Some diseases are asymptomatic in humans, thus representing a great danger. One of these ailments include intercostal hernia. What it is? Symptoms by which you can determine the disease, the causes of its occurrence, as well as treatment methods are presented in the article.
Definition
In some cases, the doctor diagnoses the patient with an intercostal hernia. What it is? This is the name of the protrusion of a part of the respiratory organ between the bones of the chest. Another name for this phenomenon is a pulmonary hernia.
Often the place of its localization is the upper part of the chest. However, cases of protrusion of the lung into the neck or diaphragm are recorded. Outwardly, the pathological condition resembles a small and soft to the touch rounded tumor, which is located between the ribs.
Causes of occurrence
Protrusion of the lung parenchyma occurs due to a sharp increase in pressure of the lung on the muscles of the chest, which is why the latter can not stand it. As a result, a hernial sac is formed. This phenomenon may occurfor these reasons:
- Surgical interventions in the chest area.
- Open or closed rib injuries.
- Tuberculosis, both open and closed.
- Emphysema is a pathological dilation of the bronchioles.
- Benign or malignant neoplasms of the lungs.
- Empyema of the lung or pleura - accumulation of purulent discharge in the organ or pleural cavity.
- Cachexia is an extreme degree of exhaustion of the body, which is observed in some diseases.
Also, a hernia of the lung can occur for such indirect reasons:
- Smoking for a long period of time.
- Playing wind instruments.
- Glass blowing work.
Due to chest injuries, the lung may occupy the vacated space or protrude into the holes formed.
Symptoms
How to identify intercostal hernia? A feature of the pathological condition is the fact that in most cases it does not cause discomfort to a person and does not have specific manifestations. Symptoms of intercostal hernia can occur only when performing any physical exercise, coughing, lifting weights, bending to the side. This occurs because at this time the pressure from the lung increases. In such situations, the person may experience some discomfort when breathing.
Painful sensations appear only in the later stages of development. Therefore, the most common reasonnot specific symptoms, but an external manifestation of a hernia, which looks like a swelling or a small formation in the area of the ribs.
Diagnosis
To determine intercostal hernia, consultation of several specialists is required. First, you should visit a therapist. This doctor conducts a visual examination, palpation and refers to narrow specialists. The surgeon must also give an opinion and prescribe specific tests that are used to diagnose such pathologies. The following studies are often assigned:
Magnetic resonance or computed tomography. This method provides complete information about the location of the neoplasm, its structure and size. Unfortunately, this procedure has a rather high cost, so some categories of patients cannot afford it
- If the previous examination is impossible for any reason, an X-ray examination is scheduled. It also gives accurate information about the condition of the lungs.
- Ultrasound is used to rule out the possibility of a benign or malignant neoplasm.
Since intercostal hernia at the beginning of its development does not have acute symptoms that could cause a visit to a doctor, its presence is diagnosed quite by accident. For example, when a patient is being examined for a lung disease.
Possible Complications
As mentioned above, intercostala hernia is not detected immediately, as it does not have specific symptoms. Enough time passes from the moment it begins to develop until detection, during which the disease has time to develop. At the same time, a hernia can bring a lot of trouble to a person, including such diseases:
- Pleurisy - inflammation of the pleural lobes, which play the role of the lining of the lungs. This complication may occur due to compression of part of the lung by the ribs.
- Since the patient has a part of the lung pinched, there are problems with breathing, shortness of breath appears.
Also among the complications, one can note an increase in the protruding fragment of the lung, which begins to bring discomfort in everyday life.
Principles of treatment
Therapy for post-traumatic hernia of the lung or if it is associated with other diseases may vary. It is also affected by the degree of protrusion of the lung fragment, the presence or absence of any complications. The principles of treatment are as follows:
- Conservative therapy if the disease is at an early stage and has no complications. It involves prescribing medicines and physiotherapy to the patient.
- Treatment that is necessary to eliminate complications, as well as pain that occurs with a strong protrusion of the respiratory organ in the chest area.
- Surgical intervention if the methods described above do not bring the desired result.
- Folk remedies that have a general strengthening effect on the body.
Subject to all medicalprescriptions the problem of intercostal hernia is solved quite easily. At the same time, attention should also be paid to a disease or injury that could become an impetus for the development of pathology.
Treatment without medication
Having carried out all the necessary diagnostic measures and having finally decided on the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the treatment. The course depends on the severity of the disease and related factors.
If the protrusion of the lung fragment is insignificant and is at an early stage of development (when no complications have yet appeared), conservative therapy is indicated, which in this case consists in wearing a tight bandage on the chest, the purpose of which is to reduce part of the lung into place. The role of such a bandage can be a regular elastic bandage, a post-traumatic bandage or a belt for the back.
The time of wearing such a bandage is calculated individually by the attending physician. Often, it is allowed to remove it only in order to take a shower. Usually, the wearing time of the bandage is about 30 days. A month later, the doctor assesses the patient's condition and determines further treatment, if necessary.
Medicated treatment
In some cases, therapy is prescribed using medications.
Most often, doctors prescribe the following drugs:
- "Baralgin". What does this medicine help with? It is used as an anestheticdrug. Doctors prescribe it to patients who complain of rather unpleasant sensations in the area of \u200b\u200bprotrusion of the lung.
- If the pain is more pronounced and accompanied by inflammation, then stronger drugs are used than "Baralgin". What help "Dexamethasone", and "Diprospan"? These are glucocorticoids, they are hormonal, therefore they are prescribed only for severe pain.
- "Mydocalm" and analogues for relieving muscle spasm.
- Drug "Osteomed" to strengthen bone tissue. It is necessary as there is pressure on the chest.
- For pathological cough, drugs are used, such as Butamirat, Glauvent.
To maintain immunity, vitamin complexes with a high content of B vitamins and calcium are prescribed.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine methods should not be the only way of treatment, as they are not able to save a person from an existing problem. Despite this, many of them have a positive effect on the immune system, the body.
For intercostal hernia, it is recommended to use the following methods of traditional medicine:
- Rubbing the chest with camphor oil has a warming effect, which has a positive effect on blood circulation. This is very important in order for the blood to circulate well in the compressed part of the lungs.
- Vitamin teas based on mint, lemon balm, rosehip,sea buckthorn has a positive effect on the body. In addition, they can improve mood.
- Alcohol compresses are used for the same purpose as rubbing the chest with camphor oil.
The use of alternative methods of treatment should be carried out only after consulting the attending physician, as well as with full confidence in the absence of an allergic reaction to any natural ingredients.
Surgery
If conservative methods do not bring the desired result, the attending physician decides to perform the operation. It is performed under general anesthesia, it can be abdominal or endoscopic.
The choice of the type of operation is carried out taking into account the peculiarities and complexity of the pathological condition. To date, the advantage is given to endoscopic intervention, as there is less blood loss and minor injury to soft tissues.
During the surgical intervention, the contents of the hernial sac are gently set inward, and then the skin at the incision site is sutured. With an intercostal hernia, the pleural sac can fuse with muscle tissue. This defect is also corrected during the operation.
Rehab
In the postoperative period, a person is waiting for rehabilitation. For the first time after surgery, he will feel discomfort at the incision site, but as the tissues heal, these sensations disappear.
Painkillers may be prescribed during this perioddrugs. In addition, within a month after the operation, the patient is prescribed immunostimulants to restore the protective functions of the body as soon as possible. This is due to the fact that during the period when immunity decreases, all sorts of complications can occur in the form of infectious or bacterial diseases.
Separately, scar care should be mentioned. The first few days after the operation, it should not be wet, so that the seams do not open and the infection does not get inside. It is also not recommended to drive a car for two weeks after surgery, as this will strain the suture, which will significantly slow down the regeneration process.
Conclusion
Only the attending physician can know what an intercostal hernia looks like. Its consequences depend on the correct diagnosis and treatment. The treatment of the disease is quite simple, but you need to pay attention to the root cause of the appearance of the pathology.
For the timely detection of the disease, annual preventive examinations, which include fluorography, cannot be neglected. It is also very important to avoid injury to the chest.
