Heralds of the disease: symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

Thoracic osteochondrosisis a degenerative-dystrophic disease of the middle parts of the spine.It occurs much less often than lumbar and even cervical osteochondrosis and accounts for about 10% of all cases of the disease.Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are associated with several characteristics of the spine in the thoracic region: rigid fixation of the vertebrae due to the ribs and skeletal muscles and less mobility, semicircular curve of the ridge in this region and appropriate distribution of the load.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis begin with a violation of tissue trophism and dehydration of the intervertebral discs.The lack of nutrients and fluid leads to the fact that the cartilage loses its elasticity, begins to crack and "sag".This condition is filled with compression of nerve roots, deterioration of sensitivity and functioning of internal organs, as well as severe pain.Often the destruction of the vertebrae in the thoracic region is accompanied by the appearanceosteophytes- bone growths that damage paravertebral tissues and lead to chronic inflammation.

Contrary to popular belief, thoracic osteochondrosis is not a natural age-related process and requires special treatment.The onset of the disease can occur at any ageof 25 years;about 70% of the total number of patients are women aged 35 to 55.Since the disease begins long before retirement age,it can lead to limitations and even loss of working ability.

Unlike other types of osteochondrosis, thoracic osteochondrosis may not manifest itself for a long time - or disguise itself as other pathologies, which is why it is called a chameleon disease.It is also the most difficult to treat.Therefore, it is very importantMonitor your symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in time- and today we will tell you which ones.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

A feeling of pain in the sternum in thoracic osteochondrosis is a symptom,patients mistake it for heart pain.Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are characterized by intensification at night.They manifest themselves especially clearly when you try to straighten your back or, on the contrary, bend over, bend your back into a dome.

The severity of symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depends on the stage of osteochondrosis.At the same time, negative sensations with symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis can manifest themselves weakly (osteophytes often grow on the surfaces of the vertebrae, where there are practically no nerve endings, and the muscle corset compensates for the load for some time).

In addition to pain in the sternum and between the shoulder blades, patients often complain of the following radicular and reflex symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis:

• feeling of coldness, burning and stinging in the chest, at the base of the neck, in the stomach;
• muscle tension (difficulty relaxing the back);
• a feeling of pain in the sternum (a symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis, which occurs among the first);
• rapid heartbeat, feeling of pulsation in the chest;
• a stabbing sensation in the chest, which is often accompanied by causeless anxiety or increases with stress;
• numbness of soft tissues (skin and muscles) near the spine, in the shoulders, especially noticeable when pressing or in contact with hot and cold surfaces;
• in case of thoracic osteochondrosis it is difficult to breathe;
• feeling cold in the hands and feet, pale or bluish skin on the hands;
• weakness, inhibition of reflex reactions in the affected area;
• disorders in the work of digestive organs, colic, stool disorders;
• the appearance of skin areas with obvious nutritional disorders (flaking, pallor, thinning or, conversely, thickening of the skin);
• feeling of a lump in the chest, discomfort when swallowing large pieces of food;
• characteristic cough with thoracic osteochondrosis;
• digestive symptoms (dyspepsia, loss of appetite, nausea, heartburn, flatulence);
• increased fatigue, feeling very tired in the morning ("broken" state);
• change in gait (usually stooping, unsteadiness);
• intercostal neuralgia.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis can feel like a stomach or intestinal ulcer, angina pectoris, gastritis or a heart attack.It is sometimes mistaken for renal or cardiac colic, cholecystitis or pancreatitis.Indeed: advanced thoracic osteochondrosis can cause disturbances in the work of the gallbladder (for example, the formation of sediment) and intestines, and dysfunction of the heart vessels.

The specificity of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the location of the problem:

• 1.-2.thoracic vertebra- the pain spreads to the collarbone, armpit, and can also reach the shoulders;
• 3-6.vertebrae- patients suffer from girdling pains above the chest, which are similar to pains in the heart or mammary glands;
• 7-8.vertebrae- pain in the solar plexus, which imitates diseases of internal organs (stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas).There is also inhibition of the epigastric reflex (contraction of the abdominal muscles during the passage of the instrument along the line of the lower rib);
• 9-10.vertebrae- here, osteochondrosis can cause sharp pain in the abdomen and under the ribs, inhibit the mesogastric reflex (when the tool draws a horizontal line at the level of the navel);
• 11-12.vertebrae- can cause pain in the groin, diseases of internal genital organs and intestines.It reduces the hypogastric response (by drawing a line in the lower abdomen parallel to the inguinal fold).

Difficulty breathing

During physical activity (for example, climbing several flights of stairs), patients have difficulty breathing.Severe shortness of breath is observed in thoracic osteochondrosis.Patients often describe this feeling as "out of breath".Similar symptoms can also be observed during sleep: in an unsuccessful position, patients dream of a lack of air, their ears can be blocked (at the same time, a strong pulsation can be heard), and severe chest cramps occur.

Often, the feeling that it is difficult to breathe in thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by pain in the girdle of the back and ribs, as well as subcostal pain.

Increased heart rate

Even after light exertion, which previously went unnoticed, patients complain of rapid heartbeat, a feeling as if the heart is trying to jump out of the chest.Initially, increased heart rate may be caused by spastic contractions of the muscles and chest or disruption of tissue trophism, but over time this dangerous symptom can actually grow into angina pectoris, coronary disease, and even lead to a heart attack.

In addition to rapid heart rate, patients often notice an accompanying feeling of panic, fear of death or an increased background of anxiety.In some cases, against the background of thoracic osteochondrosis, real panic attacks can be observed.

Chest pain

The most pronounced symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis isa feeling of pain in the sternum.These include sharp shooting pains and a feeling of pressure in the chest, as well as intercostal pain when walking.Chest pain tends to intensify after a long stay in one position, hypothermia, turning the body and bending (especially when turning), raising the arms.Carrying heavy objects, playing sports, taking deep breaths and still sleeping can also increase the pain.It should be remembered that due to the low mobility of the thoracic spine, osteochondrosis in this part of the back is characterized by dull, aching, pressing and pulsating pain.Acute prolonged pain in thoracic osteochondrosis is very rare, which is why patients ignore the pathology for a long time.

Vertebral painIn osteochondrosis of the spine, it is common to divide it into dorsago and dorsalgia.Dorsago- these are spontaneous shooting pains, which, as a rule, do not last long and disappear when the position is changed.Dorsago usually cause accidental root pinching.Dorsalgiaare long-lasting (about 2-3 weeks) and are associated with a permanent disturbance of circulation or nerve conduction.They feel a burning, stinging pain.

The pain intensifies when coughing and patients may mistake it for a spinal hernia.However, in osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, hernias are extremely rare.Don't write off the main symptom(feeling of pain in the sternum with thoracic osteochondrosis)to move the vertebrae - its probability is extremely low compared to degenerative-dystrophic changes!

Cough with thoracic osteochondrosis

Cough with thoracic osteochondrosis is often observed in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, and their work duties include prolonged sitting (office workers, operators, drivers).Maintaining this posture, which is difficult for the human spine, causes chronic muscle strain, spasms and tightness.Spasticityis both the cause and consequence of the fact that the cervical and thoracolumbar region suffers from insufficient movement.At night, in positions that compress the spine, spasms and irritation of the spinal roots only increase, causing a strong cough.If the upper thoracic vertebrae are affected, a cough due to thoracic osteochondrosis may be accompanied by pain in the esophagus, a feeling as if something is stuck in the chest.

During a cough attack with thoracic osteochondrosis, it becomes painful for patients to breathe;It becomes difficult to take a deep breath.

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis and its prevention

Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis in the thoracic spine is intended to stop or at least slow down degenerative changes, restore normal mobility of the back and eliminate symptoms that cause discomfort to the patient.

Therapeutic treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis includes the simultaneous use of:

• medicines(chondroprotectors, neuroprotectors, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics);
• methods of the physiotherapeutic complex;
• therapeutic exercises;
• orthopedic regimen.

Patients are also advised to change their diet and lifestyle.

In case of severe irreversible changes in the intervertebral jointsin which pain and nerve conduction disorders are not alleviated by drugs,surgery is recommended for patients.It helps to stop the death of nerve tissue and prevent life-threatening or disabling consequences of thoracic osteochondrosis.Depending on the situation, total or partial resection of the intervertebral disc or its replacement with an artificial one, narrowing of the spinal canal or other surgery may be indicated.

Physiotherapy

The goals of physiotherapy for osteochondrosis of the thoracic region are to reduce pain and inflammation, relieve spasms, strengthen the muscle corset, restore the function of nerve roots and normal blood circulation.

To alleviate the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, the following are successfully used:

• Magnetotherapy- one of the most effective anti-inflammatory techniques.Improves metabolic processes in tissues and relieves swelling.
• Laser therapy.It promotes biological activation of regenerative processes.It helps to eliminate the consequences of trophic disorders and relieve inflammation.
• Electrophoresis of drugs.It allows you to restore tissue nutrition and relieve inflammation - the effect of the procedure depends on the drugs used.
• Medical phonophoresis.It ensures deep penetration of the active ingredients of drugs into soft tissues.
• Therapeutic massage.It helps to relax the muscles, remove tension and improve the supply of nutrients to the spinal tissue.In the early stages, it removes the main symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis - a feeling of pain in the sternum - in a few sessions.
• Acupuncture.Stimulation of muscles and nerve endings helps relieve pain, restore sensitivity and reduce swelling.
• Ultrahigh frequency therapy.It increases the permeability of capillary walls, improves blood flow and ensures the flow of protective cells to the site of inflammation.
• Shock wave therapy.It initiates the processes of bone and cartilage tissue renewal, prevents the deposition of calcium salts on the surfaces of the vertebrae.
• Balneotherapy.As a rule, mud and ozokerite applications are used, less often paraffin.Radon and hydromassage baths are also recommended for patients.They help in improving the metabolism and restoring the sensitivity of the affected tissues.
• Amplipulsotherapy.It has a neurostimulating, analgesic and trophic effect, activates metabolic processes and facilitates breathing.
• Kinesitherapy(physical therapy, massage, traction therapy, kinesio taping).It allows you to strengthen ligaments and skeletal muscles, restore back mobility and eliminate even persistent spasticity.It prevents the formation of osteophytes and the narrowing of the channels in which the spinal roots are located.

In addition to physical therapy sessions, for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, patients can be recommended an orthopedic corset, which allows them to relieve the burden on the spine.

Exercise therapy and massage

Therapeutic exercises and massage help to strengthen the back muscles and relieve stress on the spine.With daily sessions, they help to achieve a stable remission without drugs, increase the range of motion and eliminate the neurological manifestations of the disease.These treatment methods also prevent complications of osteochondrosis..For example, congestion in the lungs (with thoracic osteochondrosis it is difficult to breathe deeply), due to which patients are susceptible to pneumonia, as well as coronary heart disease.

Dosed physical activity helps relieve nerve root compression, improve blood circulation and nourish the intervertebral discs.The optimal frequency and duration of gymnastics classes is determined by the exercise therapy instructor.as a rule,3-4 exercises of 10-15 minutes a day are enough.

Exercises recommended for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis include the following:

1. Stand straight, put your feet together, hands at your sides.As you exhale, raise your arms up and bend back, then take a deep breath.Lower your hands and lean forward, slightly arching your back in the form of a dome (to do this, lower your head and shoulders as you exhale).
2. Sit on a chair and while inhaling, put your hands behind your head.Bend back and rest your shoulder blades on the back of the chair, exhaling.
3. Get on all fours and arch your back.After holding the position for 3 seconds, arch your back with a crampon.
4. Lying on the floor on your stomach, put your palms on the floor and, rising on your hands, try to move your head as far back as possible, lifting your chest from the floor.
5. Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms out to the sides.Perform the "yoke" exercise, trying to raise your head and legs at the same time.
6. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you.Reach the toes of the right hand to the toes of the left foot and vice versa.
7. Do a plank exercise (about 30 seconds).
8. Perform hanging on a horizontal bar (or, in the absence of a horizontal bar, attach your fingers to the door frame and try to stretch your back as much as possible).

Bending to the side while raising the arm will also help.All exercises should be done8 to 10 times.

Different massage techniques are used for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, incl.acupressure and vacuum massage.For self-massage at home, patients are recommended the following movements:

• caressing the cervical collar, scapular and axillary areas;
• pinching with thumb and forefinger(grasping of skin and soft tissues);
• trituration;
• kneading(it should be performed extremely carefully; it is advisable to entrust this technique to a specialist).

Massage should not be performed during an exacerbation of the disease or during severe inflammation.

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis with drugs

The following groups of drugs are used to treat the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)- helps relieve pain, calm inflammation and remove swelling.They can be used both systemically (in the form of tablets, capsules and injections) and locally (in the form of ointments, gels, creams, poultices and solutions for medical electrophoresis).
• Hormonal drugs- to eliminate acute and chronic neurological pain.It is used in cases where NSAIDs show insufficient effectiveness.
• Muscle relaxants- prescribed for reducing muscle tone and eliminating spasms of skeletal muscles.This helps relieve pain and has a positive effect on tissue trophism.
• Circulation correctors- they strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood circulation in the small capillaries that nourish the periosteum and other structural elements of the vertebral joints.Reduce discomfort and reduce the risk of complications.
• Neuroprotectors- to preserve and restore sensitivity when nerve roots are compressed and relieve neurological symptoms.This group also includes cholinesterase inhibitors, which improve the transmission of nerve impulses and help restore normal muscle tone.

For the structural restoration of tissues affected by the degenerative process, in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, the following are used:

• chondroprotectors- essential bioactive substances that trigger cartilage and bone tissue regeneration processes.It serves to prevent the growth of osteophytes and the narrowing of the spinal canal.They help the weakened body to grow stable and elastic cartilage cells.Taking chondroprotector significantly improves the cushioning properties of intervertebral discs, making them more elastic and resistant to damage;
• vitamin complexes- contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes and prevent excessive oxidation in tissues.

To relieve excruciating pain that interferes with the patient's daily activities, the doctor may recommend a medical block with anesthetics.Diuretics are used to remove swelling and relieve compressed nerves and blood vessels.

Prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis

To prevent symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, you should:

1. Take care to maintain a healthy posture.This is facilitated by walking, swimming and therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back, chest, abs and shoulder complex.
2. When working in a seated position, set up your workstation properly and do a physical warm-up whenever your back and neck start to feel stiff (ideally, bend to the sides, stretch and rotate your shoulders every 2 hours).
3. Avoid back injuries and immediately seek the help of an orthopedic traumatologist, even in the case of a seemingly insignificant bruise.You should not cause other diseases of the musculoskeletal system - especially in the joints of the lower extremities.
4. If possible, relieve the spine during the day (to do this, just lie on the floor for 40 minutes).
5. Protect yourself from hypothermia and stress.
6. Take chondroprotectors for joint protection at least 3 months a year.Regardless of the strength of the muscle corset, the human spine is anatomically not adapted to vertical loads, so additional support is needed.
7. Adjust the weight if it is excessive.In addition to maintaining a low-carb diet, you should also eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals.In spring and autumn, they can be taken in tablet form.
8. Sports activities that include jumping from heights or lifting heavy loads should be limited.
9. It is recommended to sleep on a semi-rigid bed, and for prolonged sitting choose hard furniture.This helps maintain muscle tone and relieve stress on the spine.If possible, you should buy an orthopedic mattress and shoe insoles.
10. Do not lift loads larger than 10 kg.The load should be evenly distributed, with muscle tension and without shifting to one side.If necessary, use a special sports corset.It is undesirable to hold the load in outstretched hands for a long time.
11. Women should avoid wearing high-heeled shoes.The optimal height of the heel is 2-4 cm.

These recommendations will also be useful for those who are already sick - they will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the spine and will help significantly slow down pathological changes.

And remember: the main thing in the prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis is consistent adherence to healthy habits.

May chest pain never bother you!