Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine (OS) is not only the destruction of fibrous rings and bone elements, but also the weakness of muscle structures. This form of pathology is rare and has specific symptoms that may resemble an attack of angina or gastritis.
Therefore, it is very important to differentiate the disease by excluding other causes of back pain. We will tell you how to recognize the symptoms of the disease and carry out effective therapy.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the hip joint, unlike lumbar and cervical osteochondrosis, is rarely diagnosed. This is explained by the anatomy of the thoracic region: it has more elements, they are smaller and thinner, and they also have long processes. The mobility of this segment of the spine is noticeably lower, and the lion's share of the load is taken by the sternum and ribs.
With osteochondrosis of the GOP, a lump in the throat appears due to spasm of the muscles of the pharynx and neck.
The pronounced backward physiological curvature of the GOP also plays an important role. In this case, the main pressure falls on the front part of the discs and leaves the far part in relative comfort. This means that developed protrusions and tears appear outside the ridge without affecting the spinal cord.
Types of disease
Symptoms and treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the observed syndrome. There are two types: neurological and pain.
The first case is characterized by numbness of the upper limbs, creeping, twitching and reflex tension of the back muscles. In especially severe cases, there is difficulty in breathing, a lump in the throat, heartburn and pressure in the epigastrium.
The pain syndrome can be acute and intense (dorsago) or prolonged and mild (dorsalgia), and also manifests itself as intercostal neuralgia.
There is a code corresponding to ICD-10 to describe the destructive effects of osteochondrosis. M42 for children. Corresponds to the value of 0, M42 for adults. 1 code is used. If the diagnosis is not confirmed by the results of MRI and X-ray, the patient is given code M54 - dorsalgia.
Dorsago
This term refers to a sharp, sudden pain in the sternum. They can be so strong that they make breathing and movement difficult. They are otherwise called thoracic lumbago.
A dangerous symptom is the appearance of pain in the front on the left side. If the attack is not provoked by thoracic osteochondrosis, it may be a sign of cardiac pathology. In this case, the person requires urgent medical attention, so it will be useful to know some different characteristics of chest pain.
Thus, the well-being of the patient with dorsago does not improve after taking "heart" drugs, and the ECG does not show any changes in the rhythm. In addition, when coughing, when the upper body bends to the sides and forward, the discomfort increases sharply.
Such manifestations of the chest form of the disease should be distinguished from other pathologies with similar symptoms. A neurologist does this by performing an EKG, x-ray, CT of the spine, and MRI. In especially difficult cases, a thoracic surgeon is involved in the diagnosis.
Dorsalgia
Dorsalgia is called back pain. The peculiarity of this syndrome is the duration of its course and the lack of expression of the clinical picture, and the main symptoms do not extend beyond the chest.
The disease develops gradually, tormenting the patient with unpleasant sensations in the region of the shoulder blade at night. In the morning, discomfort passes by itself after short movements.
The pain is deep and often intensifies with breathing, bending and turning. With dorsalgia, spasms of the back muscles and deterioration of the mobility of the cervicothoracic or lumbar-thoracic segments are observed.
Factors determining the onset of the disease
The thoracic form of osteochondrosis never appears by itself. It is preceded by mutually reinforcing disadvantages that may exist separately or simultaneously.
Precipitating factors:
- limited diet, micronutrient deficiency;
- passive lifestyle;
- professional sports;
- back injuries;
- congenital anomalies of the structure of bone structures;
- obesity;
- infectious and inflammatory pathologies that can disrupt the diffuse nutrition of the vertebra (ankylosing spondylitis, spinal tuberculosis);
- straight legs.
When an elderly person is diagnosed with osteochondrosis, doctors talk about the inevitable aging of the body. However, if the disease develops in young patients, especially teenagers, it indicates a wrong lifestyle and adherence to bad habits.
The chest form of the disease develops most often in office workers, students and schoolchildren who spend a lot of time sitting with a bent back. The thoracic type of osteochondrosis is dangerous for the heart muscle.
Factors determining the onset of the disease in women are pregnancy, wearing high-heeled shoes, and weakness of the back muscles. The symptoms of pathology significantly increase during menopause - due to the decrease in estrogen production. If hormone replacement therapy is started at this time, the damage to the spine can be stopped for many years.
Basic treatment methods
Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease that causes deformation of the intervertebral discs and disruption of the biomechanics of the skeleton as a whole. It is impossible to treat it, because many neurological and vertebral disorders develop simultaneously with the destruction. Therefore, therapy for osteochondrosis is symptomatic.
The treatment regimen for spinal dystrophy includes several types of medication.
What drugs are used to fight pathology? First of all, these are NSAIDs in tablets and injections.
Ointments and creams for osteochondrosis of the hip joint are ineffective, because the fibrous disc is hidden behind the thickness of the muscles, and it is impossible for the medicinal composition to penetrate so deeply.
If NSAIDs are contraindicated or do not give the desired effect, glucocorticosteroids, including paravertebral blocks, are used. Analgesics, magnetic therapy and ultraphonophoresis with UHF are prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation. Muscle spasms are relieved with muscle relaxants.
Non-drug treatment
The most effective method of combating thoracic osteochondrosis is massage. It helps to relax tense muscles, relieve discomfort in the back and partially restore the biomechanics of the spine. You can carry out the procedure yourself by buying a suitable massager for your home.
Traction (stretching) of the spine helps reduce the load on the damaged discs. With this procedure, it is possible to remove compressed nerve roots and significantly improve the patient's condition. After the first session, it is noticeable that the patient feels relief.
At home, it is recommended to stretch the spine using specially selected exercises. Of course, traction works faster during osteochondrosis, but exercise therapy has a number of advantages: it relaxes and strengthens the back muscles, reduces the load on the discs, improves the general well-being of the patient and raises the mood.
There are many interesting and effective complexes designed for the thoracic spine. Very good exercises that do not require sports training and are accessible to everyone. It is recommended to start training with the simplest movements, gradually increasing the complexity of the exercises.
Recently, the main complex, which includes universal movements that restore the functionality of all body systems, has gained great popularity. Gymnastics is well complemented by swimming and hydromassage in the pool.
Measures for exacerbation of osteochondrosis
Thoracic osteochondrosis occurs as a chronic pathology, and the frequency of relapses directly depends on the degree of disc damage and the patient's lifestyle.
During an exacerbation in which nerve fibers are compressed, the patient needs complete rest and treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs. It is also recommended to take analgesics, vitamin and mineral complexes with a high amount of calcium and B vitamins.
Folk remedies for relapses of osteochondrosis are very effective. Non-traditional treatment includes various ointments and rubs based on camphor alcohol, fir, juniper and thuja essential oils.
Infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants will help to cope with relapse. Compresses made from fresh burdock and cabbage leaves, decoction of linden flowers, lotions with birch buds or celery root give good anti-inflammatory results.
For acute back pain, traditional healers recommend putting mustard plasters on the affected vertebral area. It is difficult to say how effective and safe this method is, but for many it really helps to get rid of painful symptoms.
There are many good reviews about this method of dealing with flare-ups like acupuncture. The procedure performed by a highly qualified specialist perfectly relieves pain, calms and relaxes, stimulates the body's defenses. It helps both in the initial stage of the disease and in severely developed forms.
Results of osteochondrosis GOP
If degenerative changes in the spine are not treated in time, they progress rapidly and cause serious disorders in the body. The most common complications of osteochondrosis are:
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases of the lungs and bronchi;
- pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- deterioration of blood circulation in the extremities.
The development of protrusions and tears of intervertebral discs causes compression of nerve fibers, arteries and spinal cord.
As a result of the deterioration of blood circulation, the patient may develop paralysis of the limbs and the functionality of the brain may deteriorate. The appearance of frequent neurological disorders: Brown-Séquard and Personage-Turner syndromes, Adamkiewicz reaction, infarction of the anterior spinal artery.
Complications of GOP osteochondrosis include VSD (complex of vegetative-vascular disorders).
Why is this type of osteochondrosis dangerous?
The main danger of thoracic spinal dystrophy is misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. When the patient takes pills for the heart or stomach, the destruction of the discs progresses more and more, causing protrusions and hernias.
The danger of the disease is also great in terms of the possible development of heart pathologies - advanced osteochondrosis of the heart often causes arrhythmia, cardiovascular failure and myocardial infarction.
During an acute attack of Dorsago, breathing problems may occur. Long-term airflow limitation causes devastating bronchitis, asthma and lung diseases. The resulting hernias cause deterioration of the functioning of the stomach, pancreas, kidneys and liver.
Women suffering from thoracic osteochondrosis face a disorder of the reproductive system - they cannot give birth to children for years without suspecting that the cause of infertility is spinal dystrophy. Men also suffer from chest disease - potency deteriorates, muscle tone decreases, strength in the arms is lost, and a possible deferment from conscription is possible.
Preventive measures
Spinal problems are not difficult to prevent. The main thing is to accustom yourself to daily physical activity. A little exercise early in the morning and a few active breaks during the workday will pay off big.
Swimming is good, if you are overweight, be sure to lose weight, but without overzealousness. The diet should be balanced and have enough calories. In addition, you can take chondroprotectors.
To prevent spinal diseases, it is recommended to find a qualified massage therapist, practice yoga or stretching.
The result
Even with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, you can live fully, forgetting about the disease for many years. The main thing is not to forget about regular physical activity. As soon as the activity is reduced, the body begins to age quickly and acquire all kinds of diseases, including spinal dystrophy. Knowing this, it is not difficult to prevent pathology or slow down the destruction that has already begun.