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Intercostal Nerve Pain

Nerves can help us by warning us of painful situations, or they can hinder us by sending us pain of their own making. When damage to an intercostal nerve leads to neuralgia, or nerve pain, in the chest or abdomen, doctors may have to perform a procedure called an intercostal nerve block to relieve the pain.

  1. Neuralgia

    • The term neuralgia simply refers to pain from a nerve problem. Nerves are the body's messengers, communicating physical sensations to the brain. All the nerves in the body originate from the spine. According to Dr. Ralph F. Rashbaum, the spinal cord coordinates 31 pairs of spinal nerves, which extend from between the vertebrae (spinal bones) in large bundles called nerve roots. These nerve roots branch out into a network of nerves throughout the body, ending in the tiny peripheral nerves of the extremities. Normally the nerves convey pain signals from various parts of the body to the brain, but if the nerves themselves receive damage, they may send their own abnormal pain signals.

    The Intercostal Nerves

    • Summit Health identifies the intercostal nerves as nerves in the rib area that send pain and other sensations to and from the chest. According to the Native Remedies website, pressure in the abdominal wall from torn muscles, scarring or other irregularities in the internal anatomy can pinch the intercostal nerve. When the intercostal nerve is compressed or damaged, intercostal neuralgia results. Sufferers from intercostal neuralgia experience sharp pain in the ribs, chest or abdomen.

    Diagnosis

    • To determine the source of a patient's pain, the examining physician must consider any and all symptoms associated with the condition, such as pain on the left side, tingling or numbness, paralysis or muscle weakness, as well as any recent injuries that may have contributed to the condition. The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland reported one such case in which a woman developed intercostal neuralgia due to nerve damage from an earlier, unrelated chest operation.

    Treatment

    • Treatment for intercostal neuralgia can address either the source of the pain or the pain itself. A procedure called an intercostal nerve block numbs the pain. Newton-Wesley Hospital describes it as an outpatient procedure involving injections of an anesthetic and a steroid into the problem area. The steroid may cause its own irritation for the first couple of days, but otherwise the patient is encouraged to pursue normal activities to tolerance.

    Considerations

    • According to the New York School of Regional Anesthesia, intercostal nerve blocks can relieve pain associated with broken ribs, chest surgery and upper abdominal procedures, but it does not work for pain issuing from other nerve centers. While the procedure enjoys a high success rate, it may prove risky for patients with respiratory problems or infections near the affected area. The MedCentral Health system also lists diabetes and heart disease as reasons to avoid this type of block, adding that some patients may suffer a collapsed lung from the procedure.

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