What causes intercostal neuritis?

The occurrence of intercostal neuritis is often caused by viral infection or trauma. This disease is common in people aged 20 to 40, and hot compresses and some painkillers are used in treatment.

1. Disease diagnosis

Neuralgia can usually be diagnosed based on symptoms, and plain X-rays are only useful for differential diagnosis. For secondary intercostal neuralgia, it is necessary to undergo chest X-ray, thoracic spine X-ray, lumbar puncture, etc. In addition, B-ultrasound and electrocardiogram examinations are required to rule out liver, gallbladder, cardiovascular, and lung diseases.

The best treatment for primary intercostal neuralgia is traditional Chinese medicine. Representative prescriptions include Quanlong Decoction, etc. You can choose to use them according to your situation.

2. Clinical manifestations

Intercostal neuritis is more common in people aged 20 to 40 years old, often at the junction of the second and/or third costal cartilage and the sternum, and occasionally at other ribs or sternoclavicular joints. Most of the lesions are in one place. The cause may be related to viral infection or trauma. The course of the disease may last for several hours or days, but it may relapse and usually heal itself within a few months, but in some cases it may last for several years. Commonly used treatments include hot compresses, analgesics, local injections of prednisolone acetate, and sometimes oral administration of Virulin.

3. Disease treatment

There is currently no specific treatment for intercostal neuritis. You can take some nerve nourishing drugs first. If the pain worsens, you can use painkillers, physical therapy, and nerve blockade. Peripheral neuropathy can be divided into two categories: neuropathy and nerve diseases. Common peripheral neuropathy includes: trigeminal neuralgia, idiopathic facial neuritis, multiple neuritis (peripheral neuritis), acute infectious multiple radiculoneuritis, brachial plexus injury, ulnar nerve injury, radial nerve injury, median nerve injury, tibial nerve injury, common peroneal nerve injury, lateral femoral cutaneous neuritis, sciatica, intercostal neuralgia, etc. Etiological neuralgia refers to severe pain in the distribution area of ​​the affected sensory nerves, without obvious changes in nerve conduction function and neurotransmitters, such as trigeminal neuralgia. Neurological diseases refer to a group of diseases and injuries to certain parts of the peripheral nerves caused by inflammation, poisoning, ischemia, nutritional deficiency, metabolic disorders, trauma, etc. Those with inflammatory nature are usually called neuritis.