Chest Wall Pain
Causes of Chest Wall Pain
Patients may experience pain in the chest wall due to various sources. Post-Surgical scars (neuromas) may become a significant source of pain after operations. Shingles pain (post-herpetic neuralgia) may also be a source of discomfort in the chest region. With this syndrome, the pain develops either before or after the lesions have healed. Chest wall pain may also emanate from problems in the spine.
Post-thoracotomy syndrome presents as pain after surgical removal of ribs injured the underlying intercostal nerves. Pain may present as sharp, shooting pain at the surgical site but then radiates to the breastbone. Persistent pain may benefit from nerve pain blocking medications and from intercostal nerve blocks.
Post-herpetic neuralgia is caused by a reactivation of the Herpes Zoster virus at the dorsal root ganglion near the spinal nerve causing pain. Pain typically precedes any skin blisters, but the pain can often be debilitating. Spinal nerve root blocks are usually successful in alleviating pain.
Chest Wall Pain Treatments in Chicago, IL
After listening to you, completing a comprehensive physical examination, reviewing relevant medical history, and analyzing labs and imaging to diagnose the source of your pain, your Illinois Pain & Spine Institute physician will work with you to develop a customized, cost-effective treatment plan for chest wall pain. Illinois Pain & Spine Institute takes pride in the diagnosis and treatment of the source of your chest wall pain.