?
- Sudden episodes of severe shooting or stabbing pain that follows the path of a damaged or irritated nerve. Symptoms appear on either the right or left side. The pain intensifies with any movement.
- Constant aching or burning pain.
- Tingling or numbness.
- Muscle weakness.
- Loss of muscle mass or atrophy.
- Involuntary muscle twitching or spasms.
In children, characteristic pain occurs during a period of intense growth, when the skeleton is growing rapidly. Severe pain in the affected areas and cramps are the main symptoms of neuralgia by which the disease is recognized in children. Additional signs include profuse sweating, increased excitability, tearfulness, sleep disturbance and stuttering.
The main goal of treatment is to distinguish this disease from others. It is important to distinguish attacks of neuralgia from manifestations of heart attack and angina. With neuralgia, there is no fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or blue discoloration of the skin.
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Diagnostic methods
You need to see a general practitioner. After examination and exclusion of other pathologies, the therapist refers to a neurologist who determines the symptoms and treats intercostal neuralgia. The doctor examines the images, prescribes tests and medical examinations.
Instrumental diagnostic methods of examination:
- Radiography. Allows you to examine the bone structure. Makes it possible to determine the presence of non-traumatic or traumatic disorders. X-rays are taken in direct, oblique and lateral projections.
- CT scan. Examines bone and muscle structure in combination. More often used to detect pathological changes in bone structures.
- Myelography. A contrast agent is injected into the spinal canal. This is the main method for diagnosing soft tissue structures (nerve roots and spinal cord).
- Contrasting discography. During the procedure, a contrast agent is injected into the intervertebral disc.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Allows you to obtain images of organs and tissues. Detects pathological changes in soft tissue structures: nerve tissue, muscles, ligaments, hernias and degenerative changes in intervertebral hernias.
- Electrospondylography. Using the computer diagnostic method, it is possible to assess the condition of the spinal column, identify the disease at an early stage, determine the extent of damage and monitor the course of the disease.
First aid
If a nerve of the chest is pinched, you must call an ambulance.
A pinched nerve of the chest can occur anywhere and under any life circumstances. In this case, you must immediately call an ambulance and provide first aid.
It is necessary to lay the patient on a flat and hard surface, ensuring complete immobility of the victim. A person should take a body position in which he will experience as little pain as possible. It is important to provide access to fresh air.
As a rule, pinching of a nerve is accompanied by severe unbearable pain, so you need to relieve the symptom with the help of an anesthetic drug. Due to the suddenness of the incident, victims often experience painful shock and nervous shock. In this case, it is recommended to give the patient a sedative tablet.
Upon arrival of the ambulance, it is important to tell the doctors about all the medications that were given to the victim. Hospitalization is required only in the most difficult cases. More often, the doctor locally anesthetizes the inflamed area and recommends undergoing a thorough medical examination.
Methods for treating intercostal neuralgia
Drug therapy. There is a wide variety of drugs to eliminate pinched nerves: painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, those that increase the body’s defenses, injections, blockades. All drugs have a long list of side effects, so before using them you need to consult a specialist. Any medicine is selected depending on the severity, tendency to allergies, and the characteristics of the course of the disease.
- Anticonvulsants inhibit the conduction of pain impulses.
- Tricyclic antidepressants relieve tension in chronic pain syndromes.
- Venotonics and diuretics relieve swelling.
- Corticosteroid drugs are used in cases of severe inflammation.
- Vitamins B1, B6 and B1 accelerate the restoration of the nerve sheath, reduce inflammation and pain.
Compresses. They can be either hot or cold. They are used to reduce inflammation and also to reduce pain. This is only a temporary measure and has no therapeutic effect.
Other methods: gymnastics, shock wave therapy, massage, physiotherapy - alleviate your condition, ensuring complete recovery. And these procedures do not harm the body.
Physiotherapy and exercise therapy. Intercostal neuralgia is often caused by poor posture. The goal of physical therapy is to relieve the back muscles and open the chest. Therapeutic exercises should be performed 3-4 times a day.
Physiotherapy includes acupuncture, osteopathy, manual therapy, massage with warming creams and ointments, and kinesiotaping. They relax the fascia of the chest and back. Heat helps to temporarily relax muscles, relieve swelling, inflammation and acute pain.
Massotherapy. It should be done while sitting. When performing the procedure, the intercostal spaces are rubbed and stroked with your fingertips. In addition to this, they knead and rub the back muscles with both hands. During acupressure massage, use your fingers to press on active points associated with one or another affected organ. Acupressure can stimulate defenses and relieve pain.
Gymnastic exercises
Gymnastic exercises can be done at home, but before doing them, you should discuss the technique with a physiotherapist. Such procedures can be performed not only during the period of exacerbation of the pathology, but also during a chronic course. The basic rule that the patient must follow during exercise is moderate exercise that does not cause painful urges. If pain appears, then you should stop the gymnastics and take a comfortable position. Below are examples of the easiest physical exercises to perform.
Exercise No. 1
The patient should sit on a chair and straighten his back. Hands should be placed on the back of the head and deflected. The spine must be pressed against the back of the chair and bended forward and backward. This manipulation should be performed 4 times. During gymnastics, it is necessary to monitor breathing; when the patient bends, he should inhale, and when bending forward, he should exhale.
Exercise No. 2
Starting position – standing on all fours, with the spine fixed. The head must be fixed straight in order to align the spinal column. The next step is to do back bends. The neck should harmoniously continue the spine and arch with it. You need to do about 8 repetitions.
Exercise #3
The patient should lie on his stomach, place his arms along the body and rest on his palms. From the starting position, you should raise your upper body, but keep your lower limbs on the floor. It is recommended to do about 8 repetitions. When the body is at its maximum point, you should monitor the position of your head and do not throw it back too much. This exercise is aimed at stretching the thoracic region during arching.
Exercise #4
The patient should lie on his back and raise his head, cervical spine, and upper body. When performing the exercise, the legs do not leave the floor. This must be repeated 10 times.
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia during pregnancy
During pregnancy, the presence of neuralgia is considered a fairly serious problem. It requires proper attention, which will help avoid complications for the expectant mother and baby.
All treatment that will be given to a pregnant woman for neuralgia must be prescribed by the attending physician. Self-therapy is extremely undesirable, as it can greatly harm the woman and the child in the womb.
Many patients prefer not to take medications. They limit themselves to vitamins and mineral complexes, use ointments and warm compresses, observe bed rest and perform simple physical exercises.
Gymnastics for neuralgic pain in pregnant women is very effective. Physical exercise does not allow blood to stagnate in the joints and parts of the spine.
If the pain becomes unbearable, novocaine blockades are prescribed with caution.
How to prevent a pinched nerve?
When the pain has passed and the disease has receded, you cannot relax. If pinching occurs, it may happen again. To avoid relapse, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Try not to overeat. It is better to eat more often, but in smaller portions. Otherwise, the load on the vertebrae will increase.
- It is advisable, if the slightest opportunity arises, to try to relax in sanatoriums and resorts located by the sea.
- Of course, you won’t be able to completely give up carrying heavy bags. But the weight should be lifted correctly, periodically changing the shoulder.
- When work involves a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, breaks are a must. You can do gymnastics or just walk back and forth.
- The chest must be kept warm. Clothes should be chosen only according to the weather.
It is recommended to do light gymnastic exercises in the morning or evening.
Prevention of intercostal neuralgia
The main preventive measure is gymnastics. It is necessary to perform exercises that promote muscle development, strengthening and mobility of the spine. Avoid drafts, uncomfortable positions and excessive physical activity. Everything should be in moderation.
It is important to control your posture, not lift excessive weights, eat a rational and balanced diet, take vitamins, and avoid fasting and mono-diet.
Do not forget to promptly treat diseases that can cause the development of neuralgia.