What are the symptoms of abdominal neuralgia?

Abdominal neuralgia is actually very difficult to detect, but if the condition is more serious, the frequency of attacks will increase. Abdominal neuralgia can cause difficulty in breathing, and may also cause coughing and sneezing, so it can be identified based on these symptoms. Abdominal neuralgia requires detailed examination, so friends should get a prompt diagnosis.

1. Occipital neuralgia

The occipital nerve arises from the C2 and C3 nerves. The pain is mostly unilateral, presenting as continuous dull pain that intensifies intermittently, radiating to the top of the head, mastoid process or external ear on the same side, and may be aggravated by head and neck movements, coughing or sneezing; the skin on the occipital and back of the neck may be hypersensitive or reduced in sensation, and there may be tenderness under the external occipital protuberance. The causes may be cold, cervical spondylosis, spinal tuberculosis, tumor, atlanto-occipital deformity, etc.

2. Brachial neuralgia

The brachial plexus is composed of the anterior rami of the Cs to T2 spinal nerves.

Primary brachial plexus neuralgia: There may be a history of fever, acute or subacute onset, with severe pain in the scapula and upper limbs, followed by gradual muscle weakness, accompanied by abnormal tendon reflexes and sensory disturbances; muscle atrophy occurs after a few weeks, mainly in the shoulder girdle and upper arm (C5, C6 segments); a small number of patients have bilateral brachial plexus involvement.

Secondary brachial plexus neuralgia: It is usually a chronic disease with recurrent attacks of neck and shoulder pain, which is numb or electric shock-like and radiates to the upper arm, lateral anterior buttocks and thumb. It may be aggravated at night or during limb activities, and may be accompanied by decreased sensation, muscle atrophy and weakened or disappeared tendon reflexes of the upper limbs. The cause of the disease is compression caused by lesions in the adjacent tissues of the arm, such as radicular compression such as cervical spondylosis, cervical tuberculosis, tumors, fractures, etc. Dry compression such as thoracic outlet syndrome, neck tumors, clavicle fractures, trauma, etc.

3. Intercostal neuralgia

Persistent pain in one or several intercostal areas, which may be aggravated by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. There may be tenderness at the edge of the corresponding ribs and local skin hyperesthesia. The causes are pleurisy, rib fractures, tumors, herpes zoster, etc.

4. Lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy

Also known as meralgia paresthesia, the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is composed of the posterior roots of the L2 and L3 spinal nerves. The onset can be acute or slow, and is usually unilateral sensory abnormalities on the outer side of the thigh, such as numbness, tingling or burning sensations, and may be hypersensitive or reduced. The causes are local compression, diabetes, poisoning, arteriosclerosis, abdominal tumors, etc.

5. Femoral neuralgia

The femoral nerve is composed of L2 to L4 nerves. It manifests as pain in the front of one thigh and inner side of the calf. The patient will avoid bending the knee. For example, if he cannot squat, he will step forward with the healthy leg first and drag the affected leg forward when walking. The extension of the lower limb on the affected side can induce pain in the front of the thigh and groin area, accompanied by hyperesthesia or decreased sensation in the front of the thigh and inner side of the calf, and weakened or disappeared knee reflex. The cause may be trauma, pelvic or femoral fracture, poisoning, pelvic inflammation or tumor, femoral artery aneurysm, etc.