In the article, we consider the signs of neuralgia in women. This is a disease that is accompanied by damage to nerves located on the periphery. The pain syndrome is localized in the area where the violation of innervation occurred. Against the background of pathology, motor activity is not limited, and the sensitivity of tissues is not disturbed. The main sign of neuralgia in women is acute pain, which can be localized along the entire affected nerve or only in a certain place. As a rule, the disease develops in women over the age of 30 years. The most common are its forms such as intercostal and pelvic, which we will consider in detail below.
Causes of intercostal neuralgia
We will understand for what reasons this pathology occurs. The main reason for the development of persistent or paroxysmal pain in the intercostal area is squeezing or pinching of the thin nerve in this area between the muscle fibers. The intercostal nerve is compressed by muscles at a reflex level, which causes a pronounced pain syndrome, most often manifested in acute form.
What are the signs of intercostal neuralgia in women? Sharp pain, which is usually accompanied by numbness, burning or tingling, spreads throughout the chest area. This occurs at the moment when the impulse passes along the nerves in the region of the spinal column.
Consider the causes of intercostal neuralgia in women on the left or on the right.
Risk factors contributing to the development of the disease
The main risk factors for the development of pathology are:
- A state of constant stress.
- Hypothermia of the body.
- Intoxication. What else causes intercostal neuralgia in women?
- Rib injuries as a result of intense physical exertion.
- The inflammatory process in the body, including a malignant one.
- Pathological disorders in the structure of the spinal column, including osteochondrosis.
To identify the disease, it is important to know how intercostal neuralgia manifests itself in women.
Differentiation of pathology with neuritis
An important point in the diagnosis is the differentiation of neuralgia from neuritis. Although the symptoms of both pathologies are similar, against the background of intercostal neuralgia, inflammation does not occur, and the sensitivity of the skin is not disturbed and muscle activity is maintained. In some cases, an increase in the intensity of pain in the sternum may indicate the hypertonicity of certain muscle groups, such as the shoulder blade, shoulder or extensor extensor.
Sharp pain with neuralgia - is this normal?
The main symptom of neuralgia in women is a sharp pain, localized in the space between the ribs. It is easy to detect during palpation. As a rule, pain occurs on one side.
Signs of intercostal neuralgia in women are of interest to many. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
Feeling of heaviness in the chest
Irritation and soreness when sneezing and coughing is a symptom of neuralgia. When the disease goes into the atrophic stage, the pain subsides due to changes in the nerve root. Gradually, sharp pain gives way to a feeling of heaviness in the chest, which indicates the neglect of the case.
Superficial respiratory activity
Another important sign of intercostal neuralgia in women on the left or on the right is a decrease in lung volume, as well as superficial respiratory activity. As a rule, exacerbation of neuralgia is preceded by a short-term muscle spasm, which rapidly irritates the nerve endings and causes severe pain.
Treatment for signs of neuralgia in women should be immediate.
Diagnosis of intercostal neuralgia
The first thing a specialist does when dealing with the complaints described above is to conduct a physical examination of the patient. Based on the collected history, the doctor examines the patient's chest to exclude pathological processes in the organs of the respiratory system.
If the pain is localized immediately on both sides, the patient is prescribed a cardiac examination by conducting an electrocardiogram. This eliminates diseases such as ischemia and angina pectoris.
Further, the patient is recommended to conduct an X-ray examination of the thoracic spine. This allows us to differentiate neuralgia from lung diseases, and also to exclude damage to the ribs and chest as a result of trauma.
Additional research methods for symptoms of neuralgia in women on the right or left are magnetic resonance imaging, electroneurography, computed tomography, etc. After receiving the results of the examination and confirming the diagnosis, the doctor selects a treatment regimen for neuralgia.
Therapy
Therapy of intercostal neuralgia is selected taking into account the nature of the nerve damage and the neglect of pathology. The longer the patient did not consult a doctor, and the disease progressed, the longer the treatment would be. In some cases, intercostal neuralgia therapy may last several months.
Treatment of intercostal neuralgia involves an integrated approach. Sometimes neuralgia can be a secondary disease. In this case, treatment should be started by eliminating the factor that caused it. When the underlying disease enters the remission stage, treatment for neuralgia becomes more effective.
Medicines
The main groups of drugs prescribed for the treatment of neuralgia are the following:
- Anesthetics for topical use in the form of gels and ointments.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They can be prescribed both in tablet form and in the form of a solution for injection.
- Vitamin complexes. With intercostal neuralgia, the emphasis is on B vitamins.
- Relaxants and antidepressants. They are responsible for relaxing the tense region, which will prevent further compression of the nerve.
If, after treatment, there is no positive dynamics in the patient’s condition, the neurologist can prescribe a surgical procedure involving the resection of tissues that compress the nerve or narrow the channel conducting the impulses.
Symptoms in women of pelvic neuralgia are presented below.
Pelvic neuralgia: causes
Regardless of the location of neuralgia, the cause of its occurrence is damage to the sheath of the nerve fiber during compression or compression. The causes of pelvic neuralgia can be:
- Infectious damage to the body. Sometimes the nervous system is disturbed by infections of a viral or bacterial origin. Pelvic neuralgia is most commonly seen in patients with shingles, a complication of chickenpox, HIV, lime disease, or syphilis.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- The natural aging of the body.
- Diabetes.
- The mechanical effect of tissues and organs on nerve fibers. These can be ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, and in some cases neoplasms.
- Hip injury.
- Subcooling amid significant physical exertion.
- Intoxication of the body.
In addition, the cause of pelvic neuralgia in a woman can be a pathological violation in the formation of the musculoskeletal system of the congenital type, as well as some diseases of the blood vessel system, etc. There are cases when it is not possible to identify the cause of the appearance of neuralgia. In such a situation, treatment is carried out to eliminate the existing symptoms.
Symptoms of Pelvic Neuralgia
The main symptoms of neuralgia in women are:
- Pain in the area of ​​the pelvic bones.
- Violation of sensitivity in organs affected by neuralgia, accompanied by burning and numbness of tissues.
- Muscle weakness.
- Disorders of the autonomic system.
The most pronounced symptom of neuralgia is pain. Since damage to the nerve sheath does not allow the brain to localize the signal from the receptors, the pain can be wandering or affect the entire pelvic section, together with the lower back.
You can determine the location of the affected nerve by means of secondary signs, such as limited mobility, numbness of the skin in a certain area, etc. To do this, you should visit a doctor, since without a knowledge of the anatomical features it will not be possible to identify the source of pain.
Additional signs
Pelvic neuralgia is divided into types, depending on which nerve was damaged. It is easiest to diagnose clamping of the sacral nerve, since its damage is accompanied by additional specific signs:
- Pain in the perineum, in the organs of the reproductive system and rectum.
- A sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the anus or urethra.
- Urinary incontinence.
- Disorder of sexual life, pain during intercourse.
Pain in pelvic neuralgia may be different in nature, including shooting, burning, reminiscent of electric shocks. In addition, the pain can be constant or paroxysmal, wandering or have a clear area of ​​localization. If conventional painkillers do not help, you should seek help from a specialist. The doctor will determine the true cause of pelvic neuralgia and prescribe the appropriate treatment to eliminate it.
Pelvic Neuralgia: Diagnosis
When contacting a doctor, you must correctly and in detail provide an anamnesis. It is important to indicate the nature of the pain and its localization, the duration and possible cause of the development of pathology. Next, the therapist decides to refer to a specialist to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
The purpose of diagnostic measures is to identify the affected nerve, as well as the causes of neuralgia in the pelvic section.
The doctor can determine the affected nerve by examining the patient. On palpation of the area of ​​the hip bones, a spasmodic area is revealed. Based on the received history and the examination, a diagnosis is made and an additional examination is prescribed for the patient to confirm it:
- An X-ray examination that shows a pinched nerve.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
- Doppler ultrasound. Assign with suspected infringement of the sacral nerve.
- Biopsy of a damaged nerve.
- Electroneuromyography. Allows you to assess the patency of the nerve channels and muscle activity.
When carrying out diagnostic measures, the general condition of the patient is monitored. Until the diagnosis is confirmed, the pain is relieved by novocaine.
What is the treatment for neuralgia in women?
Pelvic Neuralgia Treatment
If it was possible to identify the cause of neuralgia, prescribe treatment aimed at eliminating it. If the origin of the pain syndrome in the pelvis did not work out, the therapy will be aimed at stopping the symptoms. Pelvic neuralgia treatment includes:
- Anesthesia of the affected area with anesthetics. Rubbing, warming up, easy massage helps well.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures, including phonophoresis, electrophoresis, acupuncture, UV therapy, etc.
- Performing special therapeutic exercises.
- Complete nerve blockade with hormonal and narcotic painkillers.
Any variant of neuralgia greatly affects the quality of life of a woman, therefore, it requires timely treatment to a specialist for help. You can’t try to eliminate the pain yourself, as this can lead to unpredictable consequences and complications.
We examined signs of neuralgia in women (intercostal and pelvic).