Thoracic osteochondrosis

Clinically, osteochondrosis (rickets) of the chest manifests as sharp, stabbing or dull pain, creaking and stiffness when bending over.

This pathology is characterized by a number of specific symptoms - a feeling of lack of air when inhaling, discomfort in the heart area, and even a sore throat.

Pathological treatment mainly adopts conservative treatment with drugs.Also get physical therapy, massage, and seek help from a chiropractor.

If this treatment is ineffective, the patient will need to undergo surgical intervention.

Detailed information about symptoms

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis never occur at the same time.In the initial stages of the development of this degenerative dystrophic pathology, only mild discomfort in the back is noted.Patients experience it as overexertion after a hard day's work and as "stiff" muscles caused by being in one position for too long.

But the intensity of the discomfort was slowly, steadily increasing.The unpleasant sensation is replaced by severe pain, accompanied by limited range of motion, dizziness and headache.Medically, all symptoms of osteochondrosis of this location are divided into several groups.This allows for faster diagnosis and decisions on treatment strategies.

notes!Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis do not differ in character, severity, or location in men and women.But in representatives of the stronger sex, they may occur later due to a stronger musculoskeletal system.Additionally, some men experience erectile dysfunction due to osteochondrosis.

spinal symptoms

Under the influence of adverse factors (hypothermia, increased physical activity), long-term relief of thoracic osteochondrosis may be interrupted by a sudden onset of acute pain.More commonly, it is triggered by holding one body position (such as sitting) for an extended period of time.If a person stands up suddenly, severe pain can occur in the back, causing him to become incapacitated within minutes.

Medically, this condition is called back pain.What makes it different from regular pain is the accompanying symptoms:

• Feeling like there is not enough air when inhaling;
• Noticeable stiffness.

Pathological processes are often complicated by back pain - pain in the thoracic spine, which gradually increases in intensity.This condition is exacerbated when the body bends or turns sideways.In order not to experience pain, a person will adopt forced postures.At the same time, he involuntarily tensed the muscles in his back, involuntarily triggering their excessive tension.Now they are also starting to hurt, especially when walking.

extravertebral symptoms

As osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses, the intervertebral discs become thinner and destroyed.These cartilage pads can no longer distribute the resulting load and prevent the vertebrae from colliding with each other.The body's compensatory response is triggered - the bone structure begins to deform as growths form.They can put pressure on sensitive nerve endings and invade the spinal canal.Therefore, both women and men experience specific symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest: loss of sensitivity in certain parts of the body, burning sensations and crawling "goosebumps."

Important!Chest-localized osteochondrosis usually presents with a dry cough, sore throat, lumpy sensation, and difficulty urinating.

But that's 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 pinched, the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, and myocardium will experience discomfort.Which symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are atypical for back lesions:

• Pain in the heart area, the same as a recurrence of angina, shortness of breath, and a feeling of "pressure" on the heart;
• Panic attacks, mental and emotional instability, unprovoked fear, anxiety, sleep disorders;
• Upper abdominal discomfort, attacks of nausea, sometimes resulting in vomiting, acidic belching, bloating, boiling, and rumbling;
• Dysmotility - constipation or diarrhea;
• Long, labored breaths accompanied by sobs.

The pain is not directly localized to the area where the disc has been destroyed and/or herniated.They radiate along the nerves.Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis may manifest as symptoms of renal colic, gastritis, gastric ulcer, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis and even gastroenteritis.

compressive myelopathy

This is the name for extravertebral syndrome, which is rarely encountered clinically.It is observed in stages 3-4 of the disease, when the nucleus pulposus protrudes outside the annulus fibrosus due to the loss of stability of the spinal segment.An intervertebral hernia develops, putting continued pressure on the spinal cord.When visiting a chiropractor or neurologist, patients complain of girdle pain that often radiates to the groin area.At the same time, there is also a feeling of weakness and numbness in the lower limbs.

In the context of spinal cord damage, innervation is severely disrupted.Without treatment, the functional activity of the organs located in the pelvis decreases.Compressive myelopathy can cause problems with bowel movements.And because the diameter of the spinal canal is significantly narrowed, the sensitivity of the legs is greatly reduced.In severe cases, patients are diagnosed with paralysis (partial or complete paralysis) of one or both lower limbs.

Symptom relief

Aside from recurrences, thoracic osteochondrosis rarely bothers people.Occasionally, a nagging, aching, dull pain occurs in the back that usually goes away after a long period of rest.But if you increase the load on your spine even slightly, lift something heavy, or bend over, it will come back again.It can also be triggered by:

• Stressful situations, depressive states;
• Hypothermia, sudden changes in temperature;
• Maintaining one body position for an extended period of time;
• alcoholism;
• The diet is unbalanced and lacks foods high in calcium, phosphorus, manganese and molybdenum.

Sometimes the remission phase ends as a person tries to avoid relapse.He visits a chiropractor or massage therapist of questionable reputation or lack of practical experience.Attempting to stretch the spine can cause the condition to worsen again.

Basic treatment methods

There is currently no complete cure for the condition, so all efforts by doctors are aimed at improving the patient's health.Patients are advised to wear orthopedic products (corsets, bandages) to immobilize the vertebral structures and prevent them from shifting.Prescribes medications from various clinical and pharmacological groups, performs physiotherapy measures and exercise therapy.

The movements of the chiropractor's hands are designed to increase the space between the vertebrae, which decreases with the development of osteochondrosis of the chest.

Important!For more severe thoracic osteochondrosis, conservative treatment is ineffective.The patient immediately undergoes surgical intervention - herniectomy, arthrodesis, installation of an implant on the damaged disc, bone grafting.

drug treatment

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is aimed at eliminating all symptoms and inhibiting destructive and degenerative processes.During exacerbations of the condition, parenteral solutions are used, which show effects after 5-10 minutes.Results are then ensured through a course of tablets, ointments and gels.During the remission period, external medications are mainly used, which have a relatively mild effect on the body.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

This is the most commonly used group of drugs in the comprehensive treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.Their active ingredient blocks arachidonic acid biosynthesis of pain, inflammation and fever mediators.After even one use of NSAIDs, a person's health can improve significantly:

• Reduction in pain severity;
• The unpleasant crunching sounds when turning and bending are gone;
• The inflammatory process in soft tissues weakens and swelling subsides;
• Increased range of motion in the chest area.

To prevent recurrence, intramuscular injection of the solution is used.Capsule or tablet medications can relieve moderate pain.Ointments and gels can quickly relieve minor discomfort.

Preparations containing B vitamins

Medications containing B vitamins work well in treating innervation disorders.They improve the transmission of nerve impulses to the central and peripheral nervous systems and stimulate the recovery of damaged spinal cord roots.Product ingredients include thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin.

During the first week of treatment, intramuscular injections of the drug are given, which, in addition to vitamins, also contain lidocaine, which immediately eliminates pain.The patient is then advised to take the medication for a month.

Glucocorticoids

Synthetic analogs of these hormones produced by the adrenal glands are used when safer methods are ineffective.Corticosteroids are used to treat patients with acute stabbing pain in the back that radiates to internal organs.These drugs can also be taken orally, but are more commonly administered parenterally, including injection into the site of damage to the spinal disc.

Glucocorticoids are characterized by a wide range of contraindications and potential side effects.Long-term steroid treatment of thoracic rickets can lead to damage to liver, kidney, and stomach tissue.Therefore, it is contraindicated in patients with liver cirrhosis, peptic ulcer, renal failure, and osteoporosis.

muscle relaxants

Back pain can often be explained by increased skeletal muscle tone.To relax it, muscle relaxants are used - first in the form of parenteral solutions, then in the form of tablets.These medications relieve muscle spasms that cause compression of the spinal cord roots.Which muscle relaxants are most effective:

• Block polysynaptic reflexes;
• Relax spasmodic muscles;
• Reduces the release of prostaglandins.

These drugs are rarely used as monotherapy.Treatment of thoracic vertebral chondrosis is performed with muscle relaxants combined with corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Their significant disadvantage is that they become addictive very quickly, so it is forbidden to use them for more than a week.

chondroprotectant

Unlike medications that eliminate the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, these medications are also used to treat the cause.This is the only group of drugs that can strengthen some of the cartilage cells needed to restore cartilage in the disc.All of the therapeutic effects of chondroprotectants are attributed to high levels of glucosamine and/or chondroitin.

But the value of chondroprotectants goes beyond their ability to repair discs.Their components glow in parts of the damaged spine.After 2-3 weeks, glucosamine and chondroitin reach maximum therapeutic concentrations.These drugs are now beginning to exhibit significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-edematous activity.

recommend!Chondroprotective agents in the form of injections or tablets are recommended for the treatment of osteochondrosis.Although all manufacturers guarantee the effectiveness of ointments and creams, they cannot provide evidence of their therapeutic effectiveness.

non-pharmacological treatment

Medication for thoracic osteochondrosis must be combined with regular physical exercise.Exercise therapy is the most effective treatment for avoiding disability.Through daily training, the muscular framework of the back and the ligament-tendon apparatus of the chest area are strengthened, and the production of synovial fluid that nourishes the spinal structures is improved.This set of exercises was determined by a physical therapy doctor after studying diagnostic X-ray results.He attended the first class and monitored the dosage of the load.

Manual treatments for osteochondrosis are also performed, aiming to increase the space between the discs and vertebrae.Perform dry or underwater traction (stretching) of the spine and hang from a pole at home.The effectiveness of manual therapy increases with concurrent physical surgery:

• electrophoresis;
• laser treatment;
• magnet therapy;
• UV irradiation;
• Resistance to power flow.

Patients receive 10-15 sessions of classic massage, vacuum massage, Scandinavian massage, acupressure.Leech therapy, acupuncture, and health resort treatments using radon gas and hydrogen sulfide baths are also helpful.

Only with the help of a comprehensive approach to the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is it possible to eliminate further damage to the intervertebral discs and deformation of the vertebrae.Following the advice of your doctor helps to get rid of all symptoms of chronic pathologies as quickly as possible.