Intercostal neuralgia: symptoms and treatment at home

Intercostal neuralgia - how to help yourself at home

Taisia

31.03.2017

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Dear readers, I greet you! The most common disease among diseases of the nervous system is neuralgia of the intercostal. She is capable of causing the most severe and painful pain to her patient.

This pathology is a consequence of the compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves, which leads to the appearance of pain in the sternum.

Many people who have never experienced this disease can confuse attacks of neuralgia with various heart diseases.

Today I will tell you about the symptoms, causes and treatment of this ailment, because if it is not recognized in time and not treated, the consequences will not take long.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia

The causes of this disease are both the usual inflammatory diseases, and the taking of certain medications.

Very often it develops in the course of age-related changes, against diabetes mellitus, pathological conditions of the spine and ribs, and also with a lack of vitamins of group B. This disease affects people of any age and sex.

Subcooling the body, persistent stress and nervous overstrain can also lead to neuralgia, including intercostal.

Main reasons:

• Chronic and acute diseases of the nervous system;
• Presence of infectious foci in the body;
• Long-term use of certain medicines;
• Injuries of the spine and thorax;
• Neoplasms, hernias and cysts of the spine.

The most common cause of neuralgia nevertheless is the osteochondrosis of the thoracic region. Launched osteochondrosis leads to pathologies of the spine and the surrounding nerves and muscles. That's when the intercostal neuralgia begins to manifest itself.

Neuralgia of intercostal symptoms and treatment at home

Now let's find out the main symptoms of this neurological disease.

The main symptom is a characteristic pain that is localized in the region of the chest.

The more one is affected by the pinched nerves, the stronger and more extensive will be the pain. She can even give back to the waist region or shoulder blades.

The affected area itself can be swollen, pale, a change in the sensitivity of the skin.

Next, I will tell you how neuralgia manifests itself, and how to treat it at home.

Intercostal neuralgia - symptoms

The first signs of neuralgia - this, of course, pain in the chest. The pain can be either on one side of the sternum or bilateral. The pain is so strong and sharp that it seems to the patient as if it pervades the entire body.

At the same time there is a burning sensation, numbness and tingling of the skin. During a deep breath, the pain is greatly enhanced. The main thing is not to confuse neuralgia with acute diseases of other organs.

For example, the symptomatology may resemble a renal colic or a heart attack.

What should I do if I have these symptoms? Immediately call a doctor at home, and if the pain has increased from the left side - then it is better to call an ambulance. After the ECG is done, the doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis (exclude heart disease).

Which doctor treats intercostal neuralgia - a neurologist. Of course, you can seek help from a therapist, but a more precise diagnosis can be made only by a narrow specialist in nervous diseases.

How to treat intercostal neuralgia

In this section of the article we will consider how to treat and how to treat this disease.

The treatment is complex, and consists of taking painkillers, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodics.

Also used are warming ointments and gels that have a distraction effect. Well-proven from neuralgia acupressure.

Primary treatment:

Anesthesia - includes taking analgesics for 3-5 days. With very severe and painful pains, the doctor can make a special blockade (introduction of Novocaine or lidocaine into the lesion);

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Treatment of the inflammatory process - for this purpose use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It can be both tablets and injections.

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Usually, the doctor first prescribes injections in the first 3 days, and for further treatment - also a remedy, but already in tablets.

Voltaren, nimesulide, diclofenac, movalis and so on are all agents with anti-inflammatory action;

Withdrawal of muscle spasms - midokalm, baclofen or baclosan (take 1 tablet 3 times a day for not more than 7 days);

Today, in pharmacies you can buy special plasters. They are able to relieve pain for 12 hours, reduce swelling and fight inflammation.

They are attached to the lesion center for 12 hours, then they take off and make a 12-hour break. It is very convenient at home to use various medicinal ointments and creams.

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About this form of medicine, I'll write in more detail below, in another section of the article.

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Magnetotherapy has a good effect. If you have a device ALMAG, be sure to use it for home treatment. A course of 5-7 procedures will be enough to relieve pain and inflammation. Instructions for using the device at home are available here.

How to treat intercostal neuralgia during pregnancy

Unfortunately, women can also develop this disease during pregnancy. How neuralgia manifests in intercostal pregnancy - the symptoms are standard. What drugs will treat neuralgia in pregnant women directly depends on the seriousness of the situation.

Very often it is possible to cure by sparing methods, which consist in taking vitamins, massaging and rubbing ointments. Do not engage in self-medication, the best therapy can be appointed only by a specialist.

There are a huge number of special types of exercises from neuralgia for pregnant women that help restore blood flow in the spine and joints, relieve soreness 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 medicine prescribed by a doctor, and to comply with bed rest.

Most often for home treatment used a variety of ointments and gels, taking tablets.

The most acute phase of 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 with intercostal neuralgia

Ointments and gels from neuralgia are applied externally. A good effect of the treatment will be when you rub them 2 -3 times a day.

They are able to quickly cure the disease, since they penetrate deeply into tissues, delivering the necessary substance to the affected area. The question arises, which ointment is best spread, so that the disease passes 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.

On a note!For a better therapeutic effect, use ointments from neuralgia (fastum gel, rapidum gel, dolobene and others) together with ointment that improves the vascular blood supply. For example, a capillar. It is enough to mix them in equal proportions and apply to a sore spot. The period of recovery 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, but you can buy them in pharmacies. An excellent analgesic effect has liquid validol and menovazine.

Remember!Do not take a hot bath or steam in a bath during the illness. Water procedures can increase swelling and worsen well-being.

Massage with intercostal neuralgia

It is very useful to do with neuralgia massage (especially acupressure) and therapeutic gymnastics. the purpose of such procedures is the removal of the pain syndrome, relaxation of the affected muscles.

Massage can be done both on the chest and on the back. The main condition, first do stroking and warming up the muscles, but only then start to mash the affected area.

During the massage, do not overdo it, it's about kneading the most painful place.

For example, you can ask a neurologist for a massage (usually done in a day hospital), or call a paid massage therapist.

Intercostal neuralgia - treatment with folk remedies

After reading various reviews about the treatment of folk remedies, I singled out several recipes that really help. Here are the main ones:

Vaseline-turpentine mixture. Mix 2 parts of petroleum jelly and 1 part turpentine. With this massage, massage the sore spot, then wrap up in warmth and lie down a bit;

Iodine tincture with glycerin. In dark-colored glassware mix in equal proportions pure glycerin and pharmacy tincture of iodine, shake thoroughly. It is important - this mixture is not rubbed, but applied to a sore spot with a cotton swab for the night after a day. Repeat procedure 15 times;

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Horseradish or black radish juice (freshly squeezed). It must be rubbed into the sore spot several times a day.

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Traditional medicine has been used for several millennia. She can offer us more than 100 ways to get rid of various diseases.

It is desirable to use it in addition to the main treatment.

After all, there are situations when the disease can progress, if not start to treat it properly.

Dear readers, today you have learned what is intercostal neuralgia and how it is treated by official and traditional medicine. Take care of yourself, do not let the appearance of this disease.

A source: http://taiafilippova.ru/nevralgiya-mezhrebernaya-simptomy-i-lechenie-v-domashnih-usloviyah

Intercostal neuralgia - what is it, symptoms and treatment at home

Many people, especially at an older age, have symptoms of intercostal neuralgia. This disease is the most common pathology of the nervous system.

As a rule, neuralgia of this kind is caused by diseases of the spine, but it can also appear due to other pathological processes of the body.

Doctors consider the disease not too dangerous for human health, but it provokes a strong pain syndrome, which prevents a normal, quiet life. To cure neuralgia, you need symptomatic treatment and therapy that eliminates the cause of the ailment.

What is intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia (another name - thoracalgia) is a pinched, irritation or compression of the vertebral nerve.

Because of the peculiarities of the onset of pain (left, heart or heart), many patients confuse the disease with cardiovascular pathologies, for example, a heart attack during the first seizures. It is also important to differentiate intercostal neuralgia from pain in the stomach, renal colic.

From a heart attack, pathology is different in that it does not change pressure, pulse, and nitroglycerin does not help to relieve symptoms. At movements pains amplify.

Pain with intercostal neuralgia can occur in different parts of the patient's body next to the spine: across the entire breast area, right or left on the back, under the shoulder blades. Often the painful sensations are shrouded in nature.

As a rule, intercostal neuralgia develops due to the course of other diseases of the spine: osteochondrosis, scoliosis, with tumors and abnormal position of the vertebrae.

In addition, the disease can cause the following factors:

• Long-term exposure to low temperature.
• Inflammatory diseases.
• Injuries of ribs, chest, spine.
• Tumors localized in the spinal cord.
• Poisoning the body.
• Nerve damage.
• Spondylitis, kyphosis, other diseases of the spine.
• Diabetes.
• Age changes.
• Severe overstrain of the dorsal muscles.
• Fatigue, stress.
• Herpes.
• Pleurisy.
• Pathological changes in the chest.
• Costal diseases.
• Aneurysm of the aorta.
• Hormonal changes.
• Fast growth (in children).
• Menopause, postmenopausal period (in women).

Do not self-diagnose intercostal neuralgia with the appearance of similar symptoms and begin treatment, after all behind it the serious disease at which urgent intervention of the doctor is necessary disappears. Methods of diagnosing the disease include examining the patient, analyzing and researching with special devices. How to determine the presence of intercostal neuralgia:

• Ultrasound. Not the main method of examination for the disease of intercostal neuralgia (due to the high density of bone tissue).
• X-ray. Helps to see violations in the structure of the human bone.
• CT scan. The bone and soft tissue will be visible on the tomogram.
• Myelography. When examined, a contrast agent is injected into the spinal canal, with which you can see the changes in soft tissues due to the disease.
• Contrastive discography. Contrast substance is introduced into the area of ​​the intervertebral disc.
• MRI. Allows to fully examine the structure of damaged tissues or bone structures.
• Electrospondylography. Helps to identify pathology at the initial stage of occurrence.

Particularly careful approach to therapy after diagnosis of the disease requires a woman during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because many medications are contraindicated.

Intercostal neuralgia can occur against a background of severe strain on the back.

If the pain is tolerable, women should be prescribed exercise therapy, yoga or other exercise to relieve the acute symptoms of the disease.

Nerves of the spine have large ramifications, so when they are affected, the pain often mimics cardiovascular diseases. For example, there may be unpleasant sensations in the area of ​​the thoracic region to the left, giving into the scapula.

Painful sensations can become stronger during turns, breaths, changes in the position of the body, with sudden movements.

Pain with intercostal neuralgia is dull, acute, burning, paroxysmal. Can last from several minutes to several days, often passes after sleep in a comfortable position.

In addition, the disease is accompanied by: numbness of affected areas, muscle tension, convulsions, increased sweating, a feeling of "crawling" on the skin, a violation of sleep, tearfulness.

Increases intercostal neuralgia after exercise or exercise.

Methods of treating the disease at home

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia at home is carried out by different methods.

the task in the acute period of the disease is to remove the pain syndrome, which can be extremely painful for the patient.

Together with taking pain medications you need to work on the cause that caused the pathology, and conduct appropriate therapy.

Modern treatment of back pain has long gone from simply eliminating discomfort. It is important to treat not the manifestations, but their cause.

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An example of such an integrated approach is the addition of NSAIDs with neurotropic vitamins (B1, B6, B12) B group vitamins not only help to eliminate pain syndrome faster than when taking only NSAIDs (for example, diclofenac sodium), but also beneficially affect the physiological processes in the nerve fiber, stimulate nutrition and restore the structure of the nervous tissue. So, the optimal supplement to NSAIDs is the drug Neuromultivit in injections, which includes three vitamins B1, B6, B12 in therapeutic dosages. The use of neurotropic vitamins in high therapeutic doses makes it possible to consolidate the analgesic effect, contributes to the restoration of nerve fiber, thanks to which it is possible to achieve a long-term remission of pain syndrome. Begin treatment with the drug with daily injections for 5-10 days, then switch to a supportive injection, 2-3 injections per week for two to three weeks.

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To reduce pain, doctors recommend wearing a corset that supports the spine and relieves stress on the nerves.

In addition, dry heat helps to cope with the pain, which does not harm the body - this method is suitable for pregnant women who do not resort to treatment with tablets.

To prevent the appearance of seizures, doctors advise patients to sit less, not to take uncomfortable posture, to sleep on an even surface, to exclude as much as possible heavy physical exertion, but exercises of moderate strength on the contrary should be made part of the daily schedule.

To get rid of intercostal neuralgia with the help of medications, the therapy is suitable in a complex way: prescribe analgesics, anti-inflammatory, relaxing muscle medications. How to treat intercostal neuralgia with the help of medications:

• Relieve pain. This is helped by drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen. These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that quickly eliminate the symptom of intercostal neuralgia, but they can not be taken by people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the tablets Mowalis, Sedalgin, Panadol, Pentalgin, Baralgetas will help. It is advisable to take the pill immediately after the onset of symptoms of the disease - so the attack will be faster.
• To make a blockade. This is necessary when the patient has a severe pain syndrome from the disease, in which conventional tablets do not help. Then do injections of novocaine, lidocaine, hydrocortisone or diclofenac.
• Use a pepper patch. Will help relieve pain from intercostal neuralgia for several days.
• Eliminate spasm of the muscles of the back. This will help preparations of the muscle relaxants: Tizanidine, Midokalm, Clonazepam.
• Get rid of numbness. Quite often the vitamins of group B help to restore the structure of nerves.
• Apply ointments. There are drugs with a pronounced analgesic effect, for example, Finalgon, Fastum-gel. Improve blood circulation, skin metabolism processes will help such means as Apizatron, Viproxal. Mobility of the spine with intercostal neuralgia will help correct the chondroxide ointment.

Treatment of neuralgia by banks

A can of massage is an effective procedure that helps to get rid of intercostal neuralgia together with medicines. This method improves lymphatic drainage, circulation, promotes tissue regeneration.

Before the massage, a person should thoroughly clean the skin areas where the cans will be placed. Further, its surface is smeared with a heated oil - eucalyptus or olive oil.

During the attachment of cans, a method of burning the fleece inside can be used, and after placing them on the back, or the mechanical method of removing air (in modern banks).

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Doing a can of massage at home from intercostal neuralgia, you need to remember that the devices should only lightly suck the skin, lifting it no more than a half centimeter.

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After attaching the can, massage begins: to act on the back, move the device from the bottom upward, along the lymphatic vessels. Do not place cans on the backbone itself.

If done correctly, the procedure will not bring pain to the patient, and the effect of treating the disease will not take long.

Physiotherapy and exercise therapy

Physiotherapeutic methods are no less effective than drugs for treatment. To get rid of neuralgia, doctors prescribe a dynamic current to the patient, along with which therapeutic agents are introduced into the body.

Intercostal neuralgia is treated with ultrasound, which makes micromassage of affected areas. That the patient could painlessly cope with the disease, prescribe treatment with paraffin, mud, ozocerite.

The therapeutic physical culture will help the patient to strengthen the muscles of the back, thereby relieving the burden on the spine and cope with the pressure on the affected nerve.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture (acupuncture) is an ancient way of treating diseases, including neuralgia. During it, biologically active points are pierced by special thinnest needles.

Exposure to certain areas with the help of these devices improves blood flow, metabolic processes, relieves painful sensations, removes muscle imbalance during exacerbation.

With neuralgia, doctors usually prescribe two or three courses of acupuncture (one course - about ten procedures, but depends on the severity of the disease). To achieve the desired effect, take a break in two months.

Acupressure

Point massage is a method of treatment from alternative medicine, which, however, has been proven for many years in the treatment of intercostal neuralgia.

The essence of the method is to act on the biologically active points associated with certain organs.

Methods of exposure are different: it is easy stroking or touching points, pressure with your finger or palm, strong deep pressure (can be done both with a finger, and special devices, grains, matches).

For intercostal neuralgia, as a rule, about 10-15 procedures are needed to significantly reduce the pain syndrome. Massage the patient can do independently after consulting a professional.

The arrangement of some points from the intercostal neuralgia in the photo:

Folk remedies for pain relief

1. Indoor geranium. Tear off the leaf from the plant, rub it with painful areas, wrap it in a woolen blanket or scarf - this will help reduce pain in the area of ​​intercostal neuralgia.
2. Means with beeswax, honey, onions. To make an ointment, mix the juice of onions, the juice of a bulb of a white lily, some honey and beeswax.

   Lubricate the resulting mixture with a sore spot, wrap it well to provide heat, and go to bed.

3. Mummy with propolis. These funds have long been known for the treatment of intercostal neuralgia.

   Their joint application provides recovery of affected tissues, removal of inflammatory processes. To enhance the effect, the mixture is used not only externally, but also taken inwards.

4. Yarrow.

   To prepare an infusion with this plant, pour a large spoonful of grass with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, wrapped in a towel or blanket. Strain the solution.

   When it cools down, take a tablespoon three times a day to relieve the pain syndrome of intercostal neuralgia.

5. Turpentine with petroleum jelly. Mix the funds in the proportion of one to two, rub into the affected areas. Over time, intercostal neuralgia will recede.

: How to recognize and treat intercostal neuralgia

It is extremely important to correctly recognize intercostal neuralgia, so as not to confuse it with diseases of the heart, stomach, kidneys or heart attack. With the first lesions of the nerve, people can panic, not understanding what is happening.

Leading cardiologist in detail tells about the signs of intercostal neuralgia, characterized by a specific area of ​​pain, her aching or prickling character, shortness of breath, strengthening with inspiration and helps to understand how it differs from diseases heart.

See a video that will help you recognize pathologies and tell you how to treat neuralgia.

A source: http://sovets.net/3623-mezhrebernaya-nevralgiya-chto-eto-i-kak-lechit.html

Intercostal neuralgia: symptoms and treatment at home

Intercostal neuralgia is a pathological process caused by inflammation, compression, or irritation of the intercostal nerves.

It is accompanied by intense and painful pains, which are often masked for the symptomatology of other diseases that damage the organs and structures of the human body.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia can have absolutely different causes of occurrence, which act simultaneously or sequentially. The provoking factors include:

• Demyelination of the nerves, which consists in a pathological change in the intercostal nerves due to damage to their membranes. This reason is considered possible, but it is extremely rare.
• Intoxication of the body, trauma. It should be borne in mind both internal intoxications due to internal disease, and external (heavy metals, bacterial toxins, some medicines).
• Spine pathologies and infectious diseases are the main cause of neuralgia.

Provoke intercostal neuralgia in this case can:

• Pathology of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus and spine (scoliosis, additional ribs, osteochondrosis, displacement of vertebrae, deforming spondylosis, herniated discs, osteoporosis).
• Inflammation of the intercostal muscles and muscle spasm (ARVI, multiple sclerosis, aortic aneurysm, polyradiculoneuritis, tuberculosis, pleurisy, shingles).
• Nerve compression by sclerotized tissues and tumor-like formations.
• Hormonal adjustment, age. The risk group includes women during the menopause, as well as older people, since it is the aging of the body that is accompanied by changes in tissues and organs.
• Other factors, which include: decreased immunity, alcohol abuse, chronic fatigue, pathology of the digestive tract (hepatitis, gastritis, colitis, ulcerative disease), pathology of the endocrine system (thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus), heart disease and circulatory system (arterial hypertension, anemia, cerebrovascular atherosclerosis, rheumatism).

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

The appearance of intercostal neuralgia brings the patient painful suffering from the first manifestation. Among the symptoms of intercostal neuralgia, there is a sudden appearance of an intense pain syndrome that spreads along the intercostal spaces.

Acute pain disturbs the patient even in a state of complete rest, intensifying for no apparent reason. The intensity of pain can increase on inspiration, with loud conversation, coughing and sneezing, with bends and movements of the trunk. A pain attack can last from a few hours to several days.

Typical symptoms of intercostal neuralgia are:

• paroxysmal pain in the ribs, which is burning, acute;
• a clear understanding of the entire route of pain;
• increased pain syndrome during palpation of the affected nerve;
• complete or partial loss of sensitivity of the skin in the affected area;
• abrupt change in blood pressure;
• increased sweating, congestion and pallor of the skin.

Due to their various symptoms, intercostal neuralgia is often mistaken for other diseases.

In some cases, pain is given under the scapula or under the heart, and this suggests the occurrence of cardiac problems. And sometimes the pain gives to the waist.

In this case, it can easily be attributed to kidney disease.

Since the intercostal nerves with their branches are directed to different organs, this complicates the recognition of the true disease.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia is directed, first of all, to the elimination of pain syndrome, which not only prevents a person from leading a natural way of life, but also fetters all his movements. For this purpose, the following drugs are used:

• Analgesics that help reduce the sensitivity of pain receptors, as well as relief of pain syndrome (Analgin, Spazgan, Sedalgin).
• Muscle relaxants, which help to cure spasms, as the main cause of pain syndrome, as well as relaxation muscles, lowering the tone of the muscular corset in the right places, reducing tension and clamps (Baclofen, Tizanidine, Sirdalud). In combination with these drugs are prescribed vitamins of group B, which contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous tissue.

Anti-inflammatory drugs:

• To block painful impulses and to remove inflammation of the clamped nerve, non-steroid drugs are used (Ibuprofen, Voltaren, Indomethacin, Diclofenac, etc.);
• To reduce the patient's susceptibility to pain and its sedation, sedatives are used (Relanium, Elinium);
• for warming soft tissues, relaxing muscles, improving blood circulation, apply analgesic, analgesic and warming ointments (Finalgon, Capsicum, Nikoflex, Apizatron, Viprosal, etc.);
• In the period of exacerbation of the disease, injections of Ledocaine or Novocaine are used.

To stop the pain syndrome, you can, also, with the help of physiotherapy procedures:

• acupuncture;
• iontophoresis with novocaine;
• vacuum therapy;
• UHF;
• reflexotherapy and pharmacopuncture;
• magnetotherapy and laser treatment;
• massotherapy.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia at home

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia can be carried out at home, but only after a mandatory consultation with the attending physician. To do this, the patient must comply with strict bed rest on a hard horizontal surface and apply the medicines prescribed by a specialist.

But in addition to traditional therapy in the treatment of intercostal neuralgia at home, methods and means of traditional medicine, which, when properly applied, sometimes give a very good effect. The most common of them include:

• local rubbing in the affected area of ​​the ointment, prepared from crushed birch kidneys and glycerin;
• rubbing the affected area with an alcohol tincture of birch buds;
• daily two-time intake in the broth of peppermint;
• an analgesic compress of the leaves of geranium;
• a compress using tinctures of valerian;
• lotion on the sore spot from the alcohol tincture of herb rue;
• rubbing with iodine-glycerin mixture of the whole back, avoiding the area of ​​the spine.

There is a widespread opinion that in the treatment of intercostal neuralgia at home, heat is very useful in the form of hot objects attached to a sick place.

It should be cautioned by all who use these recommendations that an intense heat source only will increase local blood circulation and increase edema of soft tissues, which will exacerbate and without this a critical condition patient.

For therapeutic purposes, use a source of indirect heat (warm woolen shawl, etc.).

A source: http://zabolevanija.net/mezhrebernaya-nevralgiya-simptomy-i-lechenie-v-domashnih-usloviyah/

Intercostal neuralgia - symptoms and treatment at home

Sudden chest pain is a serious cause for concern. The first thing that needs to be clarified is whether this pain is caused by cardiac pathology. If not, you need to think about intercostal neuralgia, which occurs often enough and can simulate a heart attack.

Intercostal nerves Causes of neuralgia Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal nerves

Intercostal nerves are a continuation of the thoracic spinal nerves. The latter leave the spinal canal through the intervertebral foramen. Intercostal nerves lie in intercostal spaces.

These nerves innervate the muscles and skin of the chest and abdominal walls, parietal sheets of pleura and peritoneum, mammary glands.

Causes of Neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia refers to the appearance of pain in the direction of the intercostal nerves. This ailment develops as a result of irritation, compression, or inflammation of the intercostal nerves.

Neuralgia can be provoked by squeezing the roots of the thoracic spinal nerves in the area of ​​their exit from the spine or infringement (inflammation) of the nerves already in the intercostal space.

That is, the source of pain should be sought in the thoracic spine or in the intercostal space.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia:

1. Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. With this disease, degenerative changes occur in the vertebrae. Intervertebral discs collapse, sag, the diameter of the intervertebral foramens narrows, in addition, osteophytes form on the vertebrae. All these changes lead to a compression of the spinal nerves.
2. Sharp movements, excessive physical activity, hypothermia, sedentary work, sleep in an uncomfortable posture. All these factors lead to muscle spasm, because of what the muscle squeezes the intercostal nerve.
3. Injuries (bruises of the chest and back, fractures of the vertebrae and ribs). When a trauma occurs, muscle spasm, and sometimes mechanical irritation of the intercostal nerves. Subsequently, the pain may persist when the nerve is irritated by the callus, formed after the injury.
4. Intervertebral hernia of the thoracic region. The falling part of the disk squeezes the nerve, which leaves the intervertebral foramen.
5. Infectious diseases (SARS, herpes zoster, tuberculosis). Very often, intercostal neuralgia is a consequence of herpes zoster.
6. Scoliosis. With pronounced deformation of the spine, intercostal nerves can be squeezed.
7. Ankylosing spondylitis. Disease of intervertebral discs, which invariably leads to deformation of the vertebrae.
8. Wearing a tight bra with solid bones. This is dangerous for skinny women with poorly developed subcutaneous tissue.

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

The most characteristic sign of intercostal neuralgia is the occurrence of pain in the chest. It is interesting that pain can acquire different characteristics. Someone complains of dull and aching pains, and someone's sharp and searing.

In addition, pain can occur both in the form of seizures, and bother people all the time. Often patients describe neuralgic pain as the passage of an electric current through the chest.

One thing can be said for sure: these pains are intense enough and they bring real torment to a person.

Often, pain occurs on one half of the chest, extending in the direction of the intercostal nerve. She can irradiate in the arm, heart, stomach, waist.

The pain is noticeably worse when sneezing, coughing, trying to take a deep breath. Movements also cause increased pain.

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Therefore, patients with intercostal neuralgia often try to take the most comfortable position, usually by tilting the trunk to a healthy side.

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The emergence of intense pain in the chest requires a thorough differential diagnosis with diseases of the heart, respiratory, digestive systems. The most dangerous condition is myocardial infarction, which also occurs with intense pain in the chest.

How can we understand what exactly a person suffers?

With intercostal neuralgia pain is localized in the chest and in the side, and with myocardial infarction - behind the breastbone and gives in the arm, scapula, lower jaw.

Neuralgic pain intensifies with deep inspiration, sneezing and coughing, with an infarction this does not happen.

In addition, with intercostal neuralgia, it is possible to determine local soreness when pressing at specific points:

• At the spine in the area of ​​the exit of the affected nerve;
• At the edge of the sternum at the site where the nerve ends;
• In the direction of the nerve in the intercostal space.

Also, you should pay attention to other symptoms.

With myocardial infarction, there is a change in the rhythm of the heart, heart rate, blood pressure, cold sweat, fear of death.

For confirmation or refutation of cardiac pathology, it is necessary to make electrocardiography.

It is worth noting that pain is not the only symptom of intercostal neuralgia.In favor of the disease, the following signs also testify:

• Numbness of the skin at the point of exit of the affected nerve from the spine;
• Twitching of the intercostal muscles;
• Local pallor or redness of the skin;
• Local increased sweating;
• Local coldness of the skin.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

Treatment of the disease should be comprehensive. To eliminate pain, use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Nimid, Piroxicam). The doctor may prescribe drugs in the form of tablets or injections.

With moderate pain, ointments can be useful (Ketonal Gel, Finalgon). Ointments have warming and analgesic effects.

With severe pain, therapeutic blockades are carried out-the administration of pain medications to the nerve plexus.

To combat intercostal neuralgia apply non-drug methods, in particular massage. This allows you to remove muscle spasm, increase blood circulation in tissues, and therefore increase metabolic processes.

If the compression of the nerve is caused by the displacement of the vertebrae, stretching of the spine, manual therapy can be performed. In addition, to enhance the effect of treatment will help physiotherapy: magnetotherapy, ultraphoonophoresis, UHF therapy.

Grigorova Valeriya, medical reviewer

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(156vote.,, 4of 5)
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A source: http://OkeyDoc.ru/mezhrebernaya-nevralgiya-simptomy-i-lechenie-v-domashnix-usloviyax/

We treat intercostal neuralgia in fast and simple ways

→ Home treatment → Diseases of the musculoskeletal system → Intercostal neuralgia

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

This disease is characterized by:

• periodic bouts of pain at the time of inspiration. The pain can be acute or dull, burning or aching, but always interferes with normal breathing;
• there may be muscle spasms, tingling in the chest;
• the skin changes its habitual color - turns pale or turns red;
• sharp movements (changes in the position of the body, coughing, sneezing) increase painful sensations;
• pain can be localized in the heart, under the scapula, in the lumbar spine.

In heart diseases, the pain does not depend on the position of the body or sudden movements and stops quite quickly after taking medications. In contrast to this disease, with intercostal neuralgia painful sensations are prolonged and intensified with active movement.

Symptoms of the disease can occur in adults and children, and in men the pain is usually localized on the left - in the left hypochondrium, and in women on the right - in the heart. In childhood, such problems are observed before puberty, when the skeleton of the child begins to grow actively.

Home Treatment

Medication at home

Medication of intercostal neuralgia, unfortunately, is aimed only at the removal of symptoms and general support of the body, that is, the patient is prescribed a course of vitamins, focusing on B group vitamins, painkillers and relaxants to relieve spasm muscles. Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs are added to this list, but their effectiveness is increasingly in question. List of tablets used to relieve pain:

• Analgin;
• Tempalgin;
• Ketorolac;
• Orthofen et al.

Ointments that are used to treat intercostal neuralgia:

• Voltaren;
• Ketonal cream;
• Apizarthron and others.

In addition, when treating a home, the patient is recommended bed rest for a period of one to three days with the maximum possible rectification of the spine, i.e.,

The body should be placed horizontally on a sufficiently hard surface.

To achieve this effect, you can use a kind of shield (any solid solid object, suitable in size), placed under the mattress.

After the removal of the pain syndrome, a diagnosis is made to determine the true cause of the disease.

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If it is established that intercostal neuralgia is the consequences of one of the common diseases (cold, stress, infection, diabetes and so on).

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), then they start to treat this disease.

If the problem lies in the disease of the spine, then in parallel with the medicamental relief pains in traditional medicine use different physiotherapeutic procedures: therapeutic physical training and massage, acupuncture, laser therapy, manual therapy, ultrasound, and the like methods of relieving the load on nerve endings. In case of serious problems, a spinal traction procedure may be prescribed.

How to relieve pain at home

The very first step is to make sure that the pain is not caused by heart disease. If it is impossible to get to the doctor - call an ambulance.

If there is a certainty that the pain is caused by intercostal neuralgia, then it is necessary to warm the affected area - this will slightly reduce the muscular spasm.

At home, the use of a warmer, a mustard, ointments with anti-inflammatory action, pepper patches, heated salt or sand will help.

As with medication, you must at least briefly withstand bed rest. In combination with warming up the affected area, rest will relieve spasm and reduce pain.

Several recipes of folk remedies

Pain relief is only the first stage in the treatment of intercostal neuralgia. To obtain a stable result and a guarantee against the return of seizures, a long course of treatment is needed. It can be done with folk remedies, but only if the doctor has confirmed the diagnosis.

If the patient is not sure of the origin of the pain, the use of any means can be harmful. In addition, the time will be wasted to begin proper treatment.

The main problem in the use of folk remedies is the length of the course. It is necessary to continue the procedure long enough, stopping halfway will not bring a result, or may worsen the condition.

Means of external use - rubbers and compresses:

Glycerin and iodine

1. Glycerin is mixed with iodine in the following proportions:.
2. The mixture is poured into a container of dark glass (to protect from exposure to light) and thoroughly shaken - the ingredients should be well mixed.
3. A cotton swab is applied to the painful back area, gently bypassing the area of ​​the spine. Lubricate the skin with light movements, without rubbing the mixture, as this can cause a burn.

   On top of the impose a non-wrapped bandage or simply put on linen made from natural fabrics (not synthetics).

Iodine warms up the muscles well and relieves pain, but you need to make sure that the patient does not fall under an accidental draft or make sudden movements - this can worsen the situation. It is recommended to perform the procedure before going to bed, to immediately go to bed and warmly take cover. The course of application - 12-15 sessions with an interval of one day.

Tincture of birch buds

Kidneys can be collected independently (if the window is spring) or purchased at the pharmacy.

• a handful of kidneys filled with vodka (, l);
• insist for ten days in a dark cool place.

To rub the affected area with a tincture of birch buds is better in the evening. During the day, you can use the remedy if the patient is not going to leave the house. The rubbed place must be wrapped or warmly dressed.

Radish or horseradish juice

Freshly squeezed juice is rubbed in the back in the direction from the spinal column (the spine itself is not affected). This remedy has a pronounced warming effect, but can cause irritation on the skin.

Before using it is worth making a test for individual tolerance. If necessary, the burning juice can be replaced with seeds of flax or wormwood.

The seeds are poured with boiling water or steam in a bag over the steam and applied to the affected area.

Lilac kidney and internal pork fat

An effective ointment can be prepared at home. Dried lilac buds are triturated with internal fat at the rate of 1 part of the kidneys for 4 parts of fat. The composition is rubbed into the sore spot as needed.

Camphor, mustard, egg white

Another version of the ointment is prepared from camphor (50 ml), dry mustard (50 g) and about 100 ml of raw egg white (one egg may not be enough).

Combine the camphor oil with mustard powder and add a lightly whipped protein. Mix thoroughly.

Store the ointment in a refrigerator, before applying a little heat the composition in the palms.

Tincture of the body sponge

This freshwater sponge insists on vodka, alcohol, moonshine for several weeks in a dark place. Finished tincture rub the affected area at night. Alcoholic infusion can be prepared in advance, it can withstand long-term storage.

Burdock leaves

The usual weed sometimes acts no worse than drugs. The only catch is that the leaves should be freshly cut.

Alternatively, you can prepare a few leaves in advance and store them in the refrigerator, but the more time passes from the time of collection, the less benefit will remain in the mug.

Use a simple - sheet rinse and apply the inner side to the affected area, heat wrap and leave overnight.

Leaves of geranium

Leaves of a houseplant (3 - 4 pcs.) Are applied to a sore spot and fixed with a bandage made of natural tissue. The compress is held for two hours, during this time it is necessary several times to replace the leaves of geranium with fresh ones. This remedy painfully relieves pain and can be used for every seizure.

Valerian tincture

The product is applied as a compress. A napkin made from natural fabric (linen, cotton) is moistened with tincture and put on a painful patch, covered with a film on top and wrapped up warmly.

In this case, just warm clothing is not enough, you need a not too tight bandage, so that the compress is in the right position.

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However, the dressing should not interfere with movements or tightly squeeze the chest, interfering with normal breathing.

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Keep such a compress for several hours, leave it at night is not necessary - alcohol contained in the tincture, can cause a burn. Valerian relieves pain, relaxes and soothes.

Potatoes and onions

Another version of the compress made from grated on a large grater of raw potatoes and onions.

The recommended proportion but it is advisable to check individual tolerance in a small area of ​​the skin.

The resulting mixture is applied to the sore spot and the cake is kept until completely dry. The compress can be fixed with a bandage or simply lie down without moving until the mixture dries.

Soothing means

Decoction of mint leaves with honey

This remedy is taken internally as a sedative. The broth is prepared from fresh or dry leaves of peppermint, ordinary mint for salads will not work.

It will take a handful of fresh leaves or 1 tbsp. l. dry. The grass is poured a glass of boiling water, close and insist for about half an hour. Then the infusion should be filtered, you can add a couple of teaspoons of honey.

Take half a cup twice a day.

Infusion of lemon balm and orange crusts

This is also a sedative. Peel the orange peel and grind it (you can finely chop it before drying), mix with dry lemon balm leaves in the following proportions:.

One tablespoon of the mixture pour a glass of boiling water, wrap and insist 10 minutes, strain and add 1 hour. l. alcoholic valerian infusion. If desired, you can add a little honey to the mixture.

Take the drug twice a day for a glass for a month.

Healing baths

Decoction of the young bark of aspen is used for a healing bath.

1. Young thin branches of aspen or poplar (, kg) are flooded with water and boiled for half an hour.
2. Then they insist the same time.
3. The resulting broth is added to the bath water (water temperature approximately 40 degrees).
4. Take a bath for 10 -15 minutes.

After the procedure, you can rub the sore spot with fir oil.

Sage bath

It is prepared from a glass of infusion and half a glass of sea salt. Sage infusion is done as follows: 4 tbsp. l. The herbs are poured hot water and insisted for an hour. Sage bath is taken no more than 10 minutes, the entire course - 10 procedures.

Milk and honey bath with essential oil

It is prepared with a quarter cup of milk with lavender or eucalyptus oil (5 drops). If desired, you can add a tablespoon of honey or replace it completely with milk.

Milk-honey mixture is poured into a bath with warm (not hot) water, repeat the procedure every other day.

After taking a bath, do not rinse with clean water, this will increase the healing effect and is just good for the skin.

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It is sad, but often the cause of intercostal neuralgia becomes age.

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Time can not be stopped or scrolled back, so take care of yourself and take care of your spine.

Follow the well-known rules - a little bit of movement, a little self-control and eating restrictions, a positive attitude - and live happily ever after.

A source: http://www.lechim-prosto.ru/lechim-mezhrebernuyu-nevralgiyu.html