Osteochondrosis - dystrophic and degenerative changes in cartilage and bone tissue. Osteochondrosis of the spine can occur in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine. The progression of the disease leads to the destruction of ligaments, joint structure, intervertebral discs.
Osteochondrosis of the spine in the thoracic region is not common. This is due to the peculiarities of its structure. Its mobility is less than that of the cervical and lumbar regions. Part of the load is borne by the ribs and the breastbone. The danger of pathology in the difficulty of its diagnosis. The symptomatology is similar to other diseases, it is detected quite late, which complicates the treatment process.
The causes of the disease
The development of thoracic osteochondrosis is associated with metabolic disorders and an increased load on the intervertebral discs. Inside the intervertebral disc is the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by the annulus fibrosus. If damaged, drying out and loss of the damping qualities of the core occurs. As a result of degenerative processes, inflammation and clamping of nerve fibers in the spinal cord occurs.
The causes of osteochondrosis can be:
- heredity;
- intervertebral hernia;
- the presence of osteophytes;
- poor blood supply to the spinal cord due to vascular clamping;
- violation of mineral metabolism (in particular, calcium deficiency);
- curvature of the spine, which creates an uneven load on the discs;
- trauma to the thoracic region due to a fall, bruising, impact;
- strength sports, regular weight lifting;
- passive lifestyle.
Symptoms and sensations with thoracic osteochondrosis
Several factors affect the clinical picture of the pathology:
- the level of damage to the spine;
- the age of the patient;
- stage of the pathological process (exacerbation or remission).
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the breast are characterized by variety and non-specificity, so the disease is often confused with other pathologies.
The main signs of breast osteochondrosis:
- Dorsago - a sharp and sudden pain in the chest and back ("thoracic lumbago"), the patient feels short of breath.
- Back pain is a minor pain in the affected vertebrae that develops gradually over several weeks. Pain may increase with deep breathing, lateral and forward bending, and prolonged stay in a static position.
The sensation of severe girdle pain and breathing problems are associated with intercostal neuralgia, in which the nerve roots are squeezed. The pain intensity usually increases in the afternoon and decreases after a night's sleep.
Some of the neurological symptoms include:
- violation of the sensitivity of the limbs;
- numbness of the heart muscle;
- pulmonary syndrome;
- tingling, burning, numbness of the skin;
- muscle contractions and muscle spasms;
- a sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the pharynx when the osteochondrosis is localized in the upper thoracic segment.
Intercostal neuralgia is a concomitant symptom of degenerative-inflammatory pathologies of the spine (osteochondrosis, displacement of the vertebrae, scoliosis). But its appearance resembles the signs of various diseases of the peritoneal organs and the thoracic region.
To note!Often the pain occurs in the upper areas of the chest region, gradually covering it completely, as well as in the area of the shoulder blades (reminiscent of angina pectoris). Pain in the right hypochondrium occurs with osteochondrosis of the middle thoracic region. They can be diagnosed as pancreatitis or cholecystitis. Pain in the gastrointestinal tract occurs with lesions in the lower segment of the thoracic region of the spine, mimicking intestinal disease.
Stages of disease development
The degree of development of the disease is associated with pathological disorders of the spine, characterized by certain clinical symptoms.
There are 4 periods of disease development:
- 1st degree- the appearance of cracks inside the fibrous ring, after which the fluid from the nucleus pulposus enters it. A pain syndrome appears, localized only in the affected area. There may be pain in the region of the heart muscle, muscle cramps.
- 2nd degree- abnormal mobility appears between the vertebrae, subluxations are noticeable in the thoracic region. With prolonged static posture or during movement, discomfort and increased pain are felt.
- 3rd year- rupture of the annulus fibrosus, exceeding the nucleus pulposus. The formation of intervertebral hernias occurs. This causes severe belt pain, reduced mobility, and other symptoms.
- 4 degrees- pathological processes extend beyond the spine. In degenerative-dystrophic changes, paravertebral ligaments are involved, fibrosis develops.
Diagnostic
The x-ray is very informative. The presence of pathology is indicated by:
- uneven disc edges;
- broadening and refining of uncine processes;
- decrease in the height of the discs, deformation of their shape;
- the presence of osteophytes.
Sometimes an X-ray contrast study is done. The contrast agent fills the destroyed disc, which allows to determine the degree of neglect of the pathological process. MRI and CT scans are not considered less informative.
Effective treatments
How to treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic region? The therapeutic approach must be comprehensive. It is necessary to take into account the stage of development of the disease, the degree of destructive processes, the general condition of the patient.
Drug therapy
In the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, several groups of drugs are used.
- NSAIDs and muscle relaxants;
- Glucocorticoids. Their therapeutic effect is more pronounced than that of NSAIDs, but the risk of side effects is higher.
- Chondroprotectors. Chondroprotective agents are believed to aid in the regulation of damaged cartilage tissue. But their effectiveness has not been conclusively confirmed.
- Diuretics are used for a short time to relieve swelling of strangled nerve fibers during exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
Folk remedies and recipes
It is used more often during the period of remission of the disease and only as an additional method of treatment.
Treatment of osteochondrosis at home using traditional medicine:
- Pour 30-40 g of chopped celeriac with 1 liter of boiling water. Insist 8 hours. Drink 1 dessert spoon three times a day.
- Steam 150 g of pork fat. Add 2 tablespoons of wax to it. Warm up for 15 minutes. Add 1 spoonful of ammonia. Rub the problem areas twice a day. Store in a cool place.
Massage and exercise therapy
One of the most effective therapeutic measures for osteochondrosis is massage. It helps to eliminate muscle spasms, improve blood supply to the problem area and normalize the functional state of the spine. With an exacerbation of the disease, vibration massage is recommended. After the disappearance of clinical manifestations, you can take a classical massage course.
Massage is not recommended for grade 3 thoracic osteochondrosis, when there is an intervertebral hernia. This can make the patient's condition worse.
The purpose of physiotherapy and gymnastics for osteochondrosis is to improve the mobility of the intervertebral joints, to strengthen the muscle body. Exercise therapy allows you to relieve muscle spasms, eliminate stiffness in the spine. Classes should be carried out daily under the supervision of an experienced instructor. Their plan is made individually for each patient.
Power characteristics
The main principles of good nutrition in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis:
- a large amount of protein in the diet;
- exclusion of fatty and fried;
- food should be boiled or baked.
Salt should be excluded from the diet or it should be significantly limited. Avoid carbonated and caffeinated drinks. It is better to replace them with herbal teas, natural juices. To improve the synthesis of cartilage tissue, it is useful to introduce into the diet jellies, jellies, jellies containing chondroitin. To get enough calcium for bone health, you need to eat dairy products. Compliance with good nutrition prevents the progression of the pathological process.
Preventative measures
To prevent the development and exacerbation of destructive processes in the thoracic spine, it is recommended to take preventive measures as early as possible and monitor them regularly.
Recommendations:
- do special back exercises every day;
- abandon dependencies;
- eat well and balanced;
- normalize the weight;
- with sedentary work 10 minutes every hour, you need to do a warm-up;
- swimming, water aerobics;
Thoracic osteochondrosis is not very common compared to cervical and lumbar. But it is nonetheless dangerous in its consequences for the organism. It is quite difficult to detect it at an early stage due to the similarity of symptoms to other pathologies. Therefore, it is important to constantly monitor the health of the spine, to take all measures to avoid pathological destruction.