"intercostal neuritis"

Stabbing Pain from Back to Flank: When Intercostal Neuralgia Makes Breathing Painful

Have you ever been startled by sudden, sharp pain in your chest and flank that makes it difficult to even breathe, accompanied by an aching back? The stabbing pain feels as though someone were prodding you with a knife, leaving you wondering if something might be wrong with your heart. This intense pain may very well be intercostal neuralgia.