Intercostal neuralgia: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Pain in the heart can have different origins. It is the main clinical symptom of many heart and lung diseases. Often, pain in the heart can cause intercostal neuralgia. Symptoms of this condition are nonspecific and simulate various diseases of internal organs.

Intercostal neuralgia is the clinical syndrome that accompanies peripheral nervous system diseases. The appearance of pain is associated with irritation of the nerves coming from the spine along the intercostal spaces. The main cause of development of intercostal neuralgia is pronounced osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine. In addition to osteochondrosis, this clinical syndrome can accompany kyphosis of various origins, spondylitis, Bekhterev's disease, and spinal tumors. What is important is that the intercostal neuralgia, the symptoms of which we will consider below, often resembles manifestations of cardiac pathology. A painful attack develops during hypothermia, intense physical exertion, trauma, and colds.

Intercostal neuralgia - symptoms simulating cardiac pathology

The nature and localization of pain in intercostal neuralgia is often perceived by patients as pain associated with heart disease. It can be paroxysmal, acute, giving into the left arm and a scapula simulating an attack of angina pectoris. But neuralgic pain can be distinguished from angina pectoris. With intercostal neuralgia, the pain is stable, without periods of amplification. Arterial pressure and pulse remain unchanged, which does not happen in cardiac pathology. The most characteristic sign of pain in intercostal neuralgia is its strengthening during movements, with coughing, sneezing, deep breathing, changes in body posture. With intercostal neuralgia, patients can complain of a feeling of numbness, burning, tingling.

When palpation along the intercostal spaces, in the paravertebral areas, along the axillary line and the location of the ribs attachment to the sternum, pain can be determined. Local pain is mainly determined in the region of the fifth - eleventh rib on the left. During auscultation there is no change in sonority of heart sounds, noise and rhythm disturbances. Sometimes pain gives in the lower back and can be regarded as an attack of renal colic. An important diagnostic criterion is a decrease in the intensity of pain or its complete cessation after taking a nitroglycerin pill in the event that the attack is associated with cardiac pathology. With neuralgia, taking nitroglycerin will not change the condition of the patient.

Intercostal neuralgia, the symptoms of which we have considered, is less dangerous than the pathology of the heart. When there is pain in the chest, you should not try to diagnose the disease yourself. To understand the reasons for the appearance of pain and prescribe the necessary treatment can only a doctor.

A great importance in diagnostics is given to additional methods of investigation. To exclude cardiac pathology, ECG, echocardiography is performed. Changes in the spine with osteochondrosis are determined by radiography.

Treatment and prevention of intercostal neuralgia

If intercostal neuralgia is diagnosed, the medications are indicated only for acute pain. Pain syndrome with intercostal neuralgia is removed with the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Various ointments, rubbing, tablets can be used. With severe pain, parenteral administration of medications is prescribed. After relief of pain, reflex methods of treatment are prescribed. Effectively the appointment of massage, acupuncture, acupuncture, manual therapy. No matter how pronounced intercostal neuralgia, the consequences of it do not pose a health hazard.

Prevention of neuralgia is the prevention of hypothermia and colds. Sufficient physical activity, active rest, struggle with hypodynamia and obesity are shown.