Intercostal nerves & vessels

Looks like

A nerve, artery and vein running together in a groove along the underside of each rib.

What it does

Carry feeling from the chest and belly wall, drive the muscles between the ribs, and feed and drain them.

Keeping it well

Shingles follows one of these nerves, giving a band-shaped rash on one side; antiviral treatment works best within three days of the rash, and vaccination from later adulthood lowers the risk. Needles into the chest are passed along the top of a rib to miss them.

Related conditions

• Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
• Botulism
• Chickenpox (varicella)
• Chronic neuropathic pain
• Chronic pain syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Lyme disease
• Myasthenia gravis
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Pleural effusion
• Pleurisy
• Pneumothorax
• Rabies
• Restless legs syndrome
• Shingles (herpes zoster)
• Tetanus
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies