What diseases can cause neuralgia. What does everyone need to know about intercostal neuralgia? When is urgent medical attention needed?

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The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

In medical practice, approximately 50 people out of 10,000 experience a disease such as neuralgia. Most often, this disease affects women over forty years of age. This disease was first described by the famous Chinese physician Hua-to. In Europe, people began to talk about this disease in the mid-18th century. Most likely, each of you will have the same question - so what is it?

What is neuralgia?

Neuralgia is a disease of the peripheral nerves. The disease neuralgia is always accompanied by severe pain in one of the areas of the nervous system. Modern medicine knows several types of neuralgia. However, trigeminal neuralgia is the most common.

Types, causes and symptoms of neuralgia

In most cases, neuralgia appears as a result of various injuries, infections or severe forms of colds. Hypothermia is another good reason for the appearance of neuralgia.

If we talk about trigeminal neuralgia, then this type of neuralgia is formed as a result of facial injuries, inflammation of the sinuses, diseased teeth or malocclusion. An attack of pain with this type of neuralgia can occur at any moment. Pain may occur due to hot or cold food, loud noise, bright light, or while brushing your teeth. If the patient touches the tip of the nose, gum or upper lip, this can also cause an attack of pain. Itching of the skin of the face and a sensation of goosebumps signal the onset of an attack. Then a sharp pain appears that lasts for several minutes. During an attack of trigeminal neuralgia, the patient cannot even open his mouth from pain.

With intercostal neuralgia, the patient experiences severe pain in the rib area. This pain gets worse when you cough or sneeze. Most often, this type of neuralgia appears after osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.

If you feel pain in the area of ​​the outer thigh, you most likely have neuralgia of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh. During such a disease, the patient feels a burning sensation and numbness. The attack intensifies with any movement of the patient.

Neuralgia of the pterygopalatine ganglion most often occurs suddenly, at night. An attack can last from 2–3 hours to two weeks. All this time the patient feels very severe pain in the palate, temples, eyes, and neck. In some cases, the pain even extends to the hands.

In medical practice, cases of neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve are also known. This type of neuralgia is very rare. The first signs of an attack are pain in the throat, which spreads to the ear and lower jaw.

The same symptoms are also inherent in occipital neuralgia. The patient feels pain from the back of the head to the temples, as well as in the eye area. Movements during an attack can even cause the patient to vomit.

Treatment

At the first symptoms of one of the types of neuralgia, you should consult a neurologist. The doctor will identify the cause of the disease and help you get rid of it.

During an attack, the patient needs the help of anti-inflammatory drugs. In case of severe attacks, the doctor may even administer a narcotic painkiller, which helps to completely eliminate the pain.

There are a large number of different ways to treat neuralgia. This includes both physical therapy and surgery. A clear result in the treatment of neuralgia is obtained by the use of laser, acupuncture, pulsed currents, magnetic and electromagnetic fields, ultrasound, infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

Remember, timely treatment almost always leads to a positive result. Therefore, do not wait, “pick up your feet” and rush to a neurologist at the first symptoms of this disease.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Reviews

I want to ask a question. After heart surgery and after a masectomy of the left breast, a large scar naturally formed. One fine day in November 2017. he spasmed and did not let go for a minute. Constant aching pain. Various examinations did not find anything, psychosomatics say. but I was in neurosis. I take depressants, but they still don’t go away.
Maybe someone can tell me what.

There was neuralgia of the chest and periodic cramps of the calf muscle. I cured everything by starting to do moderate-intensity jogging 2 times a week for 30 minutes. Started with 5 min. because at first he was untrained and out of breath. At first I also used the warming and pain-relieving ointment Finalgon, but the need for it quickly disappeared. I normalized my diet and, as a bonus, I lost 12 kg, I was 90 kg. The only downside is that at 43 years old, I need to carefully monitor my knee joints, trying not to overload them.

Something hurts inside the body under the shoulder blades, so much so that you can’t turn at night or during the day, for a long time now, the inside of the arm seems to be burned, before there was an invisible burn and it went away over time, now there is a growing pain, it aches, shoots, twists hand, that I have no strength, the doctors still haven’t helped, tell me, for God’s sake, what should I do? Thanks in advance!

Good day! I have trigeminal neuralgia. I came to the neurologist, he poked needles in my face, and said: you have inflammation of the 2nd and 3rd branches, so you are not my patient. If all three branches were inflamed, I would treat you. And my pain is simply unreal.... As a result, the neurologist sent me to treat the nerve (!!!) to an ENT specialist (!!!). Well, as you may have guessed, I couldn’t stand the pain, I went to the ENT specialist, she and I looked at each other like two idiots and went our separate ways..... How to treat.... How to relieve the pain..... Not understandable... But I simply can’t stand these attacks anymore......

I consider non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to be the most competent and effective treatment for pain syndromes (neuralgia, neuritis), and in particular, in my practice I use Neurodiclovit, it is very convenient and has a good therapeutic effect, and my risk of relapse is minimal.

Very accessible, thank you!!!

The article is accessible and understandable. Thank you for your work. I have a problem with constant severe pain in the muscles of my legs with incessant cramps, twitching,. It started from the tips of my toes, now up to the axillary area. An MRI confirms the presence of hernias, but according to doctors, they are not there reason. I’ve been on neuralgin for three years, nothing is going on. The pain makes me unwilling to continue existing. Thank you for your attention. I ask for tips in which direction to look for the cause and how to relieve the pain.

Neuritis lasts 4 months, I take aspirin 1 tablet a day, I carry out procedures with a Vitafon device in the back area, how can I get rid of a painful disease without going to a doctor?

Update: November 2018

Intercostal neuralgia or thoracalgia implies a pathological process that occurs as a result of compression, inflammation or irritation of the intercostal nerves. The disease causes very severe and excruciating pain, which is often disguised as symptoms of diseases affecting the organs of the chest, abdominal cavity and spine.

The word neuralgia itself literally means nerve pain. With neuralgia, the pain syndrome spreads along the nerve, making the natural movements of the chest “inhale-exhale” extremely painful. Intercostal neuralgia is a symptom that has specific causes. The symptoms of neuralgia are vivid, but such clinical severity often makes one think about serious pathologies of the heart, stomach and spine, forcing the doctor to follow the wrong diagnostic path. Our article is about intercostal neuralgia, symptoms and treatment of this syndrome.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia

The causes of neuralgia have completely different origins. A rare, but still possible cause of intercostal neuralgia is a pathological change in the intercostal nerves due to damage to their sheaths (nerve demyelination).

• Injuries, intoxication

This pain symptom can be provoked by microtraumas, injuries and intoxications of the body, both external (bacterial toxins, heavy metals, some medications) and internal (due to diseases of the internal organs).

• Infectious diseases and pathologies of the spine

Pathologies of the spine and musculo-ligamentous apparatus are the main cause of neuralgia - osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, scoliosis, vertebral displacement, accessory ribs, herniated intervertebral discs, deforming spondylosis. Muscle spasm and inflammation of the intercostal muscles cause compression of the intercostal nerves and also provoke a neuralgic symptom complex. A number of diseases and infections can ultimately lead to neuralgia - polyradiculoneuritis, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, ARVI, herpes zoster, pleurisy, aortic aneurysm. Compression of nerves by tumor-like formations and sclerotic tissues leads to the development of neuralgia.

Common factors play a significant role in the development of neuralgia, such as alcohol abuse, decreased immunity, chronic fatigue, as well as pathologies of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis), the digestive tract due to vitamin B deficiency (peptic ulcers, gastritis, hepatitis, colitis), diseases heart and circulatory system (arterial hypertension, rheumatism, anemia).

• Hormonal changes, age

Women during menopause, when osteoporosis occurs due to hormonal changes, as well as older people who experience age-related changes in tissues and organs are at a certain risk of developing intercostal neuralgia (see).

To summarize, it should be noted that intercostal neuralgia extremely rarely develops under the influence of a single factor. As a rule, the provocateur of intercostal neuralgia is several causes, acting simultaneously or sequentially.

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

For a patient diagnosed with intercostal neuralgia, the symptoms of this disease literally poison the life of a patient, as they are extremely painful from the first manifestation. A pain syndrome of pronounced intensity occurs, spreading along the intercostal spaces, i.e. spreading along the nerve. The intensity of pain increases with inspiration, with movements and turns of the body, coughing and loud conversation. The piercing pain does not stop at rest and bothers the patient, intensifying without any apparent reason. The duration of a painful attack varies from several hours to several days.

Distinctive features of intercostal neuralgia, characteristic of the classic course of the disease:

• pain syndrome can range from slight stabbing to high intensity, with a sensation of burning, severe pain comparable to;
• palpation of the intercostal space with the affected nerve causes a sharp increase in pain;
• a person clearly feels the movement of pain along the intercostal nerve and can show the spread of the pain wave;
• the skin over the affected area may completely or partially lose sensitivity.

Secondary symptoms of neuralgia of this localization:

• increased sweating
• hyperemia or paleness of the skin
• contraction of individual muscle segments

With the symptoms of neuralgia described above, diagnosis is not a problem, but the disease can masquerade as other diagnoses due to its varied pain symptoms. The nature of the pain can be aching and even dull, with periodic intensification or constantly present painful discomfort.

In addition to the typical localization in the intercostal spaces, pain can radiate to the lower back, shoulder blade, heart and stomach. This is explained simply - the intercostal nerves have small branches that extend to the above organs and parts of the body.

Despite this disguise, neuralgic pain is still easy to distinguish from pain associated with a particular pathology: when localized, it will not be relieved by nitroglycerin, but will be reduced under the influence of sedatives and sedatives (Corvalol, Validol, Valocordin); when projecting pain at the location of the stomach, antispasmodics will not help.

How does heart pain differ from neuralgia pain? Pain with intercostal neuralgia is constant, intensifying when turning the body, bending, taking a deep breath, sneezing, coughing, or palpating the ribs and the spaces between them. With ischemic heart disease (angina), the pain is clearly related to the load (occurs during physical activity and goes away after it stops) and is not stabbing, but squeezing (less often pressing) in nature. The pain occurs sharply and goes away quickly, especially when taking nitroglycerin; pain in the heart does not intensify when changing position or taking a deep breath; most often, heart pain is accompanied by a change in blood pressure (decrease or increase) and a disturbance in the rhythm of the pulse.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

The required volume of treatment measures is prescribed after examining the patient and confirming the diagnosis. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, since pain can mask renal colic and heart disease. You should promptly consult a doctor who can prescribe an x-ray of the lungs, an ECG, or an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

If the cause of the disease is infringement of the roots of the spinal nerves, then neuralgia can only be dealt with by treating the pathology that led to the infringement - osteochondrosis, herniated formation of the intervertebral disc, etc. Specific drug therapy is prescribed - non-steroidal and steroid painkillers (including in the form of epidurals) injections), muscle relaxants, therapeutic massage and gymnastics, manual therapy. In severe cases, traction of the spinal column or surgical correction of identified pathologies is prescribed.

For viral etiology of neuralgia (herpes zoster, ARVI), specific antiviral treatment is prescribed using immunostimulating therapy.

General therapeutic measures

In case of severe pain, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest with staying on a hard surface and maximum immobilization - excluding sudden movements that provoke pain.

To relieve pain, painkillers are prescribed (analgin, spazgan and others), as well as novocaine and lidocaine blockades, which allow local pain relief in the inflamed area.

Drug treatment of intercostal neuralgia consists of taking anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets (Voltaren, Celebrex, indomethacin), they are used to relieve inflammation in the affected area (see all NSAIDs in tablets and). Muscle relaxants (sirdalud, tizanidine, baclofen) are prescribed to relieve muscle spasms and B vitamins, without which the normal functioning of nervous tissue is impossible.

Physiotherapeutic techniques are also used to reduce pain:

• iontophoresis with novocaine
• reflexology with impact on special areas of the skin responsible for the sensitivity of the intercostal nerves
• vacuum therapy
• pharmacopuncture with the introduction of drugs into acupuncture points
• and laser treatment

In the complex of therapeutic measures, local treatment plays an important role - creams and ointments with analgesic, warming and anti-inflammatory effects, which have a relaxing and warming effect and indirectly reduce the pain threshold of sensitivity (see). Local preparations containing poisons of some insects have proven themselves well in this regard, and pepper patch also helps to relax muscles and reduce pain.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia using traditional methods

• Rubbing with tincture of valerian or infusion of birch buds is effective - their effect is in no way inferior to industrially produced ointments. However, it is better not to apply alcohol compresses at night - prolonged exposure to alcohol can lead to burns.
• Warming up also helps, but the thermal effect for intercostal neuralgia should not be direct, that is, do not apply a heating pad, hot potato or egg, but wrap yourself in a downy scarf or knitted woolen item. If you heat the painful area too much, the pain will go away for a short time and then such an effect will only increase the swelling of the soft tissues and bring even greater pain.
• It is recommended to take the decoction internally:
  • chamomile
  • peppermint,
  • infusion of a medicinal mixture of lemon balm leaves, honey, orange peels and valerian tincture
  • barberry decoction.
• For topical application to affected areas, use black radish juice or horseradish juice. Compresses based on steamed flax seeds help a lot.
• Indoor geranium helps to quickly reduce pain, rub a leaf of it on the painful area and wrap the affected area with a woolen scarf.
• Sea salt helps relieve tension and reduce pain.
• To prevent chronic neuralgia, it is important to eliminate the effects of harmful concomitant factors, such as psycho-emotional stress, heavy physical activity, alcohol abuse, and also to treat existing diseases of the nervous system, systems and organs, etc.

Early contact with specialists helps to quickly and effectively treat intercostal neuralgia, the symptoms of which should be distinguished from other diseases and exclude the possibility of the pathology becoming chronic.

A common disease of peripheral nerves is neuralgia, its symptoms are characterized by severe pain that occurs in the innervation zone. The disease affects the nerves passing through narrow openings and canals. The disease occurs without impairment of motor functions and loss of sensitivity. According to statistics, out of 10 patients suffering from neuralgia, only three are men. Most often, people over 30 years of age are susceptible to the disease, although at the end of the last century this disease of the nervous system was considered the lot of elderly patients.

Like any tissue in our body, nerve fiber can be subject to overload, both physical and psycho-emotional. With sharp temperature fluctuations, when a person is outside without a hat, the risk of developing neuralgia increases many times over. Being in places where there is a flow of cold air from air conditioners, fans, or sitting in a draft is also a provoking factor.

Pain appears as a result of damage to peripheral nerves caused by insufficient blood supply, intoxication, hypothermia, compression, trauma, infection, inflammation and other factors. The pain signal travels along nerve fibers and can arise, increase and disappear suddenly.

Depending on the area of ​​the affected nervous system, neuralgia is divided into the following types:

• intercostal;
• trigeminal nerve;
• occipital and facial;
• sciatic nerve;
• postherpetic.

Neuralgia - symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of neuralgia is severe pain that occurs along the nerve trunk and branches. The nature of the pain can be very different: sharp, burning, shooting, tearing, sometimes it may not subside at all. Symptoms occur in paroxysms, spontaneously, rapidly, without visible external causes, or at the time of physical activity.

Often an attack can be triggered by excessive stress or hypothermia. After it ends, the pain goes away or its intensity decreases to dull and aching. In some cases, the occurrence of pain depends on the time of day. During attacks, autonomic disorders are possible.

The main reasons for the development of neuralgia:

• viral diseases, including herpes;
• bacteria;
• disturbance of metabolic processes in the body ( diabetes);
• toxic compounds that enter the body;
• injuries of various types;
• tumors;
• heredity;
• allergens and autoantigens;
• disruption of blood supply to tissues;
• narrowed bone canals;
• herniated intervertebral discs.

Treatment of neuralgia

Traditional therapy can only be prescribed by a neurologist. Diagnosis primary (essential) neuralgia “It is diagnosed on the basis of external symptoms during examination of the patient, when the doctor does not detect other diseases. Treatment is effective only with an integrated approach. General purpose may include acupuncture, physiotherapy (laser beam, magnetic and electromagnetic fields, ultraviolet and infrared irradiation, pulse points), pain relief with novocaine, a course of injections of B vitamins. Apicaine is prescribed externally.

Anticonvulsant medications may be prescribed for trigeminal neuralgia. In especially severe cases, when conservative methods do not have the desired effect, surgical intervention is necessary.

Secondary neuralgia is concomitant with the underlying disease. In this case, the prescription of therapy is carried out in accordance with it. The symptoms of neuralgia can be similar to those of other diseases, which is why it is extremely important that the diagnosis is made by an experienced doctor. Timely diagnosis and an adequately prescribed course of treatment will help to avoid complications: aggravation of the disease and the development of serious pathological processes. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. The sooner you contact a neurologist and he diagnoses you, the sooner the appropriate course of treatment will be carried out.

Disease prevention

1) Avoid hypothermia and dress appropriately for the weather.

2) You should not be in a draft, especially if you are hot.

3) To minimize the risk of injury, you should stop drinking alcohol, leading an unhealthy lifestyle, and extreme sports.

4) Regular preventive examinations with doctors will help to timely identify the development of diseases that provoke neuralgia, such as diabetes, herpes, cardiovascular pathologies. Existing chronic illnesses must be treated promptly.

5) A well-composed diet, rich in substances necessary for the body, including vitamins, micro- and macroelements, polyunsaturated fatty acids, lecithin, antioxidants, is the basis for the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Treatment of neuralgia with folk remedies at home

Many medicinal plants have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. They are the ones most often prescribed by traditional medicine practitioners. There are also a number of time-tested products that help alleviate the disease.

Egg. The most famous remedy for ternary neuralgia. The hard-boiled egg is peeled, cut into two halves with a knife, which are immediately applied to the affected area with the cut on the skin. As the heat leaves the egg, the acute pain also disappears.

Mumiyo. Rubbing a 10% aqueous solution of mumiyo helps get rid of pain in the affected areas. 10 grams of mumiyo powder are dissolved in ½ cup of distilled water. The composition is rubbed once a day for 5 minutes into the sore spot. The course of treatment is 3 weeks. Repeating the course is possible after a ten-day break. This medicine helps for radiculitis, lumbago, neurodermatitis.

Vinegar compress. A proven folk remedy for neurological pain. Grind 1 onion, 1 potato tuber and 1 salted potato in a blender cucumber(it’s better to use a barrel one). Pour 1 liter of wine vinegar over the vegetable mixture and leave for about 2 hours, shaking the mixture occasionally. The pulp is used as a compress on sore spots.

Radish juice. Freshly squeezed juice is applied to sore areas or a thin layer of gauze soaked in it is applied for several minutes.

Horseradish root. The root vegetable is grated, scrolled through a meat grinder or crushed into a paste using a blender. A thick layer of mush is applied to a large area, covered with cellophane and wrapped. Green horseradish leaves can also be used as a compress.

Geranium. The biologically active components of the plant relieve inflammation and reduce pain. Geranium leaves lightly knead with fingertips and apply to the sore spot as a compress. Change the compress to a fresh one every 2 hours.

Garlic oil. The product is sold in homeopathic pharmacies. 15 ml of garlic oil is diluted in 0.5 liters of vodka. The resulting tincture is moistened with sore spots, in particular the temples and forehead, for trigeminal neuralgia. The procedure is repeated several times a day. Garlic essence helps get rid of attacks of illness.

Agave. Rubbing with agave leaves helps with inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Wash the bottom leaf of the plant, cut along the stem and rub the sore spot with the halves. When you do this procedure for the first time, you should not massage for more than 1 minute. In the future, if there is no allergy, the procedure is increased to 5 minutes 3 times a day. The sore spot should be kept warm (flannel or knitted pants). Rubbing with bear lard enhances the effect of treatment with agave juice.

Sage. Therapeutic baths with sea salt and sage have an analgesic effect. 4 tbsp. spoons of herbs are poured into 0.3 ml of boiling water, left for about an hour, filtered and poured into the bath. Add 5 tbsp. spoons of sea salt. The procedure time is 10 minutes. Repeat daily for 10 days.

Aspen. A decoction of young tree bark is added to medicinal baths. 5 tbsp. spoons of crushed raw materials are poured into 0.5 liters of water and boiled over low heat for about half an hour. The filtered liquid is added to the bath. The procedure is carried out every evening before bedtime. Course – at least 10-12 baths.

Snowdrop (lumbago drooping). The medicinal plant is famous for its antimicrobial, antiseptic, antifungal and antispasmodic properties. Fresh herb has the properties of poison, so use only in dried form, without exceeding the recommended dosage. Snowdrop infusion is prescribed for many diseases of the nervous system, including neuralgia and neuritis. 1 teaspoon of dry herb is steamed in a glass of boiling water, left for about 3.5 hours, filtered and taken 15 ml every 3 hours.

Yarrow. Infusion yarrow take 15-20 ml 3 times a day before main meals: 1 tbsp. Pour 250 ml of boiling water over a spoonful of dry herbs, cover the container with a lid and wrap it, leave for 1 hour, strain.

Peppermint. Decoction mint leaves prescribed in the complex treatment of many neurological diseases. Pour a tablespoon of dry or fresh raw materials into a glass of hot water and simmer in a water bath for 15 minutes, strain. I take a decoction of ½ glass before bed and in the morning, immediately after waking up.

To strengthen nerve and musculoskeletal tissues, the diet should be enriched with sea fish, kelp, and seafood containing large doses of iodine, calcium, phosphorus and B vitamins - substances necessary to combat neuralgic pain. Sea baths and mud have a good therapeutic effect in the treatment of all types of neuralgia. Be healthy!

What are the types of neuralgia?

• depending on the reason.

• trigeminal nerve;
• glossopharyngeal nerve;
• costoclavicular;
• occipital

Treatment of neuralgia

• Painkillers
• Antidepressants
• Narcotic drugs
• Products with capsaicin
• Nerve block
• Physiotherapy.

Neuralgia is an unpleasant condition that manifests itself in the form of pain in one or another part of the body, often very strong, usually having a stabbing, burning character. It is associated with a pathological process in a certain nerve. Actually, if you translate this term into Russian, it turns out that it consists of two words: “nerve” and “pain”. Neuralgia pain can have different causes.

What are the types of neuralgia?

There are two main classifications of this condition:

• depending on the reason.
• depending on which nerve is affected.

Depending on the cause, primary and secondary neuralgia are distinguished.

Primary is an independent disease. It is also called idiopathic and essential. There are no concomitant diseases that could lead to nerve damage.

Secondary - occurs as a symptom of another disease. Its other name is symptomatic. Separately, there is postherpetic neuralgia, which is a complication of herpes zoster.

Depending on which nerve is affected, neuralgia is distinguished:

• trigeminal nerve;
• glossopharyngeal nerve;
• pterygopalatine node; intercostal;
• costoclavicular;
• external cutaneous nerve of the thigh;
• occipital

Most often, pain occurs in the neck and face.

Treatment of neuralgia

How to treat neuralgia? There are two main approaches, it all depends on whether the cause of the disease can be discovered. If it is identified, then treatment will be aimed at eliminating it, if not, at combating the pain.

Depending on the situation, the doctor may prescribe:

• Painkillers. For example, ibuprofen or aspirin.
• Antidepressants. This is usually nortriptyline or amitriptyline.
• Narcotic drugs. They are prescribed for very severe pain, when it cannot be relieved with conventional painkillers.
• Products with capsaicin. They have an irritating effect, due to which they help cope with pain.
• Nerve block. An anesthetic solution is injected into the area of ​​damaged nerve fibers - it blocks the transmission of pain impulses.
• Physiotherapy.

In some cases, treatment of neuralgia of the back, chest, face, arm or leg requires surgical intervention if the nerve is compressed by a vessel, ligaments, bone, or tumor. During the operation, the surgeon removes the compression.

If neuralgia is caused by diabetes, one of the main treatment measures is to control blood sugar levels.

Content

A disease associated with damage to the peripheral nerve is called neuralgia. Physically manifests itself through pain of a paroxysmal nature on the left or right, which appears in the area of ​​the irritated nerve. How to treat neuralgia will depend on its correct diagnosis.

Causes of neuralgia

During prolonged physical activity, microtraumas of the nerve trunk occur. These disorders can occur due to damage by toxins of various etiologies, which are either infectious in nature or occur as a result of alcohol intoxication, taking medications or interaction with heavy metals. Causes, symptoms and treatment depend on the type of disease: knee joint, lower extremities, facial nerve, solar plexus, pelvic, intervertebral, vagus nerve, etc. Other causes of neuralgia:

• osteochondrosis;
• hypothermia;
• diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system and hip joint (congenital anomalies of joints and bones, spinal injuries);
• tumors;
• diabetes;
• peripheral vascular diseases that disrupt the blood supply to nervous tissue;
• atherosclerosis.

Intercostal neuralgia

Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia (ICD-10 code: M79.2) are pain in the left-sided or right-sided intercostal space, which is encircling in nature in the left or right side of the body. A common cause is osteochondrosis in the thoracic spine. Symptoms of the disease appear if a person turns sharply (from left to right and vice versa). The pain appears unexpectedly and is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure. The disease does not occur in adolescents and children. Treatment for intercostal neuralgia is prescribed only by a doctor.

Trigeminal neuralgia

Doctors have found that out of 10 thousand people, 50 exhibit trigeminal neuralgia (trigeminal). Women over 40 years of age are at risk of the disease. The causes of development are colds, infections, injuries and hypothermia. Painful attacks occur sharply with loud sounds, bright light, or in response to eating very cold or too hot food. Treatment and elimination of symptoms of this type of disease occurs through the use of Trileptal and Finlepsin. The method of radiofrequency destruction of the root is used.

Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve

In medicine, neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve (glossopharyngeal) is not often diagnosed. You can learn about the disease by the first signs: paroxysms of pain in the pharynx, throat, root of the tongue, soft palate, tonsils. The pain spreads to the lower jaw and ear. Chronic infections may be the cause. The disease is accompanied by symptoms such as inhibition of reflexes in the throat and palate, impaired salivation and taste perception of the back of the tongue in the affected area. In medicine, there are 2 forms of this type of disease: idiopathic and symptomatic.

Occipital neuralgia

The disease manifests itself as pain from the back of the head to the temporal region, which can extend to the eye area. Painful sensations are caused by irritation of the nerve roots in the occipital area. In some cases, the small and large spinal nerves in the area of ​​the second and third cervical vertebrae are affected. Doctors call the most important symptom of occipital neuralgia a throbbing pain that is difficult to endure. It occurs when moving the head and coughing. During an attack, movement can cause nausea and vomiting in the patient.

Neuralgia of the femoral nerve

The pathological process is characterized by excruciating painful sensations along the nerve. The pain is paroxysmal, “shooting” in nature. Middle-aged people are at risk; men are more susceptible to femoral neuralgia than women. When walking, changing body position to vertical, on the back with outstretched legs, the painful sensations worsen, numbness and burning appear on the skin.

Light compression in the area where the nerve exits causes an unbearable feeling of pain. The disease may manifest as intermittent claudication. Paresthesia (impaired sensitivity) occurs only when walking. The main cause is compression of the external lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh under the inguinal fold. Nerve root entrapment can occur as a result of trauma to surrounding tissues, with the appearance of scars, proliferation of fatty or fibrous tissue, during pregnancy (venous congestion in the pelvic organs), and with uterine fibroids.

Herpetic neuralgia

The consequence of a herpetic infection is herpetic neuralgia. This dangerous disease often occurs in patients with reduced immunity and in elderly people. This pathological process differs from others in its skin manifestations in the form of a herpetic rash. The postherpetic type of the disease manifests itself after suffering from herpes zoster in the form of pain from a drying rash.

Neuralgia of the pterygopalatine ganglion

Ganglioneuritis (ganglionitis) is also called “neuralgia of the pterygopalatine ganglion”, Slader’s syndrome. Refers to neurodental syndromes (diseases in the oral cavity and facial area). The disease is expressed through vegetative symptoms. Half of the face may turn red, swelling of the tissues, lacrimation may occur, and secretion may be released from one half of the nose. Attacks of painful paroxysms can develop at night, last and not go away for more than 2 days.

The symptom complex includes sharp painful sensations and can spread in the following places:

• eyes;
• upper jaw;
• temporal zone;
• ear area;
• back of the head;
• scapula and scapular area;
• shoulder region;
• forearms;
• brushes.

Symptoms of neuralgia

There are general signs of neuralgia that will help you recognize it even at home. The neuralgic process of damage to the peripheral nerve is accompanied by severe painful sensations, which can be acute, aching in nature. The painful area may turn red. The location of pain depends on the area of ​​irritation of the nerve trunk. The following places of pain are identified depending on the type of disease and lesion:

Defeat	Localization	Special symptoms
trigeminal nerve	neck, teeth, eyeball, half face	salivation and lacrimation, pain occurs when touching the “trigger” zones (the skin area of ​​the chin), spasms of the jaw muscles.
lumbar nerve	small of the back	the pain manifests itself in attacks, “shoots”
intercostal nerve	chest, rib	lumbago (lumbago) of a paroxysmal nature, which intensifies when turning the body (from left to right or vice versa) and taking a deep breath
sciatic nerve	posterior thigh	aching pain, debilitating, burning due to damage to many branches of small nerve branches

Treatment of neuralgia

You should go to the clinic to see a neurologist, dentist, or otolaryngologist. Specialists will make a diagnosis, conduct an examination, CT scan of the brain or MRI, give you a sick leave certificate and tell you what neuralgia is – symptoms and treatment.

Treatment for neuralgia consists of conservative therapy, which consists of taking:

• vitamins;
• antibiotics;
• tablets or injections of analgesics;
• general strengthening medications;
• anticonvulsants;
• sedatives.

Painkillers for neuralgia

To relieve pain symptoms, the doctor prescribes painkillers for neuralgia. Among the analgesic medications prescribed are Nise (Nimesil), Analgin, Movalis, Baralgin. Mydocalm is used to relieve muscle spasms. Moderate pain ceases to bother you for several hours. For a long-lasting effect, you must follow the dosage regimen: at least 3 times daily after meals. A long course of use leads to dysfunction of the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Treatment with analgesics is not carried out.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for neuralgia

Complex therapy includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for neuralgia (NSAIDs), which have a versatile effect on the disease, relieve pain, and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Forms of release of such drugs: injections, ointments, rectal suppositories, tablets for neuralgia. Injections of Ketorol, Analgin or Ketonal instantly eliminate painful symptoms for 3 hours. Medicines for neuralgia of the NSAID group:

• Ketoprofen;
• Ibuprofen;
• Indomethacin;
• Naproxen;
• Piroxicam;
• Diclofenac.

Warming ointments for neuralgia

The effect of warming ointments for neuralgia is achieved by increasing blood circulation. In the area where the nerve is pinched, tissue nutrition improves and oxygen saturation occurs, which is especially effective after hypothermia, stress, and decompression. A vasodilator effect is exerted by natural (essential oils, camphor, turpentine, pepper tincture, snake or bee venoms) or synthetic irritants (nonivamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, nicoboxil, benzyl nicotinate). Menovazin is one of these ointments.

Pepper patch for neuralgia

At home, for treatment and to create an irritating effect, a pepper patch is used for neuralgia, which warms the area and can relieve pain. Before applying the patch, you need to degrease the painful area with cologne or alcohol. Wipe dry with a clean cloth. When you feel warmth spreading throughout your body, then you should remove the patch. Treatment with this remedy manifests itself through improved blood circulation and muscle relaxation.

Treatment of neuralgia with folk remedies

If for some reason you cannot see a doctor for professional help, then you can use folk remedies to treat neuralgia. An effective treatment is considered to be a decoction of willow, which should be taken 1 tbsp. l. 4 times before meals. To prepare the product you need:

• pour chopped willow bark (10 g) with boiling water (200 ml);
• simmer over low heat for 20 minutes;
• strain through cheesecloth, drink when cool.

You can treat yourself with an effective mixture at home, which should be used every other day for a month:

1. Mix iodine and glycerin in equal proportions in a dark glass bottle.
2. Shake the bottle and moisten a clean swab with the solution.
3. Lubricate sore areas except the spine area.

Video: what is neuralgia

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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