Perineural Interventional Pain Management Techniques for Chronic Thoracic Pain Syndromes

Pain syndromes originating from the thoracic region are a major health problem that generates discomfort, loss of working hours, medical expenses. This medical condition is a difficult diagnosis and management challenge for general practitioners and for non-specialists, even in pain centers, chronic chest pain is usually a management problem. Like any other types of chronic pain, you must first make comprehensive evaluation and a proper diagnosis and then make the management plan, considering drugs, nerve blocks, acupuncture, trigger points injections, spinal manipulation, thoracic exercises, TENS, psychological approach, surgery or any combination. Interventional techniques, especially nerve blocks, are an alternative that has proven to be useful in diagnosing and treating chronic chest pain. Perineural injections are which have fewer side effects and complications than epidural blocks could be done in the ambulatory setting, allowing early ambulation and promptly discharge. The objective of this review article is to discuss the peripheral thoracic interventional pain procedures commonly used to diagnose and treat chronic chest pain syndromes.