Disease messengers: symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

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

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis begin with a violation of tissue trophism and dehydration of the intervertebral discs.Lack of nutrients and fluid leads to the fact that the cartilage loses its elasticity, begins to crack and “sag”.This state of affairs is characterized by compression of the nerve roots, deterioration in the sensitivity and functioning of internal organs, as well as severe pain.Often, the destruction of the vertebrae of the thoracic region is accompanied by the appearanceosteophytes- bony growths which damage the 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 agefrom 25 years old;approximately 70% of the total number of patients are women aged 35 to 55 years.As the disease begins well before retirement age,this can lead to limitations and even loss of ability to work.

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 chameleon disease.It is also the most difficult to treat.It is therefore very importantMonitor your thoracic osteochondrosis symptoms timely- and today we will tell you which ones.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

The feeling of pain in the sternum with thoracic osteochondrosis is a symptom,confused by patients with heart pain.Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are characterized by intensification at night.They are especially clearly manifested when you try to straighten your back or, conversely, slouch, arching your back into a dome.

The severity of symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depends on the stage of osteochondrosis disease.At the same time, negative sensations accompanied by symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis can manifest themselves weakly (osteophytes often develop on the surface of the vertebrae, where there are practically no nerve endings, and the muscular 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:

• a cold, burning and tingling sensation in the chest, at the base of the neck, in the abdomen;
• muscle tension (difficulty relaxing the back);
• a feeling of pain in the sternum (a symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis, which is one of the first to appear);
• increased heart rate, feeling of throbbing in the chest;
• a “tingling” feeling inside the chest, which is often accompanied by uncaused anxiety or increases with stress;
• numbness of the soft tissues (skin and muscles) near the spine, at shoulder level, especially noticeable when applying pressure or contact with hot and cold surfaces;
• with thoracic osteochondrosis it is difficult to breathe;
• feeling of cold in the hands and feet, pale or bluish skin of the hands;
• weakness, inhibition of reflex reactions in the affected area;
• disorders in the functioning of the digestive organs, colic, stool disorders;
• the appearance of skin areas with obvious nutritional disorders (desquamation, pallor, thinning or, on the contrary, 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, bloating);
• increased fatigue, feeling very tired in the morning (“broken” state);
• change in gait (usually stooped, unsteady);
• intercostal neuralgia.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis may resemble a stomach or intestinal ulcer, angina, gastritis or heart attack.Sometimes it is confused with renal or cardiac colic, cholecystitis or pancreatitis.Indeed: advanced thoracic osteochondrosis can cause dysfunctions in the gallbladder (e.g. sediment formation) and intestines, as well as dysfunction of the cardiac vessels.

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

• 1st-2nd thoracic vertebra- the pain radiates towards the collarbone, armpits, and can reach the shoulders;
• 3-6th vertebra- patients are bothered by girdle pain above the chest, which is similar to pain in the heart or mammary glands;
• 7-8th vertebra- pain in the solar plexus, which mimics diseases of the internal organs (stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas).There is also inhibition of the epigastric reflex (contraction of the abdominal muscles when passing the instrument along the lower rib line);
• 9-10th vertebra- here osteochondrosis can cause severe pain in the abdomen and under the ribs, inhibit the mesogastric reflex (when a tool draws a horizontal line at the level of the navel);
• 11-12th vertebrae- can trigger groin pain, diseases of the internal genital organs and intestines.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 a few flights of stairs), patients have difficulty breathing.In case of thoracic osteochondrosis, severe shortness of breath is observed.Patients often describe this feeling as being “out of breath.”Similar symptoms can be observed during sleep: in an unsuccessful position, patients dream of lack of air, their ears may become blocked (at the same time a strong pulsation can be heard) and severe chest spasms occur.

Often, the feeling of difficulty breathing in thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by girdle pain in the back and ribs, as well as subcostal pain.

Increased heart rate

Even after light exertion, which previously went unnoticed, patients complain of an increase in heart rate, giving the impression that the heart is trying to come out of the chest.At first, increased heart rate may be caused by spastic contractions of the muscles and chest or a violation of tissue trophism, but over time, this dangerous symptom can actually overtake angina, coronary heart disease and even lead to a heart attack.

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

Chest pain

The most revealing symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis isfeeling of pain in the sternum.These include sharp shooting pain 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, rotation of the body and bending (especially when turning), raising the arms.Carrying heavy objects, playing sports, breathing deeply, and sleeping quietly can also increase 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 shooting pain.Prolonged acute pain in thoracic osteochondrosis is very rare, therefore patients tend to ignore the pathology for a long time.

Spinal painIn osteochondrosis of the spine, it is customary to divide into dorsago and dorsalgia.Dorsago- these are spontaneous shooting pains that, as a rule, do not last long and disappear when changing position.Dorsago usually cause accidental root pinching.Back painlast a long time (about 2 to 3 weeks) and are associated with permanent disruption of blood circulation or nerve conduction.They are felt by a burning, stinging pain.

The pain intensifies when coughing and can be confused by patients with a spinal hernia.However, with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, hernias are extremely rare.Don't erase the main symptom(feeling of pain in the sternum with thoracic osteochondrosis)for vertebral displacement - 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 whose professional duties involve prolonged sitting (office workers, operators, drivers).Maintaining this posture, difficult for the human spine, causes chronic muscle tension, spasms and tightness.Spasticityis both a cause and a consequence of the fact that the cervical and thoracic girdle area suffers from insufficient movement.At night, in positions that compress the spine, spasms and irritation of the spinal roots only intensify, causing severe coughing.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 coughing attacks with thoracic osteochondrosis, it becomes painful for patients to breathe;It becomes difficult to breathe deeply.

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis and its prevention

Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is aimed at stopping or at least slowing down degenerative changes, restoring normal back mobility and eliminating symptoms that bother the patient.

Therapeutic treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis involves the simultaneous use of:

• drugs(chondroprotectors, neuroprotectors, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatories, analgesics);
• methods of physiotherapeutic complex;
• therapeutic exercises;
• orthopedic diet.

Patients are also advised to make changes to their diet and lifestyle.

In case of serious and irreversible changes in the intervertebral jointsin which pain and nerve conduction disorders are not relieved by medication,surgery is recommended for patients.It helps stop the death of nerve tissue and prevent the potentially fatal or disabling consequences of thoracic osteochondrosis.Depending on the situation, complete or partial resection of the intervertebral disc or its replacement with an artificial disc, narrowing of the spinal canal or other surgical intervention 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 relieve 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.Promotes the biological activation of regenerative processes.Helps eliminate the consequences of trophic disorders and relieve inflammation.
• Drug electrophoresis.Allows you to restore tissue nutrition and relieve inflammation - the effect of the procedure depends on the drugs used.
• Medicinal phonophoresis.Ensures deep penetration of active drug ingredients into soft tissues.
• Therapeutic massage.Helps relax muscles, eliminate tension and improve the supply of nutrients to spinal tissues.In the early stages, it eliminates the main symptom of thoracic osteochondrosis - the feeling of pain in the sternum - in a few sessions.
• Acupuncture.Stimulation of muscles and nerve endings helps relieve pain, restore sensitivity and eliminate swelling.
• Ultra High Frequency Therapy.Increases the permeability of capillary walls, improves blood circulation and ensures the flow of protective cells to the site of inflammation.
• Shock wave therapy.It starts the processes of restoration of bone and cartilage tissue, prevents the deposition of calcium salts on spinal surfaces.
• Balneotherapy.Typically, mud and ozokerite applications are used, less often paraffin.Radon and hydromassage baths are also recommended for patients.They help improve metabolism and restore sensitivity to affected tissues.
• Amplified therapy.It has a neurostimulating, analgesic and trophic effect, activates metabolic processes and facilitates breathing.
• Physiotherapy(physiotherapy, massage, traction therapy, kinesio taping).Helps strengthen ligaments and skeletal muscles, restore back mobility and even eliminate persistent spasticity.Prevents the formation of osteophytes and the narrowing of the canals in which the spinal roots are located.

In addition to physiotherapy sessions, for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, patients may be recommended an orthopedic corset, which allows them to relieve the load on the spine.

Exercise therapy and massage

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

Dosed physical activity helps relieve compression of nerve roots, improve blood circulation and nutrition of the intervertebral discs.The optimal frequency and duration of gymnastics classes is determined by the exercise therapy instructor.Generally,3 to 4 exercises of 10 to 15 minutes per day are enough.

Exercises recommended for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis are:

1. Stand straight, feet together, hands at your sides.As you exhale, raise your arms and lean back, then inhale deeply.Lower your arms and lean forward, slightly arching your back in a dome shape (to do this, lower your head and shoulders as you exhale).
2. Sit in a chair and, while inhaling, place your hands behind your head.Lean back and rest your shoulder blades on the back of the chair as you exhale.
3. Get on all fours and arch your back.After holding the position for 3 seconds, bend your back with a crampon.
4. Lying on the floor on your stomach, place your palms on the floor and, rising on your arms, try to move your head as far back as possible, lifting your chest off the floor.
5. Lie on your stomach and extend your arms out to your sides.Perform the “yoke” exercise, trying to raise your head and legs simultaneously.
6. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you.Reach the fingers of your right hand to the tip of your left foot and vice versa.
7. Do a plank exercise (about 30 seconds).
8. Perform hangs on the horizontal bar (or, in the absence of a horizontal bar, fix your fingers on the door frame and try to stretch your back as much as possible).

Leaning to the side while raising your arm will also help.All exercises must be done8 to 10 times.

To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, various massage techniques are used, incl.acupressure and vacuum massage.For self-massage at home, patients are recommended to perform the following movements:

• by stroking the cervical, scapular and axillary areas;
• press with thumb and index finger(grasp skin and soft tissue);
• trituration;
• kneading(it must be carried out with the greatest caution; it is advisable to entrust this technique to a specialist).

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

Drug treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis

To treat the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, the following groups of drugs are used:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)- help relieve pain, calm inflammation and disperse swelling.They can be used both systemically (in the form of tablets, capsules and injections) and locally (in the form of ointments, gels, creams, compresses and solutions for medicinal electrophoresis).
• Hormonal drugs- to eliminate acute and chronic neurological pain.Used in cases where NSAIDs demonstrate insufficient effectiveness.
• Muscle relaxers- prescribed to reduce muscle tone and eliminate spasms of skeletal muscles.This helps relieve pain and has a positive effect on tissue trophism.
• Traffic correctors- strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood circulation in the small capillaries that nourish the periosteum and other structural elements of the spinal joints.Reduce discomfort and reduce the risk of complications.
• Neuroprotectors- to preserve and restore sensitivity during compression of nerve roots 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, the following are used in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis:

• chondroprotectors- essential bioactive substances that trigger the regeneration processes of cartilage and bone tissue.Serves to prevent the growth of osteophytes and narrowing of the spinal canal.They help a weakened body develop stable and resilient cartilage cells.Taking chondroprotectors significantly improves the shock-absorbing properties of intervertebral discs, making them more elastic and resistant to damage;
• vitamin complexes- contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes and prevent excessive tissue oxidation.

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

Prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis

To prevent the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, you must:

1. Take care to maintain healthy posture.This is facilitated by walking, swimming and therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back, chest, abdominal and shoulder complex.
2. When working sedentary, arrange your workplace properly and do a physical warm-up as soon as your back and neck start to become stiff (ideally, bend to the sides, stretch, and rotate your shoulders every 2 hours).
3. Avoid back injuries and promptly seek help from an orthopedic traumatologist, even in the case of a seemingly insignificant bruise.You should not trigger other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, especially the joints of the lower extremities.
4. If possible, unload the spine during the day (to do this, simply lie on the floor for 40 minutes).
5. Protect yourself from hypothermia and stress.
6. Take chondroprotectors to protect the joints at least 3 months a year.Regardless of the strength of the muscular corset, the human spine is anatomically not adapted to vertical loads and therefore requires additional support.
7. Adjust the weight if it is overweight.In addition to maintaining a low-carb diet, you should eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals.In spring and autumn they can be taken in tablet form.
8. Sports activities that involve jumping from heights or lifting heavy weights should be limited.
9. It is advisable 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 purchase an orthopedic mattress and shoe insoles.
10. Do not lift loads weighing more than 10 kg.The load must be distributed evenly, with muscular tension and without transfer to one side.If necessary, use a special sports corset.It is undesirable to hold loads in outstretched arms for a long time.
11. Women should avoid wearing high-heeled shoes.The optimal heel height is 2 to 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 help to significantly slow down pathological changes.

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

Never let chest pain bother you!