Osteochondrosis is a dystrophic alteration of the spine, where the structure of the intervertebral disc is altered, with subsequent deformation, stratification and violation of limits and height.
Previously, medical experts believed that osteochondrosis exclusively affects areas of the spine, now that opinion has changed. Osteochondrosis can be called a systemic disease, since the spine is not only a support for the motor system, but also affects all the organs of the human body.
Thoracic spine osteochondrosis is a pathological change characterized by a degenerative-dystrophic process in the intervertebral disc of the thoracic spine.
Signs and Causes
The main cause of breast osteochondrosis is the violation of the body's metabolic process, associated with the deterioration of the blood supply.
Therefore, the main signs of the development of osteochondrosis:
- Hard physical work.
- Nervous tension and stress.
- Spinal curvature.
- Obesity.
- Intense physical training, poor exercise performance.
- Bad ecology.
- Smoking.
- Back injury.
- Inadequate nutrition.
- Sedentary lifestyle of a person (sedentary lifestyle).
- Constant vibration effect on the spine (prolonged driving).
- Hypothermia.
- Age-related changes and so on.
Symptoms
It is noteworthy that the cause of the formation of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region is scoliosis, whose prerequisites are formed in school. The chest is a sedentary area and therefore the symptoms show noticeable differences in relation to other types of osteochondrosis. In most cases, the main difference between osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is the absence of acute pain syndrome, but dull or painful pain is present.
The main symptoms are as follows:
- Chest pain. Significantly worse during breathing or movement. In most cases, the pain of osteochondrosis in the chest region is herpes in nature;
- Numbness symptoms. There is a feeling that goose bumps are creeping up in your chest;
- Stomach, liver and heart pains. Osteochondrosis of the breast is disguised as other diseases, indicating symptoms of gastritis, heart attack, angina pectoris, peptic ulcer, and so on;
- Sexual dysfunction;
- Pain in the shoulder blade region (there is lumbago at the level of the intercostal nerves, this condition is called intercostal neuralgia);
- Decreased thoracic spine maneuverability (symptoms are characteristic of Forestier, Bekhterev, Scheerman-Mao disease, and scoliotic deformity, using radiography to determine the true cause).
In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis has two vertebral syndromes - back and back.
Dorsago has a characteristic severe chest pain. It is usually found in people who spend a long time in an inclined position (eg welders), then straighten up sharply. Dorsago's pain syndrome is strong enough, even while breathing. Muscle tone is tight, which limits movement in certain parts of the spine.
Back pain manifests itself gradually and imperceptibly, lasting up to three weeks. There is no syndrome of pronounced pain in the affected area of the spine and discomfort. Pain increases with deep breathing, bending forward or sideways. Muscles are tense.
Movement is limited in the upper back (cervicothoracic region) or lower back (lumbar-thoracic region). The pain intensifies at night, during the waking period, the pain syndrome goes away on its own with a short walk. With deep breathing or prolonged body position in one position, the pain intensifies again.
Diagnosis
A feature of osteochondrosis in the thoracic spine is its incredible ability to be confused with the symptoms of another disease. No wonder that medical experts call this malaise "disease - a chameleon".
Osteochondrosis is disguised as a painful syndrome of cardiovascular disease, angina pectoris, heart attack, appendicitis and cholecystitis, gastrointestinal diseases, namely gastritis, peptic ulcer, renal or hepatic colic. Experienced specialists perform comprehensive diagnoses to find the differences between breast osteochondrosis and similar diseases. In this regard, it is recommended to undergo not only X-ray examination, but also MRI, gastroduodenoscopy, ultrasound and so on. In the future, the method of treatment takes concomitant illnesses into account.
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on radiography, where an increase in the vertebral body or decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs is clearly visible.
treatment methods
Thoracic spine treatment for spinal osteochondrosis mainly depends on the stage of the pathological process and is limited to conservative treatment. The surgeon's operational actions are used extremely rarely, usually with complications, ie, a spinal hernia.
During the period of exacerbation, treatment is aimed at pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, as are pain relievers. To increase movement of the thoracic spine and relax muscle tone, muscle relaxants are prescribed. To improve blood flow in the spine - vasodilators. Medication is combined with massage and physiotherapy.
In the relapse phase, treatment is aimed at stretching the muscular system in the thoracic region of the spine. The most effective is the kinesiotherapy method.
During the period of remission, treatment is aimed at improving the maneuverability of the spinal intervertebral discs, strengthening the spinal muscles, and restoring spinal posture.
In addition, there are the following methods:
- Laser therapy;
- Acupuncture treatment;
- Pharmacopuncture treatment;
- Magnetopuncture treatment;
- Vacuum therapy treatment.
Treatment with popular methods
- Raw potatoes predominate as an excellent pain reliever. For the treatment of recurrence of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, a compress is prepared, rubbed on a grater (1: 1), mixed with honey. The resulting putty is applied to the affected area, where it stays for about two hours.
- Osteochondrosis symptoms of the affected spine in the acute phase effectively alleviates a mixture of internal and external use. Prepared with honey in half a glass, 50 gr. vodka, two tablespoons of salt and ¼ cup of radish. The resulting mass is used by rubbing the affected area twice a day or internally before meals twice a day.
- Osteochondrosis is treated with tea. The infusion is prepared with crushed fruit and strawberry leaves, one spoon at a time. This mixture is poured for ten minutes.
- Symptoms of rheumatism, gout and osteochondrosis of the thoracic region are treated well with an ointment consisting of lard (one tablespoon) and hop cone powder (one tablespoon).
complications
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine has the following complications:
- Intervertebral hernia of the thoracic spine;
- Disc protrusion;
- Radiculopathy (sciatica);
- Sciatica;
- Schmorl's hernia;
- Lumbago;
- Spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis;
- VSD;
- Osteophytosis, spondylosis;
- Stenosis in the spinal canal of the spine.