Intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia (or “thoracal radiculitis”) is a common pathology, which is often found in the clinical practice of doctor neurologist.

This type of neuralgia is associated with irritation, inflammation or compression of the intercostal nerve and is appears mainly as a pain. All intercostal nerves are continuation of the thoracic nerves, which are directed anteriorly from thoracic spine, in the thicknesses of the intercostal spaces, on the right and left sides of thorax.

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

This disease is characterized by a rather specific pain syndrome; the intercostal neuralgia is characterized by acute, burning, piercing pain (like “lighting pain”) in the ribs; it intensifies with deep inhale, coughing, sneezing, and sudden movements.

The intensity of pain syndrome is very high – the person freezes in a fixed position and tries not to move so as not to strengthen or provoke a new pain wave.

Most often, the pain is one-sided, two intercostal nerves are rarely affected, and then pain spreads symmetrically on both chest sides.

An important diagnostic criterion is the shingles nature of pain – i.e. pain does not go beyond the affected intercostal space.

This disease must be differentiated from a number of other dangerous diseases of internal organs, for example, under the symptoms of intercostal neuralgia, myocardial infarction can be “hidden”.

Therefore, it is necessary to exclude the formidable diseases first, and if they are not detected, the diagnosis tends to intercostal neuralgia.

Sometimes the pain is accompanied by sensitive impairments (when a sensitive part of the radix is affected), and then paraesthesia arises (sense of “crawling”). Respiratory disorders are associated with the motor fibbers lesion of the intercostal nerve and appear as the frequent shallow breathing due to diaphragm muscles dysfunction. In addition, a deep breathing is prevented by pain fear.

Also there are vegetative disorders in the form of cold sticky skin, blue skin (pallor), excessive sweating.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia

Most often, intercostal neuralgia is the result of thoracic spine diseases (osteochondrosis, spondylosis, and scoliosis), ribs or vertebrae injuries, previous herpes infection, intercostal muscles spasm. The cause of spasm can be increased by physical exertion, hypothermia, stress or weight lifting.

It is also necessary to exclude spinal tumours and any other causes that lead to the intercostal nerves compression (spondylitis, Bekhterev’s disease, aortic aneurism).

Diagnosis of intercostal neuralgia

Considering the fact that under the mask of intercostal neuralgia may hide a variety of internal organs diseases (heart, lungs, stomach, pancreas), a very important point is the timely visit to specialists. It is the neurologist who can conduct the differential diagnostics of intercostal neuralgia and determine the diagnosis. If necessary, the doctor may need additional methods of examination, such as X-ray or thoracic spine MRI.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

At the “Bersenev’s Medical Centre”, you will receive the qualified medical consultation and learn how to treat intercostal neuralgia.

The treatment of intercostal neuralgia requires an integrated approach – the initial stage is to stop the acute pain syndrome, and further tactics is to eliminate the immediate cause of irritation or compression of the intercostal nerve or radix. All these become possible due to the metameric method of treatment, which is used at our medical centre. The metameric treatment approach of spine and nervous system allows solving the most difficult questions.

Call us (044) 238-22-31 and make an appointment for a primary consultation. You will get all the answers regarding your diagnosis and be able to get rid of intercostal neuralgia in a short time.

The “Bersenev’s Medical Centre” has all the conditions for the diagnostics and effective intercostal neuralgia treatment.

We are waiting for you!