Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is much less common than cervical or lumbar spine. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are much more tightly connected to each other and movement in the joints is minimal. In addition, this part of the spine has muscle protection and is more rigidly attached to the ribs.
Nevertheless, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is one such disease that should not be delayed as it can have quite undesirable consequences.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The main reason for this is dystrophic-degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Heredity
- Eating and metabolic disorders
- Overweight
- Increased physical activity
- Physical inactivity, prolonged stay in one position
- Spine injury
- Nervous strain
- Advanced age
- Smoking
- Hypothermia
All of these factors affect the nutrition of intervertebral discs, leading to metabolic disorders and the onset of degenerative transformations in them.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
A similar pathology makes you feel painful.
They have two types:
- Dorsago or chest lumbago. It is a sudden, sharp and severe pain that occurs in the spine when you try to stand up after working at a table in the same posture for a long time, usually in a prolonged, tilted posture. The pain can also be felt while breathing, the muscles are tense, and movements in the chest and adjacent spine are restricted.
- Dorsalgia (back pain). In this case, the pain is not so pronounced, causing only mild discomfort at rest. But when you try to bend down or take a deep breath, it gets stronger. In this condition, the mobility of the spine decreases and the muscles of the back become tense.
- With the defeat of the first root, tenderness decreases and pain occurs in the upper thoracic vertebra, which extends to the suprascapular region to the elbow joint.
- When 2-6 roots are compressed, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and spreads from the spine to the interscapular and axillary regions.
- Compression of roots 7 and 8 leads to tension in the muscles of this zone and belt-like painful sensations from the rib-vertebra joints to the epigastric region.
- Defeat of the 9th and 10th roots causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, extending to the navel, 11th and 12th - below the navel.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine may be pain between the ribs. This is due to compression of the nerve roots, resulting in decreased sensitivity and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
Radical syndromes are often accompanied by complaints of internal organs:
- The defeat of the upper chest roots can be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, there is a feeling of the appearance of a foreign body. These symptoms can be intermittent or permanent, and if you press on the spinal area affected by osteochondrosis, it becomes stronger.
- When the middle chest roots are affected, discomfort and pain occur in the stomach, aggravated by prolonged lying on a hard surface, with face up and movement of the appropriate part of the spine.
- If the abnormalities appear below, there is an uncomfortable feeling in the duodenum, which is exacerbated during coughing or sneezing, twisting or prolonged sitting.
Osteochondrosis of the chest region can cause upset stomach. In this case you have:
- Nausea
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- pain in the left hypochondria
- Puffiness
- Possible vomiting
The following may occur in relation to the normal functioning of the duodenum:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back
- Burping
- Nausea
- Difficulty in the right hypochondria
- Sometimes bloating and vomiting
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can often cause symptoms of heart disease:
- Burning chest on the left
- Cutting, burning, depressing heartache
- Feeling of tightness in the throat
Osteochondrosis can cause a laryngeal spasm (laryngospasm), which can make breathing difficult, wheezing, and coughing. In this case, it is very important to determine whether such symptoms are not considered pulmonary pathology.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
Given that this disease can mask many pathologies, it should be examined by a neurologist who will provide guidance on the following tests:
- X-ray
- CT (computed tomography)
- MRI
This is usually sufficient to identify the pathology and establish a diagnosis.
The main goals in the treatment of osteochondrosis are:
- Relieve the pain
- Restoration of the functions of the spinal roots
- Slows dystrophic changes in intervertebral discs
To do this, the following procedures are quite effective:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Hot tubs
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- Massage
- Traction (traction)
- Magneto and pharmacopuncture
- Practice therapy
Medication for osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs
- Chondroprotectors
- Ointments
- Muscle relaxants that have the effect of relieving muscle cramps
If the methods listed do not lead to a positive result, treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is performed surgically.
The operation consists of two stages:
- Elimination of the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy - removal of an intervertebral disc or only part of it.
- Foraminotomy - an enlargement of the root canal to prevent the nerves from being compressed by a disc or bone marrow.
- Facetectomy - the removal of faceted joints between the processes in the vertebrae of the joints to eliminate blockage of nerve fibers.
- Laminectomy - the back of the vertebrae is removed, which compresses the spinal cord during deformation.
- Laminotomy - the difference from the previous operation is the removal of a fragment of the back of the vertebrae.
- Korpectomy - removal of a vertebrae and adjacent plates by insertion of a bone implant.
- Spine stabilization. Removal of a vertebra or disc disrupts the supporting structure of the human body, which can lead to the appearance of severe neurological conditions. To avoid negative consequences, the vertebrae should be fixed. The method of vertebral fusion (spinal fusion) is most often used, in which conditions are created for the bones of the spine to merge. The resulting cavities are filled with grafts from the patient's or donor's bone, as well as special biological agents that stimulate bone tissue regeneration.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with alternative methods
In this case, it should be about pain relief, which can only be used in conjunction with full treatment. Various herbs are used for this, which have anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative effects.
To consolidate the positive results of treatment, you need to eat right, try to avoid stressful situations and sensible physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis is much less likely to bother you.