Overview
Intercostal nerves are constituted by the anterior branches of the spinal nerves from the second to the eleventh thoracic vertebrae. Intercostal neuralgia refers to a syndrome of pain on the intercostals thoracic regions. It belongs to the conception of thoracodynia and hypochondriac pain in the traditional Chinese medicine. Its etiological factors include mental irritation, invasion of exogenous pathogen and traumatic injury. The main diseased regions are distribution of liver and the gallbladder meridians. For the depressed emotion or liver's impairment due to anger lead to the stagnation of liver and gallbladder qi, or the meridians are blocked by the stagnant blood, so these areas pain for the stagnation. Or the body fluid and the phlegm retention or sudden pain and contusion caused the stagnation of the stagnant blood in the collaterals, so that hypochondriac pain happened. The therapeutic method of acupuncture on this disease is to disperse stagnated hepato qi, promote blood circulation to remove meridian obstruction, and clear heat and eliminate dampness.

Treatment
1. Yanglingquan (GB 34)
At first, finding the tender spot around GB34 on the both sides, inserting needle straightly into the point 1 to 1.5 cun with reducing method of rotating, make the needling sensation strengthened and upwards, then remain the needles in body for 30 minutes, do the treatment once every day.

2. Qiuxu (GB 40)
Select the GB40 on the left side for the chest and sypochondrium pain on the right side, and vise versa, insert a needle straightly into the body 1 to 1.5 cun, with rotating method vigorously and persistently until the pain released, remain the needle in the body for half an hour, and rotate the needle once every 10 minutes, do this once or twice every day.

3. Jiaji Point (EX-B2)
While choosing Jiaji Point (EX-B2) to prick, besides the points on the segments with diseased intercostal nerves, the points above and below the diseased segment should be chosen too. The needles should be inserted toward to the vertebral column with the depth of 1.5 cun with lifting and thrusting method till the needling sensation spread along the intercostal space, Point-injection therapy can be used with angelica, Danshen root, Vitamin B12, or 10% PIGPA at amount of 0.5 to 2 ml for each point. It is done once every other day, and 10 times makes a therapeutic course.

Note
The therapeutic effect of acupuncture on hypochondriac pain is proved. The pain is relieved quickly and a great collaborative efficiency on relieving pain with acesodyne could be got. But the acupuncture points must be chosen correctly, and the stimulus degree must be controlled. Generally, the acupuncture could relieve the pain and cure the intercostal neuralgia. The intercostal neuralgia remained after acute posterior ganglionitis is very common and very obduracy, so the patient must receive contiguous acupuncture treatment to cure this disease.