Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is much less common than that of the cervix or lumbar spine. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are much more closely related to each other, and movement in the joints is minimal. In addition, this part of the spine has muscular protection and is more firmly fixed by the ribs.
However, osteochondrosis of the chest region is one such disease, the treatment of which should not be delayed until later, as this can lead to quite undesirable consequences.
Causes of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
The main reason is dystrophic-degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Legacy
- Eating and metabolic disorders
- Overweight
- Increased physical activity
- Physical inactivity, prolonged stay in one position
- Spinal cord injury
- Nervous strain
- Advanced age
- smoking
- Hypothermia
All of these factors affect the nutrition of the intervertebral discs, which leads to metabolic disorders and the onset of degenerative transformations in them.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest region
A similar pathology feels itself from painful sensations.
They are of two types:
- Dorsago or lumbago of the chest. This is a sudden, sharp, and sharp pain that appears in the spine when you try to stand up after being in the same position for a long time, usually long work at a table in an inclined body position. The pain is also felt during breathing, the muscles are in a tense state, the movements in the thoracic and adjacent spine are limited.
- Dorsalgia (back pain). In this case, the pain is not so pronounced, at rest it causes only slight discomfort. But when you try to bend over or take a deep breath, it gets stronger. In this condition, the mobility of the spine is reduced, the back muscles are tense.
- With the loss of the first root, a decrease in sensitivity occurs and the pain appears in the upper thoracic vertebra, spreading to the suprascapular region up to the elbow joint.
- If there is a compression of 2-6 roots, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and spreads from the spine to the intercapsular and axillary regions.
- The 7th and 8th compression of the root leads to tension in the muscles of this area and the appearance of painful sensations of a girdle nature from the coastal-vertebral joints in the epigastric region.
- Loss of roots 9 and 10 causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, spreading to the navel, 11 and 12 - below the navel.
Signs of thoracic spine osteochondrosis can be manifested by pain between the ribs. This is due to compression of the nerve roots, which results in decreased sensitivity and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
Radicular syndromes are often accompanied by complaints about internal organs:
- Loss of the upper chest roots may be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, there is a feeling of the appearance of a foreign body there. These symptoms may appear periodically or be constant and when you press on the area of the spine affected by osteochondrosis, it becomes stronger.
- If the middle roots of the chest are affected, discomfort and a sensation of pain appear in the stomach, which is exacerbated by prolonged lying on a hard surface facing upwards and moving to the corresponding part of the spine.
- If the pathological changes have occurred below, there are disturbances in the duodenum, which intensifies during coughing or sneezing, bust turning, or prolonged sitting.
Osteochondrosis of the chest region can cause stomach upset. In this case, there is:
- nausea
- heartburn
- diarrhea
- Constipation
- pain in the left hypochondrium
- bounce
- Possible vomiting
In connection with the disruption of the normal functioning of the duodenum, the following may occur:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back
- Belching
- nausea
- Importance in proper hypochondrium
- Sometimes bloating and vomiting
Very often, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can cause the onset of symptoms characteristic of heart disease:
- Burning of the chest on the left
- Cutting, burning, oppressive heart pain
- Feeling of tightness in the throat
Osteochondrosis can cause laryngeal spasm (laryngospasm), during attacks of which breathing becomes difficult and wheezing occurs, coughing may occur. In this case, it is very important to determine if such symptoms are not a lung pathology.
Treatment of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
Due to the fact that a variety of pathologies can be masked under this disease, you should be examined by a neurologist, who, after the examination, will give instructions for the following studies:
- X-Ray
- CT (computed tomography)
- MRI
As a rule, this is enough to identify the pathology and make a diagnosis.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, the main goals are:
- Relieve pain
- Restore spinal root functions
- Slow down the dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs
For this, the following procedures are quite effective:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Whirlpool baths
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- Massage
- Withdrawal
- Magneto and pharmacopuncture
- Exercise therapy
Drug therapy for osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs
- Chondroprotectors
- ointment
- Muscle relaxants, the action of which is aimed at relieving muscle spasms
If the listed methods did not lead to a positive result, treatment of thoracic spine osteochondrosis is performed surgically.
The operation consists of two phases:
- Removal of the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy - the removal of an intervertebral disc or only part of it.
- Foraminotomy - widening of the root canal to prevent compression of the nerve by a disc or bone stimulation.
- Facetectomy - removal of aspect joints located between the vertebral processes of the joints to eliminate blockage of nerve fibers.
- Laminectomy - removes the back of the vertebrae, which compresses the spinal cord during deformity.
- Laminotomy - the difference from the previous surgery is the removal of a fragment of the back of the vertebra.
- Correctomy - removal of a vertebra and discs adjacent to the insertion of a bone implant.
- Stabilization of the spine. When a vertebra or disc is removed, the supporting structure of the human body is disturbed, which can lead to the onset of serious neurological diseases. To avoid negative consequences, the vertebrae need to be adjusted. The most commonly used method is vertebral fusion (spinal fusion), in which conditions are created for the fusion of the spine bones. The resulting gaps are filled with grafts from the bone of the patient or donor, as well as special biological substances that stimulate the restoration of bone tissue.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with alternative methods
In this case, it should be about pain relief, which can only be used in conjunction with full treatment. For this, various drugs are used that have anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative properties.
To consolidate the positive outcome of treatment, it is necessary to eat properly, try to avoid stressful situations and reasonable physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis will bother you much less often.