Clinically, thoracic osteochondrosis (chondrosis) is manifested by sharp, piercing or dull, aching pain, crunching and clicking when bending, and stiffness.
The pathology is characterized by numerous specific symptoms: sensation of lack of air when inhaling, discomfort in the heart region and even sore throat.
The treatment of the pathology is mainly conservative with pharmacological drugs.Physiotherapeutic procedures, massage sessions are also performed and the help of chiropractors is sought.
If such treatment is ineffective, the patient is indicated for surgery.
Details about symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine never appear all at once.In the initial phase of development of this degenerative-dystrophic pathology, only mild discomfort in the back is noted.Patients take them for banal overwork after a hard day at work and consider them "stiff" muscles due to being in the same position for a long time.
But the intensity of the discomfort is slowly, steadily increasing.Unpleasant sensations are replaced by severe pain, complicated by a limited range of motion, dizziness and headache.In medicine, all symptoms of osteochondrosis of this localization are divided into several groups.This helps to diagnose it faster and decide on treatment tactics.
Note!Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men and women do not differ in character, severity or localization.But in the representatives of the stronger sex they can occur a little later due to the stronger musculoskeletal system.Additionally, some men suffer from 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 attack of acute pain.Even more often, it is triggered by prolonged staying in the same body position, such as sitting.If a person suddenly stands up, he feels such sharp pain in his back that he loses the ability to move for several minutes.
In medicine, this condition is called dorsago.It differs from ordinary pain by the symptoms that accompany it:
- sensation of lack of air during inhalation;
- pronounced rigidity.
The course of the pathology is often complicated by dorsalgia: pain in the thoracic spine, the intensity of which gradually increases.It intensifies when you bend or turn your body sideways.In order not to feel pain, a person takes a forced position.At the same time, it involuntarily strains the back muscles, involuntarily causing them to be overloaded.Now they are starting to hurt too, especially when walking.
Extravertebral symptoms
As thoracic osteochondrosis develops, the intervertebral discs become thinner and destroyed.These cartilaginous pads can no longer distribute the resulting loads and prevent the vertebrae from hitting each other.A compensatory response of the body is triggered: the bone structures begin to deform with the formation of growths.They put pressure on sensitive nerve endings and violate the spinal canal.Therefore, in women and men, specific symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis occur: loss of sensitivity in some areas of the body, burning sensation and creeping "goosebumps".
Important!Osteochondrosis of thoracic localization often manifests itself as a dry, unproductive cough, sore throat, lump sensation and urination disorders.
But that's not all.The spinal roots are responsible not only for the innervation (transmission of nerve impulses) of the spinal column, but also for the internal organs.Therefore, when pinched, discomfort occurs in the liver, kidneys, digestive tract and myocardium.What signs of thoracic osteochondrosis unusual for back pathologies are:
- pain in the cardiac region, identical to the recurrence of angina, shortness of breath, sensation of “compression” of the heart;
- panic attacks, psycho-emotional instability, causeless fear, anxiety, sleep disorders;
- discomfort in the epigastric region, attacks of nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting, acid belching, bloating, boiling and rumbling;
- peristalsis disorders - constipation or diarrhea;
- long, labored breaths accompanied by 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 masked by renal colic, symptoms of gastritis, gastric ulcer, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis and even gastroenteritis.
Compressive myelopathy
This is the name of extravertebral syndrome, which is rarely encountered 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 fibrous ring.An intervertebral hernia forms and constantly puts pressure on the spinal cord.When visiting a vertebrologist or neurologist, patients complain of frequent girdle pain radiating to the groin area.At the same time, sensations of weakness and numbness in the lower limbs are felt.
Against the background of violation of the spinal cord, the innervation is severely disrupted.In the absence of treatment, the functional activity of the organs located in the pelvis decreases.Compression myelopathy causes problems with bowel movements.And due to the marked narrowing of the diameter of the spinal canal, the sensitivity of the legs is significantly reduced.In more severe cases, patients are diagnosed with paresis (partial or complete paralysis) of one or two lower limbs.
Remission symptoms
Outside of relapses, osteochondrosis of the chest almost does not bother a person.Occasionally, a dull, dull pain in the back occurs, which usually goes away after a long rest.But as soon as you even slightly increase the load on the spine, 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 changes in temperature;
- stay in the same body position for a long time;
- alcohol abuse;
- unbalanced diet, lack of foods rich in calcium, phosphorus, manganese, molybdenum in the diet.
Sometimes the remission phase ends due to a person's attempts to avoid another relapse.He turns to a chiropractor or massage therapist with a dubious reputation or little practical experience.An attempt to stretch the spine leads to another exacerbation.
Basic treatment methods
It is not yet possible to completely cure the pathology, so all the efforts of doctors are aimed at improving the patient's well-being.Patients are recommended to wear orthopedic products (corsets, bandages), which fix the vertebral structures and prevent them from moving.Drugs of various clinical and pharmacological groups are prescribed, physiotherapeutic measures and physical therapy are carried out.
The chiropractor's hand movements are aimed at increasing the spaces between the vertebrae, which decrease with thoracic osteochondrosis.
Important!With thoracic osteochondrosis of high severity, conservative treatment is useless.Patients are immediately offered surgical intervention: excision of the intervertebral hernia, arthrodesis, installation of implants in place of the damaged disc, bone grafting.
Drug therapy
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is aimed at eliminating all symptoms and inhibiting destructive and degenerative processes.During periods of exacerbation, solutions for parenteral administration are used, which show effects after 5-10 minutes.Then the result is ensured by a course of taking tablets, applying ointments and gels.In the remission phase, mainly external agents are used that have a more gentle 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.Their active ingredients block the biosynthesis of pain, inflammation and fever mediators by arachidonic acids.Even after a single use of NSAIDs, a person's well-being improves significantly:
- the severity of the pain decreases;
- the unpleasant creaking noise that occurs when turning the body and bending disappears;
- inflammatory processes in soft tissues weaken, swelling resolves;
- increases range of motion in the thoracic region.
To stop relapses, solutions for intramuscular administration are used.Medicines in capsules or tablets cope with moderate pain.And ointments and gels quickly eliminate mild discomfort.
Prepared with B vitamins
Innervation disorders are treated well with drugs containing B vitamins. They improve the transmission of nerve impulses to the central and peripheral nervous system and stimulate the restoration 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 performed which, in addition to vitamins, contains lidocaine, which instantly eliminates pain.And then patients are advised to take pills for a month.
Glucocorticosteroids
The use of these synthetic analogues of hormones produced by the adrenal glands is practiced when safer means are ineffective.Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to patients with sharp, piercing pain in the back, radiating to the internal organs.The drugs can also be taken orally, but much more often they are administered parenterally, even to the sites of damaged discs.
Glucocorticosteroids are characterized by an extensive list of contraindications and potential side effects.Long-term treatment of chondrosis of the thoracic spine with hormones leads to damage to the tissues of the liver, kidneys and stomach.Therefore their use is prohibited for patients suffering from cirrhosis, peptic ulcer, renal failure and osteoporosis.
Muscle relaxants
Back pain is often explained by increased skeletal muscle tone.To relax it, muscle relaxants are used, first in the form of solutions for parenteral administration, and then in tablets.The drugs relieve muscle spasms that cause compression of the spinal root.Which muscle relaxants are most effective:
- block polysynaptic reflexes;
- relax spasmodic muscles;
- reducing the release of prostaglandins.
The drugs are rarely used in monotherapy.Treatment of thoracic chondrosis is carried out with muscle relaxants in combination with glucocorticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Their significant disadvantage is that addiction develops quite quickly, so it is forbidden to use 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 capable of increasing the production of chondrocytes necessary for the partial restoration of cartilaginous intervertebral discs.All the therapeutic effects of chondroprotectors are due to the high content of glucosamine and (or) chondroitin.
But chondroprotectors are valued not only for their ability to restore discs.Their components light up in the area of the damaged spinal segment.After 2-3 weeks the maximum therapeutic concentration of glucosamine and chondroitin is created.Now the drugs are beginning to show pronounced analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous activity.
Recommendation!It is recommended to treat osteochondrosis with chondroprotectors in the form of injectable solutions or tablets.Despite all the manufacturers' assurances about the effectiveness of ointments and creams, they have not been able to provide evidence of their therapeutic effectiveness.
Non-pharmacological treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with pharmacological drugs should be combined with regular exercise.Physical therapy is the most effective therapeutic method to avoid disability.Thanks to daily training, the muscular structure of the back and the ligament-tendon apparatus of the thoracic region are strengthened and the production of synovial fluid which nourishes the vertebral structures is improved.The set of exercises is determined by the physiotherapy doctor after studying the results of X-ray diagnostics. He is present at the first lessons and controls the dosage of loads.
Manual therapy for osteochondrosis is also practiced, aimed at increasing the spaces between the discs and vertebrae.Dry or underwater traction (extension) of the spine is performed, and at home, hanging from a bar.The effectiveness of manual therapy increases with simultaneous physical procedures:
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- diadynamic currents.
Patients are shown 10-15 sessions of classic, vacuum, Scandinavian, acupressure massage.Hirudotherapy, acupuncture and sanatorium treatment with radon and hydrogen sulfide baths are also useful.
Only with the help of an integrated approach to the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is it possible to eliminate further damage to the discs and deformation of the vertebrae.Following the doctor's recommendations helps to get rid of all the symptoms of chronic pathology as soon as possible.