How to distinguish intercostal neuralgia from heart pain: description of signs. Suspicion of heart pain or neuralgia: what to do, what to do?

The occurrence of chest pain is an alarming sign. What distinguishing features have pain in heart pathology and neuralgia - we will try to figure it out together.

Content

Pathologies of cardiac activity and intercostal neuralgia are similar diseases on clinical signs, but different in terms of danger and possibility of pathological conditions.

A common characteristic feature of these diseases is breast pain. At the same time, there are other symptoms with which you can distinguish and evaluate the danger of such a state.

Pain caused by heart failure

Breast pain, especially intense, immediately cause the idea of \u200b\u200bthe development of heart pathology.

The heart pain is distinguished by a short-term course (lasts 3-15 minutes), localizes in the sternum zone, has an extensive pressing character, constrains breathing, can switch to the left hand, shoulder girdle, back between the shoulder blades, the neck, the lower jaw.
An attack of pain is accompanied by a feeling of difficulty breathing, “cardiac arrest”, increased sweating, pallor of the skin, sudden fear of death.
With angina pectoris, the intensity of pain does not change when inhalation and exhalation, change in body position and movement.
Barts of pain are often accompanied by a disturbance of the pulse (arrhythmia), a significant increase or decrease in blood pressure, dizziness, weakness.
The cause of heart pain is often myocardial ischemia - a lack of oxygen intake to the heart muscle. This condition is very dangerous, since in some cases it progresses to the dying of the heart muscle - heart attack.
Boar pain and constrained breathing can be signs of cardiourosis - heart neuralgia. This disease develops against the background of heavy physical or psycho -emotional stress, long -term depression. Since the disease is caused by the mental state of the patient, it is often referred to as psychosomatic disorders.

If you suspect heart disease, the patient needs medical care to establish an accurate diagnosis and conduct the appropriate therapeutic treatment.

It is necessary to conduct a full examination of the heart - for this you will need to undergo an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart, and pass general tests.
You can check the condition and possible problems of the spine with methods of radiography, myelography and MRI.

The electrocardiogram is assigned as the primary method of heart examination

Suspicion of heart pain - what to do?

Each person in an emergency should know what to do in case of acute chest pain in order to help himself or another person. Timely help can save the life of your loved ones, since heart pain in combination with other manifestations of heart pathology often occurs as a harbinger of heart attack or stroke.

Cardiologists advise the following procedure for helping the patient:

Call an ambulance.
Put the patient on the right side.
Weaken the constraining clothes and provide access for fresh air.
Give the patient one tablet of acetylsalicylic acid and nitroglycerin to relieve spasm of the heart muscle and prevent blood clots.
Wait for the doctor’s arrival and accompany the patient to the clinic.

If you suspect heart pain, emergency help is needed

Pain for intercostal neuralgia

Neuralgia is developing due to the sequence of roots of nerve fibers leading to the spine. Sometimes pain provokes the hypertonicity of the muscles of the thoracic region or shoulder girdle.

The pains are pronounced, pronounced in nature, intensify by palpation, turns and tilts, walking, deep breathing, coughing.
The nature of the pain can be pulling, shooting, paroxysmal, accompanied by a burning sensation or tingling.
The patient is able to indicate the place of pain quite accurately.

Causes of intercostal neuralgia:

Injuries and surgical interventions.
Diseases of the nervous system.
Acute infectious diseases - influenza, tuberculosis, herpes, encircling lichen.
Congenital or acquired disorders of the spine - hernias and displacements of intervertebral discs, osteochondrosis, scoliosis, tumor formations.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system-arterial hypertension, arthrosis, vessel atherosclerosis, causing oxygen starvation of nerve endings.
Age hormonal malfunctions.
Violation of metabolism caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, hepatitis.
Hypothermia.
Intensive physical activity.

With neuralgia, rest is necessary and comprehensive treatment

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia

Therapeutic procedures for this disease are carried out comprehensively. For successful treatment, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination and identify a cause causing inflammation.

In the acute period, the patient prescribes bed rest.
Dry heat helps to reduce pain. For example, you can bandage the chest with a scarf, make mustard plasters on the back in the area of \u200b\u200bpain localization.
At home, massage will be useful using anti -inflammatory painkillers or gels - voltaren, diclofenac, ibuprofen, diphrofen.
With severe bouts of pain, it is recommended to receive painkillers-pentalgin, spasmalgon, bargin, sedalgin-neo, etc.
Treatment consists in the use of drugs of functional inhibition of pain in combination with anti -inflammatory drugs. Their action is aimed at relaxing the spinal muscles and the prevention of convulsive contractions due to pinching of nerve roots. The duration and dose of admission should be controlled by a doctor.
Physiotherapeutic procedures, acupuncture, hirudotherapy, manual therapy give a good effect for the treatment of neuralgia.
In acute states, the spine is made to relieve pain. This is done outpatiently by injection of an anesthetic drug to the area under the inflamed nerve. This method gives a rapid effect for stopping pain.
For the prevention of the disease, it is recommended to take group B vitamins, limiting physical exertion, performing physiotherapy exercises, avoiding stressful situations, hypothermia.
In some cases, the patient is prescribed by wearing a special corset or belt to maintain the spine in the correct position.

It must be remembered that chest pain is a possible sign of serious pathologies, therefore it is not recommended to self -medicate. In the event of pain, shortness of breath, arrhythmias, increased blood pressure, you should seek medical help without delay.