Clinically, thoracic osteochondrosis (chondrosis) is manifested by acute pain, piercing or dull, painful, cracking and clicking during flexion, stiffness.
For pathology, specific characteristic and numerous symptoms are a feeling of shortness of breath during inhalation, discomfort in the cardiac region and even sore throat.
Treatment of pathology is mainly conservative with pharmacological drugs. Physiotherapy procedures, massage sessions and chiropractors are also performed.
If such treatment is ineffective, the patient is indicated for surgical intervention.
Details of symptoms
The symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis never appear immediately. In the initial stage of development of this degenerative-dystrophic pathology, only mild discomfort in the spine is observed. Patients take them for banal fatigue after a hard day's work, rubbing the "numb" muscles due to a long stay in one body position.
But the intensity of the concern is growing slowly, steadily. Unpleasant sensations are replaced by severe pain, complicated by limited range of motion, dizziness, and headache. In medicine, all the symptoms of osteochondrosis of a certain localization are divided into several groups. This helps to diagnose it faster and determine treatment tactics.
On a note!The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men and women do not differ in character, severity or localization. But in the stronger sex, they may be born a little later because of the stronger musculoskeletal system. Also, some men have erectile dysfunction against the background of osteochondrosis.
Vertebral symptoms
Under the influence of adverse factors (hypothermia, increased physical activity), a long-term remission of chest osteochondrosis can be interrupted by a sudden onset of acute pain. Even more often, it is provoked by a long posture in one body position, for example, in a sitting position. If a person gets up suddenly, then there is such a sharp pain in the back that he loses the ability to move for a few minutes.
In medicine, this condition is called dorsago. It differs from the usual pain in the accompanying symptoms:
- feeling of shortness of breath during inhalation;
- severe hardening.
The course of pathology is often complicated by dorsalgia - pain in the thoracic spine, the intensity of which gradually increases. It rises with bending, turning the body to the sides. In order not to experience pain, a person takes a forced position. At the same time, he inadvertently strains his back muscles, inadvertently provoking their overload. Now they also start to get hurt, especially when walking.
Extravertebral symptoms
As thoracic osteochondrosis develops, the intervertebral discs become thinner and destroyed. These cartilaginous pads can no longer distribute the loads that come out, excluding the impact of the vertebrae against each other. A compensatory response of the body is triggered - the bone structures begin to deform with the formation of growths. They press on sensitive nerve endings, damaging the spinal canal. Therefore, there are specific symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women and men: loss of sensitivity of certain parts of the body, a burning sensation and creeping "goose bumps".
Important! Osteochondrosis of the thoracic localization is often manifested by a dry, unproductive cough, sore throat, a feeling of coma in it, as well as urinary disorders.
But that is not all. The spinal roots are responsible not only for the innervation (transmission of nerve impulses) of the spine, but also for the internal organs. Therefore, when they are affected, there are unpleasant sensations from the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, myocardium. What are the non-characteristic signs of spinal pathologies manifested by thoracic osteochondrosis:
- pain in the heart region, identical to recurrence of angina pectoris, shortness of breath, a feeling of "compression" of the heart;
- panic attacks, psychoemotional instability, unreasonable fear, anxiety, sleep disorders;
- discomfort in the epigastric region, mixed periods, sometimes leading to vomiting, dryness, swelling, redness and rumble in it;
- peristaltic disorders - constipation or diarrhea;
- delayed breathing, struggling with crying.
The pain is not localized directly to the site of the destroyed intervertebral disc and (or) the intervertebral hernia formed. They radiate along the nerve flow. Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can be disguised as renal colic, symptoms of gastritis, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis and even gastroenteritis.
Compression myelopathy
This is the name of the extravertebral syndrome, which is rarely seen in clinical practice. It is observed in 3-4 stages of the disease, when, due to loss of stability from the vertebral segment, the pulposus nucleus protrudes beyond the fibrosus ring. An intervertebral hernia is formed, which constantly presses on the spinal cord. At an appointment with a vertebrologist or neurologist, patients complain of frequent generation pain radiating to the groin area. At the same time, there are feelings of weakness, numbness of the lower extremities.
Against the background of spinal cord injury, innervation is seriously disturbed. In the absence of treatment, the functional activity of the organs located in the small pelvis is reduced. Compression myelopathy causes problems with bowel movements. And due to the pronounced narrowing of the spinal canal diameter, the sensitivity of the legs decreases. In severe cases, patients are diagnosed with paresis (partial or complete paralysis) of one or both lower extremities.
Symptoms of forgiveness
Outside of relapses, chest osteochondrosis hardly bothers a person. Occasionally, a tingling, aching back pain appears, which usually disappears after a long rest. But it's worth it to at least slightly increase the load on your back, lift a heavy object, or bend over, as the next return follows. It can be caused by such factors:
- stressful situations, depressive states;
- hypothermia, sudden temperature changes;
- prolonged posture in one body position;
- alcohol abuse;
- unbalanced diet, lack of foods high in calcium, phosphorus, manganese, molybdenum in the diet.
Sometimes the forgiveness phase ends because one person tries to avoid another relapse. He visits a chiropractor or massage therapist with a dubious reputation or little practical experience. An attempt to stretch the spine leads to another deterioration.
The main methods of treatment
It is still not possible to completely cure the pathology, so all the efforts of doctors are aimed at improving the well-being of the patient. Patients are advised to wear orthopedic products (corsets, bandages), which regulate the vertebral structures, prevent their displacement. Drugs of different clinical and pharmacological groups are prescribed, physiotherapeutic measures and physiotherapy exercises are performed.
Chiropractor hand movements are aimed at increasing the gaps between the vertebrae, which are reduced in thoracic osteochondrosis.
Important!With severe osteochondrosis of the chest, conservative treatment is useless. Patients are immediately offered surgical intervention - incision of an intervertebral hernia, arthrodesis, placement of implants in place of a damaged disc, bone grafting.
Drug therapy
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine aims to eliminate all symptoms, inhibit destructive and degenerative processes. During periods of exacerbation, solutions for parenteral administration are used, which show effects after 5-10 minutes. The result is then consolidated by taking a course of tablet preparations, applying oils and gels. In the remission phase, mainly external agents are used, which have a milder effect on the body.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
This is the most widely used group of drugs in the complex treatment of chest osteochondrosis. Their active ingredients block the biosynthesis of pain mediators, inflammation and fever from arachidonic acids. Even after a single use of NSAIDs, a person's well-being improves significantly:
- the severity of the pain syndrome decreases;
- the unpleasant crackling that occurs when the body turns and tilts disappears;
- inflammatory processes in soft tissues weaken, edema resolves;
- the range of motion in the chest region increases.
Intramuscular solutions are used to stop recurrences. Preparations in capsules or tablets can withstand moderate pain. And oils and gels quickly eliminate mild discomfort.
Preparations with B vitamins
Preparations with group B vitamins cope well with innervation disorders. They improve the transmission of nerve impulses in the central and peripheral nervous system, stimulate the restoration of damaged spinal roots. The composition of the funds is represented by thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin.
In the first week of therapy, intramuscular administration of drugs is practiced, which, in addition to vitamins, contain lidocaine, which immediately eliminates the pain. And then, for a month, patients show up taking pills.
Glucocorticosteroids
The use of these synthetic analogues of hormones, which are produced by the adrenal glands, is practiced when the safest means are ineffective. Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to patients with acute back pain, radiating to the internal organs. Medications can be taken orally, but more often they are administered parenterally, including at sites of ruptured discs.
Glucocorticosteroids have a wide range of contraindications and possible side effects. Long-term treatment of thoracic spine chondrosis with hormones leads to damage to the tissues of the liver, kidneys and stomach. So their use is prohibited in patients with cirrhosis, peptic ulcer disease, renal failure and osteoporosis.
Muscle relaxants
Back pain is often attributed to increased skeletal muscle tone. To soothe it, muscle relaxants are used - first in the form of solutions for parenteral administration, and then in tablets. Medications relieve muscle spasm that causes spinal cord compression. Which muscle relaxants are most effective:
- blockage of polysynaptic reflexes;
- spasmodic muscle relaxation;
- reducing the release of prostaglandins.
Medications are rarely used for monotherapy. Treatment of chest chondrosis is performed with muscle relaxants in combination with glucocorticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Their important drawback is the fairly rapid formation of addiction, so it is forbidden to use them for more than a week.
Chondroprotectors
Unlike drugs that eliminate the symptoms of breast osteochondrosis, such drugs are also used for pathogenetic therapy. This is the only group of drugs that can increase the production of chondrocytes, which are needed for the partial restoration of cartilaginous intervertebral discs. All the therapeutic effects of chondroprotectors are due to the high content of glucosamine and / or chondroitin.
But not only for the ability to restore discs, chondroprotectors are valued. Their components shine in the area of the damaged vertebral segment. After 2-3 weeks, the maximum therapeutic concentration of glucosamine and chondroitin is established. Now drugs have begun to show a pronounced analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous effect.
Recommendation!It is advisable to treat osteochondrosis with chondroprotectors in the form of injection solutions or tablets. Despite all the manufacturers ’assurances about the effectiveness of oils and creams, they cannot provide a evidence base for their therapeutic efficacy.
Non-drug treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with pharmacological drugs must necessarily be combined with regular physical education. Exercise therapy is the most effective method of therapy to avoid disability. Thanks to daily exercise, the muscular frame of the back and the ligament-tendon apparatus of the thoracic region are strengthened, the production of synovial fluid that nourishes the vertebral structures is improved. The group of exercises is determined by the doctor of exercise therapy after studying the results of X-ray diagnosis. He is present in the first classes, monitors the dose of loads.
Manual osteochondrosis therapy is also practiced, which aims to increase the gaps between the discs and vertebrae. Pulling (pulling) the backpack or underwater is performed, and at home - hanging on the bar. The effectiveness of manual therapy increases with the simultaneous performance of physiotherapy:
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- ultraviolet radiation;
- diadynamic currents.
Patients are shown 10-15 sessions of classical, vacuum, Scandinavian acupressure. Also useful are hirudotherapy, acupuncture, radon bath treatment and hydrogen sulfide.
Only with the help of an integrated approach to the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is it possible to exclude further disc damage and vertebral deformity. Compliance with the doctor's recommendations helps to get rid of all the symptoms of chronic pathology as soon as possible.