The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-09
THE TREATMENT OF PARIETAL
NEURALGIA

LII TWO carrier ARTICLES we QlSCuSStO
intercostal neuralgia and gave some
idea of the frequency with which it
is mistaken for appendicitis, gall
stones, kidney collie, colitis, etc. To-
day We offer suggestions for the re-
lief of this misleading neuralgia of
the wall of chest or abdomen. Per-
haps we should explain that the term
"intercostal" means between the ribs,
there being spinal nerve just under
the lower border of each of the IL
ribs on each side of the body, the up
per six pairs supplying the chest wall
and the lower six pairs the abdominal
wall and buttocks.
There is some truth in the aphor-
ism Neuralgia is the nerve for better
blood" In anemia the nerve cries
for richer blood; in the toxemia OF
acute infectious illnesses such as ton
sillitis. influenza, and Of chronic focal
| infection, the nerve cries for purer
blood. The successful treatment of
parietal neuralgia, especially the kind
that produces spurious heart" pain,
most commonly in women, requires
that the cause of the anemia be dis
covered and remedied and the anemia
properly treated.
In many cases the neuralgia is
caused by some silent or untrouble-
some focus of infection about the
teeth, tonSils, pelvic organs or rectum.
The source of the toXemia must be
searched out and eradicated or dis
infected, though not necessarily by an
operation, for nowadays the desired
result may be obtained with dia-
thermy in many instances where for
merly radical surgery was the only
remedy.
In chronic parietal neuralgia COM
plete examination Of the stripped pa
tient will often disclose ScoliosiS
lateral curvature), lordosis (exces-
sive swayback) or spinal arthritis. In
scolioSis, commonly unrecognized
condition in children and young
adults of poor physical education,
one leg is shorter or one hip is high
err, or one shoulder is higher than
the other. Sometimes the mere ele-
walton of the heel of the short leg by
means of lift on the shoe will re-
lieve neuralgia of the body wall after
all ordinary remedies have proved dis
appointing. Both scoliosis and lordo-
sis require special exercises adapted
to the correction of the special weak
nesses involved. Even in the spinal
arthritis cases such exercises may be
beneficial. But one of the best treat
ments for spinal arthritis is a very
mild X-ray exposure, Is per cent OF
erythema dose, over the spinal origin
of the nerve or nerves involved, once
weekly Tor half dozen times.
Besides suitable exercises to correct
curvature of the spine, a good deal
of benefit is gained in any case OF
chronic parietal neuralgia by putting
weight on the undernourished pa
tient. It is advisable in many in
stances to resort to insulin treatment
to accomplish this. A gain of Is to
20 pounds is quite likely to put an
end to the pains. Physicians with
experience in the use Of insulin to
enable underweight persons to put on
| flesh give from to IS units OF in
sulin daily without unpleasant reac-
tons of any kind.
OF all the medicines used for tenn
porary relief of neuralgia pain, ! be-
lieve aspirin is the least harmful, but
even this analgesic should be taken
only when the patient can remain at
rest, sitting down or lying down.