Clinically, thoracic osteochondrosis (chondrosis) is manifested by sharp, stabbing or dull, aching pain, crunching and clicking when bending over, and stiffness.
The pathology is characterized by numerous specific symptoms – a feeling of lack of air when inhaling, discomfort in the heart area and even a sore throat.
Treatment of the pathology is predominantly conservative with pharmacological medications.Physiotherapeutic procedures, massage sessions and the help of chiropractors are also carried out.
If such treatment is ineffective, the patient is shown surgical intervention.
Details about the symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine never appear all at once.At the initial stage of development of this degenerative-dystrophic pathology, only mild discomfort in the back is noted.Patients consider them to be a simple overload after a strenuous day at work and write them off as “stiff” muscles because they remain in one position for a long time.
But the intensity of the symptoms increases slowly and steadily.Unpleasant sensations are replaced by severe pain, complicated by restricted movement, dizziness and headaches.In medicine, all symptoms of osteochondrosis of this localization are divided into several groups.This helps to diagnose the disease more quickly and decide on treatment tactics.
Note!The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men and women do not differ in type, severity or localization.However, in representatives of the stronger sex they may appear a little later due to a stronger musculoskeletal system.Some men also experience erectile dysfunction due to osteochondrosis.
Vertebral symptoms
Under the influence of unfavorable factors (hypothermia, increased physical activity), long-term remission of thoracic osteochondrosis can be interrupted by a sudden acute attack of pain.Even more often, it is triggered by remaining in one posture for a long time, such as sitting.When a person suddenly stands up, pain in the back is so severe that he loses the ability to move for several minutes.
In medicine this condition is called dorsago.It differs from ordinary pain in the accompanying symptoms:
- feeling of lack of air when inhaling;
- pronounced stiffness.
The course of pathology is often complicated by dorsalgia - pain in the thoracic spine, the intensity of which gradually increases.It increases when the body bends or turns to the side.In order not to feel pain, a person takes a forced position.At the same time, it involuntarily puts strain on the back muscles and involuntarily provokes their overuse.Now they are starting to hurt too, especially when walking.
Extravertebral symptoms
With the development of thoracic osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs become thinner and destroyed.These cartilage pads can no longer distribute the resulting loads and prevent the vertebrae from colliding with each other.A compensatory reaction of the body is triggered - bone structures begin to deform with the formation of growths.They put pressure on sensitive nerve endings and injure the spinal canal.Therefore, women and men experience specific symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis: loss of sensitivity in certain areas of the body, burning and crawling “goosebumps”.
Important!Osteochondrosis of the chest location is often manifested by dry, unproductive cough, sore throat, feeling of lumps and urination disorders.
But that's not all.The spinal roots are responsible for the innervation (transmission of nerve impulses) not only of the spine, but also of the internal organs.Therefore, when they are pinched, discomfort occurs in the liver, kidneys, digestive tract and myocardium.What signs of thoracic osteochondrosis that are atypical for back diseases are:
- Pain in the heart area, identical to a relapse of angina pectoris, shortness of breath, a feeling of “compression” of the heart;
- Panic attacks, psycho-emotional instability, groundless fear, anxiety, sleep disorders;
- Discomfort in the stomach area, attacks of nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting, sour belching, flatulence, boiling and rumbling in it;
- Disorders of peristalsis – constipation or diarrhea;
- long, labored breaths with sobs.
The pain is not localized directly in the area of the destroyed intervertebral disc and (or) the formed intervertebral hernia.They radiate along the nerve.Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can be disguised as renal colic, symptoms of gastritis, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis and even gastroenteritis.
Compressive myelopathy
This is the name of the extravertebral syndrome, which rarely occurs in clinical practice.It is observed in stages 3-4 of the disease, when due to the loss of stability of the spinal segment, the nucleus pulposus protrudes beyond the annulus fibrosus.An intervertebral hernia occurs, which puts constant pressure on the spinal cord.When visiting a vertebral or neurologist, patients complain of frequent belt pain radiating to the groin area.At the same time, there are feelings of weakness and numbness in the lower extremities.
Against the background of spinal cord injury, innervation is seriously disrupted.Without treatment, the functional activity of the organs located in the pelvis decreases.Compression myelopathy causes problems with bowel movements.And due to the pronounced narrowing of the diameter of the spinal canal, the sensitivity of the legs is greatly reduced.In severe cases, patients are diagnosed with paresis (partial or complete paralysis) of one or two lower extremities.
Remission symptoms
Outside of relapses, osteochondrosis of the breast almost does not bother a person.Occasionally, excruciating, aching, dull pain occurs in the back, which usually disappears after a long period of rest.But as soon as you increase the load on the spine even a little, lift a heavy object or bend over, another relapse follows.It can also be triggered by the following factors:
- stressful situations, depressive states;
- hypothermia, sudden temperature changes;
- staying in one body position for a long time;
- alcohol abuse;
- unbalanced diet, lack of foods high in calcium, phosphorus, manganese and molybdenum in the diet.
Sometimes the remission period ends due to a person's attempts to avoid another relapse.He visits a chiropractor or massage therapist with a dubious reputation or little practical experience.An attempt to stretch the spine leads to further aggravation.
Basic treatment methods
A complete cure of the pathology is not yet possible, so all the efforts of doctors are aimed at improving the patient's well-being.Patients are recommended to wear orthopedic products (corsets, bandages) that fix the vertebral structures and prevent their displacement.Medicines of various clinical and pharmacological groups are prescribed, physiotherapeutic measures and exercise therapy are carried out.
The movements of the chiropractor's hands are aimed at increasing the spaces between the vertebrae, which become smaller with thoracic osteochondrosis.
Important!With high severity thoracic osteochondrosis, conservative treatment is useless.Patients are immediately offered surgical intervention – removal of an intervertebral hernia, arthrodesis, installation of implants in place of the damaged intervertebral disc, bone transplantation.
Drug therapy
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is aimed at eliminating all symptoms and inhibiting destructive and degenerative processes.In periods of exacerbation, solutions for parenteral administration are used, which show effect after 5-10 minutes.The result is then ensured by taking tablets and applying ointments and gels.In the remission stage, external agents are mainly used, which have a gentler effect on the body.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
This is the most commonly used group of drugs in the complex treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.Its active ingredients block the biosynthesis of pain, inflammation and fever mediators from arachidonic acids.After just a single intake of NSAIDs, a person's well-being improves significantly:
- the severity of pain decreases;
- the unpleasant crunching sound that occurs when turning the body and bending over disappears;
- inflammatory processes in soft tissues weaken, swelling disappears;
- The range of movement in the chest area increases.
To prevent relapses, solutions for intramuscular administration are used.Medication in capsules or tablets relieves moderate pain.And ointments and gels quickly eliminate minor discomfort.
Preparations with B vitamins
Innervation disorders can be treated well with medications that contain B vitamins.They improve the transmission of nerve impulses to the central and peripheral nervous system and stimulate the recovery of damaged spinal roots.The composition of the products includes thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin.
In the first week of therapy, intramuscular injection of drugs is practiced, which, in addition to vitamins, also contains lidocaine, which immediately eliminates pain.And then patients are recommended to take tablets for a month.
Glucocorticosteroids
The use of these synthetic analogues of hormones produced by the adrenal glands is practiced when safer remedies are ineffective.Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to patients for acute, stabbing pain in the back that radiates to the internal organs.The drugs can also be taken orally, but much more often they are administered parenterally, including to sites of damaged intervertebral discs.
Glucocorticosteroids are characterized by a wide list of contraindications and possible side effects.Long-term treatment of chondrosis of the thoracic spine with hormones leads to damage to the liver, kidney and stomach tissues.Therefore, their use is prohibited in patients with liver cirrhosis, stomach ulcers, renal failure and osteoporosis.
Muscle relaxants
Back pain is often explained by increased tone of the skeletal muscles.Muscle relaxants are used for relaxation - initially in the form of solutions for parenteral administration, then in tablet form.The medication relieves muscle spasms that cause compression of the spinal root.Which muscle relaxants are most effective:
- Blocking polysynaptic reflexes;
- relaxing spasmodic muscles;
- Reducing the release of prostaglandins.
The drugs are rarely used as monotherapy.Thoracic chondrosis is treated with muscle relaxants in combination with glucocorticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Their significant disadvantage is that addiction develops quite quickly, which is why it is forbidden to consume them for more than a week.
Chondroprotectors
Unlike drugs that eliminate the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, such drugs are also used for pathogenetic therapy.This is the only group of drugs that can increase the production of chondrocytes, which are necessary for the partial restoration of cartilaginous intervertebral discs.All therapeutic effects of chondroprotectors are due to the high content of glucosamine and (or) chondroitin.
But chondroprotectors are valued for more than just their ability to restore intervertebral discs.Its components glow in the area of the damaged spinal segment.After 2-3 weeks, the maximum therapeutic concentration of glucosamine and chondroitin is reached.Now the drugs begin to show a pronounced analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect.
Recommendation!It is recommended to treat osteochondrosis with chondroprotectors in the form of injection solutions or tablets.Despite all the manufacturers' assurances about the effectiveness of ointments and creams, they were unable to provide any evidence of therapeutic effectiveness.
Non-drug treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with pharmacological drugs must be combined with regular physical exercise.Exercise therapy is the most effective therapy method for preventing disabilities.Daily training strengthens the muscles of the back and the ligament-tendon apparatus of the thoracic region and improves the production of synovial fluid, which nourishes the vertebral structures.The set of exercises is determined by the physiotherapist after examining the results of X-ray diagnostics.He is present at the first lessons and monitors the dosage of the loads.
For osteochondrosis, manual therapy is also practiced, aimed at increasing the distance between intervertebral discs and vertebrae.Traction (extension) of the spine is performed dry or underwater, hanging on a pole at home.The effectiveness of manual therapy increases with simultaneous physical interventions:
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- magnetic field therapy;
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- diadynamic flows.
Patients are shown 10-15 sessions of classic, vacuum, Scandinavian acupressure massage.Hirudotherapy, acupuncture and sanatorium treatments with radon and hydrogen sulfide baths are also helpful.
Only with the help of an integrated 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 doctor's recommendations will help to eliminate all symptoms of chronic pathology as quickly as possible.