Thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine is rarely observed, compared with the prevalence of diseases such as chondrosis of the lower back and neck. Osteochondrosis of the chest has certain signs and requires appropriate therapy, like any other disease.
The thoracic region is characterized by a specific structure: it contains more discs than the lumbar and cervical regions combined, its discs are smaller and very thin. The mobility of this class is very low, and most of the loads fall on the sternum and ribs.
The appearance of varying degrees of pain during heavy loads or sudden movements, as often happens in the case of lumbar or cervical osteochondrosis, is not observed at all, while complications related to suspected cardiovascular diseases or respiratory dysfunction become paramount.
The reasons
Osteochondrosis of the chest begins to develop mainly due to physical inactivity, that is, due to the lack of tension in the muscles, which causes an increase in the tension of the discs located between the vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can cause the following conditions:
- The presence of bad habits;
- Scoliosis and uneven posture;
- hereditary factors;
- lack of mobility;
- Frequent heavy physical activity;
- He received spinal injuries;
- High stress and mental strain.
The intervertebral discs of the thoracic vertebrae are affected by both increased physical activity and physical inactivity.
Symptoms
When osteochondrosis of the chest region develops, its symptoms appear quite noticeably. In such circumstances, treatment should be started immediately. Symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- The presence of acute pain in the thoracic spine, which occurs after a long stay in one position. Pain also occurs when making sudden movements and lifting heavy objects.
- There is pressure in the back and chest. Thoracic osteochondrosis causes breathing difficulties - deep inhalation/exhalation becomes painful.
- In the presence of chondrosis of the thoracic spine, symptoms such as numbness in certain areas of the body appear. This is due to damage to the nerve roots exiting the spinal cord.
- If a person has osteochondrosis of the chest region, he cannot turn the body sharply or extend his arms and lift them up. All such actions are very painful.
- The presence of dull pain in the shoulder blades (most often between them).
- The feet are usually cold because, due to the violation of certain body functions, there is insufficient blood supply.
- There are chills and "goosebumps".
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are determined by the degree of neglect of the disease. In addition, such a disease can lead to a malfunction of other systems of the human body. Therefore, osteochondrosis sometimes manifests itself in such symptoms:
- Appearance of intercostal neuralgia;
- Burning / itching in the legs;
- Bloating, constipation or diarrhea, nausea/heartburn;
- Due to a violation of the blood vessels, the skin begins to peel off, the nails become thin and brittle;
- There are difficulties in the work of reproductive / reproductive systems;
- Sometimes a lack of oxygen is noticeable.
In case of thoracic osteochondrosis, acute and long-lasting pain is appropriate, which appears in attacks. When the disease worsens, the symptoms become extremely bright. At this time, the intervertebral discs are exposed to strong stress. In most cases, the patient is presented with a hospital treatment regimen. In addition, a person has the following symptoms:
- pancreatitis;
- Urolithiasis;
- inflammation of the gallbladder.
It is important to note that thoracic osteochondrosis does not cause either a decrease or an increase in body temperature.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
Thoracic osteochondrosis often has signs similar to vertebral syndromes, including: dorsalgia and dorsago.
Doraso is called a sudden acute pain in the thoracic spine. Usually, such a pathology is faced by those who have to stay in the same position for a long time, for example, sitting. It is often felt when a person gets up from the desk after working in an unchanged position for a long time. The pain of Dorsago is sometimes unbearable. It happens that the possibility of movement in the lumbothoracic / cervical region is limited.
As for dorsalgia, the development of this syndrome does not occur immediately, it takes several weeks. Dorsalgia is characterized by mild pain and discomfort in the part of the spine that is damaged. The pain increases when you take deep breaths and tilt your body to the side or forward.
Muscle tissue tension occurs and in addition there are restrictions in the lumbothoracic / cervical regions. Usually, the pains are very strong in the evening, and in the morning all painful sensations go away by themselves if you walk for 10 minutes.
What other pain syndromes exist in osteochondrosis of the chest region?
Such a disease may also have other pain syndromes that can make it difficult to make a correct diagnosis. Pain in the thoracic osteochondrosis in the region of the esophagus and pharynx and a feeling of a "lump in the throat" appear if the disease has overtaken the upper thoracic segment of the chest. Chondrosis affecting the middle chest segment causes discomfort on the right side under the hypochondrium.
If the disease affects the lower chest region, then pain is observed in the abdominal cavity, which is very similar to the sensations that occur in the case of intestinal pathologies.
It should be noted that the relationship between the appearance of pain in thoracic osteochondrosis and the quality of food consumed and human nutrition cannot be traced. In addition, the appearance of pain has nothing to do with the season. But the pain in osteochondrosis of the chest region may intensify at night and after heavy physical exertion. In the morning, as usual, all discomfort disappears or decreases.
Complications
Thoracic osteochondrosis is dangerous because it is difficult to diagnose. For a long time, it is possible to treat angina pectoris or respiratory diseases without suspecting the presence of this unpleasant disease.
If we continue to talk about the complications caused by osteochondrosis of the chest region, then over time this disease can cause the appearance of various problems affecting the internal organs.
The most common complication can be called a disease related to the cardiovascular system. Such problems arise due to receptor irritation in the chest and neck regions.
Sometimes observed:
- Disorders of the functioning of the duodenum;
- Disorders of the digestive system;
- There is such a pathology as gallbladder dyskinesia.
Is it necessary to prove the importance of timely treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis?
Diagnostic measures
Treatment of the chest region should be started after a comprehensive examination of the patient. This includes the following procedures:
- The patient is examined and all observations related to the course of the disease are recorded. If the disease reaches stage 2-3, the skeleton is noticeably deformed. The doctor must record the patient's medical history in order to rule out / confirm the hereditary factors causing the development of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- The analysis requires the transfer of urine and blood.
- X-rays can be used to determine:
- Presence and size of osteophytes;
- Determine the height/contours of the intervertebral discs.
- size/location of hernias;
- The presence of changes in the shape of the disc.
- Discography provides an opportunity to reconsider the contours of the nucleus pulposus. This procedure uses contrast.
- CT scan. This test is used extremely rarely, as the patient is heavily irradiated during the test.
- Electrocardiography. Since the symptoms of thoracic chondrosis are similar to ischemic heart disease, this research method is used to confirm the diagnosis.
Chest treatment
Before organizing the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, it is necessary to understand why this disease appeared in principle. In some, chondrosis appeared due to an insufficiently mobile lifestyle, while others once suffered a spinal injury, and because of this, blood supply processes were disturbed. Thus, the reasons for the development of such a disease, for example, osteochondrosis of the chest region, are huge.
In any case, the effective therapy of thoracic chondrosis consists not only of the use of pain-relieving drugs aimed at neutralizing pain in case of exacerbation of the disease. In addition, the original cause of the disease must be determined. A serious attitude is required to treat the disease.
In addition, drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region should be combined with physiotherapy, remembering that lower loads are beneficial.
Drug treatment
To treat an exacerbation of the disease, bed rest must be observed, pain-relieving drugs and other drugs that are effective in combating the disease must be taken.
Alleviation of the pain syndrome is achieved with drugs in the initial stages of the development of the disease. Tableted medicines and pain-relieving injections eliminate moderate pain. Painkillers are prescribed together with drugs that relieve inflammation, drugs that restore cartilage tissue.
Medicines for bone tissue regeneration are selected individually. In each case, the doctor must take into account the characteristics of the body and the course of the patient's illness. Thus, drug treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis includes taking the following drugs:
- Painkillers for the elimination of acute pain in the chest region, which causes malfunctions of the respiratory system and a lot of discomfort during movement.
- Tablets that relieve muscle spasm.
- Preparations containing large amounts of B vitamins.
- Medicines of natural origin to preserve the fluid of the intervertebral discs that have spread to osteochondrosis.
Effective exercises
Those who face the problem of osteochondrosis of the chest region should do exercises that have a positive effect on the spine. A well-composed list of simple tasks removes acute pain. By the way, breathing training with a disease such as chondrosis will also give results and reduce the number of attacks. The following exercises are recommended:
- The plank is a good exercise for this disease, but this exercise should be performed for no more than 1. 5 minutes, gradually increasing the load on the thoracic spine.
- It is necessary to hang on the horizontal bar as often as possible, and then add time to the duration of the exercise.
- In the "plank" position, on the other hand, you need to press your knees to your chest and hold them in this position for a few seconds. Such a preventive measure is useful for the joints and reduces the stress on the chest region in osteochondrosis.
To treat the pathology, it is best to use exercise therapy and other physiotherapy methods, but at the same time you are in the hospital under medical supervision. Such exercises do not cause discomfort, since the patient performs simple and effective manipulations to get rid of osteochondrosis of the chest region. Such therapy is an important element of disease prevention in people at risk.
Manual therapy
The help of a chiropractor in the form of massage in osteochondrosis of any part of the spine is more effective and significantly improves the patient's well-being. Such treatment:
- Prevents pain during dorsalgia;
- It reduces the tension in muscle tissue.
In addition, manual therapy is a great opportunity to normalize the systemic circulation of the intercostal space, to determine the appropriate tissue nutrition and to stimulate better blood oxygen saturation.
In case of pectalgia (this is also a type of pain syndrome), such therapy is also used, but only as prescribed by the doctor.
Massages
Massage is a good therapy for osteochondrosis, either in the hospital or at home. This procedure:
- Eliminates hypertonia of the back muscles;
- It helps strengthen the body of the intervertebral discs.
If massage is part of the general therapy against osteochondrosis, it can significantly bring the moment of complete recovery closer if the patient's diagnosis is acute osteochondrosis of the chest region. As a rule, various therapeutic massages are recommended at the same time as the chiropractor's treatment, combined with therapeutic physical activity.
What to do if thoracic osteochondrosis is inflamed?
Aggravation of osteochondrosis can be caused by physical overload (sports, hard work), hypothermia, severe stress or fatigue, lifting heavy objects.
In case of exacerbation of chondrosis, a person feels unbearable pain, which can be removed at home with the help of unrealistic painkillers. For this reason, in such cases, an ambulance must be called.
If the pain is not so strong and tolerable, then the use of painkillers is not desirable, because it makes the task of doctors more difficult to make a correct diagnosis. You cannot self-medicate with osteochondrosis of the chest region - this is dangerous for health.
Chondrosis often enters an acute stage after:
- stressful situations;
- Great physical effort;
- Hypothermia.
In order to stop the process of aggravation of osteochondrosis as quickly as possible, you should listen to these recommendations:
- The patient must observe bed rest (avoid movement as much as possible);
- It is best to prepare a comprehensive diet and eat right;
- The patient's body positions should not cause pain;
- It is necessary to take medicines: painkillers and antispasmodics;
- It will not be superfluous to carry out physiotherapy manipulations;
- Exercise therapy is of great importance in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest region. Of course, all exercises should be performed with extreme caution.
Prevention
To prevent spinal diseases (osteochondrosis of various classes), consider the following tips:
- Don't sit still: sign up for a pool, organize a morning jog, warm up your muscles;
- If you are in one position during a work activity (for example, working in an office), always try to straighten your back and relax your shoulders;
- Work while sitting only on a chair that supports the spine;
- Buy an orthopedic pillow and mattress - so the spine assumes the correct position during sleep;
- Do not carry a lot of weight, and if necessary, try not to lift them suddenly;
- Pumps the abdominal muscles;
- The shoes should not cause discomfort when worn;
- Design your diet so that it contains and is enriched with as many useful microelements as possible.
No one is protected from the appearance of such a disease as thoracic osteochondrosis. If you suddenly notice the first manifestations of the disease, consult a doctor immediately - after all, it is easier to prevent osteochondrosis than to treat it for a long time.
If you follow the above recommendations, then the probability of this disease is minimal.
More tips
It is clear that in order to avoid spine problems, the recommendations for a healthy lifestyle must be strictly followed.
If you do sedentary work, it is worth organizing a break every hour and, if possible, warming up. Swimming is very effective in preventing osteochondrosis of the chest region. A balanced diet will not be superfluous.
In order to prevent it, it is worth exercising every day in the morning and playing sports in your free time.
In essence, thoracic osteochondrosis is not dangerous, but it can cause serious complications if left untreated. It is important to organize the treatment of osteochondrosis in time to avoid other problems related to the spine in the future, because all systems and organs in our body are interconnected - remember.
Everyone wants to live without pain and not limit themselves in anything due to the presence of diseases. Therefore, it is important to identify and treat osteochondrosis in time if this problem still surprises you.
Many people who have encountered osteochondrosis of the chest region, who responded to the disease at the right time, and after starting treatment, have already forgotten what osteochondrosis is and what its symptoms are. Don't delay either!
And even better, to prevent this disease from occurring. Just live an active lifestyle!