Clinically, thoracic osteochondrosis (chondrosis) is manifested by sharp, shooting or dull pains, aching, cracking and clicking when bending, stiffness.
For the pathology, the characteristic and numerous specific symptoms are a sensation of shortness of air when inhaling, discomfort in the heart region and even a sore throat.
Treatment of the pathology is predominantly conservative with pharmacological drugs. Physiotherapy procedures, massage sessions, and chiropractors are also performed.
If such treatment is ineffective, the patient is shown a surgical intervention.
Symptom details
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine never appear all at once. In the initial stage of the development of this degenerative-dystrophic pathology, only slight discomfort in the back is observed. Patients take them for banal fatigue after a hard day's work, they cancel the "numb" muscles due to a long stay in one position of the body.
But the intensity of the discomfort increases slowly and steadily. Unpleasant sensations are replaced by severe pain, complicated by limited range of motion, dizziness, and headaches. In medicine, all the symptoms of osteochondrosis of a certain location are divided into several groups. This helps to diagnose it faster and determine treatment tactics.
On a note!Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men and women do not differ in character, severity, or location. But in the stronger sex, they can arise a little later due to the stronger musculoskeletal system. Also, some men have erectile dysfunction against the background of osteochondrosis.
Vertebral symptoms
Under the influence of unfavorable factors (hypothermia, increased physical activity), a long-term remission of thoracic osteochondrosis can be interrupted by a sudden attack of acute pain. Even more often, it is provoked by a prolonged stay in one position of the body, for example, in a sitting position. If a person stands up abruptly, then there is such a sharp pain in the back that he loses the ability to move for several minutes.
In medicine, this condition is called dorsago. It differs from ordinary pain in concomitant symptoms:
- a feeling of shortness of breath when inhaling;
- severe stiffness.
The course of the pathology is often complicated by back pain, pain in the thoracic spine, the intensity of which gradually increases. Increase with flexion, turning the body to the sides. In order not to experience pain, a person adopts a forced position. At the same time, you involuntarily tense your back muscles, involuntarily causing your overexertion. Now they also start to hurt, especially when walking.
Extravertebral symptoms
As thoracic osteochondrosis develops, the intervertebral discs become thinner and are destroyed. These cartilaginous pads can no longer distribute the arising loads, they exclude the impact of the vertebrae with each other. A compensatory response of the body is triggered: bone structures begin to deform with the formation of growths. They press on the sensitive nerve endings, infringe the spinal canal. Therefore, there are specific symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women and men: loss of sensation in certain parts of the body, a burning sensation and progressive chills.
Important! Osteochondrosis of the thoracic localization is often manifested by a dry, unproductive cough, a sore throat, a feeling of coma, and urinary disorders.
But that is not all. The spinal roots are responsible not only for the innervation (transmission of nerve impulses) of the spine, but also of the internal organs. Therefore, when they are violated, there are uncomfortable sensations in the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, myocardium. What are the uncharacteristic signs of back pathologies manifested by thoracic osteochondrosis?
- pain in the heart region, identical to the recurrence of angina pectoris, shortness of breath, feeling of "compression" of the heart;
- panic attacks, psycho-emotional instability, irrational fear, anxiety, sleep disorders;
- discomfort in the epigastric region, attacks of nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting, sour belching, bloating, boiling and noise;
- peristalsis disorders: constipation or diarrhea;
- long, labored breaths with sobs.
The pains are not localized directly to the site of the destroyed intervertebral disc and (or) the formed intervertebral hernia. They radiate along the course of the nerve. Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can be disguised as renal colic, symptoms of gastritis, gastric ulcers, hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and even gastroenteritis.
Compression myelopathy
This is the name of the extravertebral syndrome, which is rarely seen in clinical practice. It is observed in the 3-4 stages of the disease, when, due to the loss of stability of the vertebral segment, the nucleus pulposus protrudes beyond the fibrous annulus. An intervertebral hernia forms, constantly pressing on the spinal cord. At an appointment with a vertebrologist or neurologist, patients complain of frequent pain in the waist that radiates to the groin area. At the same time, there are feelings of weakness, numbness of the lower extremities.
In the context of the spinal cord infringement, innervation is seriously impaired. In the absence of treatment, the functional activity of the organs located in the small 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 decreases. In severe cases, patients are diagnosed with paresis (partial or complete paralysis) of one or two lower extremities.
Symptoms of remission.
Outside of relapses, osteochondrosis of the chest almost does not bother a person. Occasionally, there is a dull, aching, drawing pain in the back, which usually goes away after a long rest. But it is worth at least slightly increasing the load on the spine, lifting a heavy object or bending over, as follows the next relapse. It can be triggered by such factors:
- stressful situations, depressive states;
- hypothermia, sudden changes in temperature;
- prolonged stay in one body position;
- Alcohol abuse;
- Unbalanced diet, lack of foods rich in calcium, phosphorus, manganese, molybdenum in the diet.
Sometimes the remission stage ends because a person tries to avoid another relapse. Visit a chiropractor or massage therapist with a dubious reputation or little practical experience. An attempt to stretch the spine leads to another exacerbation.
The main methods of treatment
It is not yet possible to completely cure the pathology, so all the efforts of doctors are aimed at improving the well-being of the patient. Patients are advised to wear orthopedic products (corsets, bandages), which fix the vertebral structures and prevent their displacement. Medicines of various clinical and pharmacological groups are prescribed, physiotherapeutic measures and physiotherapy exercises are carried out.
The chiropractor's hand movements aim to increase the spaces between the vertebrae, which decrease thoracic osteochondrosis.
Important!With high-severity thoracic osteochondrosis, conservative treatment is useless. Patients are immediately offered surgical intervention: excision of an intervertebral hernia, arthrodesis, placement of implants in place of a damaged disc, bone graft.
Drug therapy
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is aimed at eliminating all symptoms, inhibiting destructive and degenerative processes. During periods of exacerbation, solutions for parenteral administration are used, showing effects after 5-10 minutes. Then the result is consolidated by taking a course of tablet preparations, applying ointments and gels. In the remission stage, mainly external agents are used, which have a gentler effect on the body.
Non-steroidal 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 arachidonic acids pain, inflammation and fever mediators. Even after a single use of NSAIDs, a person's well-being improves significantly:
- the severity of the pain syndrome decreases;
- the unpleasant creaking that occurs when the body turns and tilts disappears;
- inflammatory processes in soft tissues weaken, edema resolves;
- increases the range of motion in the thoracic region.
To stop relapses, intramuscular solutions are used. Capsule or tablet preparations can cope with moderate pain. And ointments and gels quickly remove minor discomfort.
Preparations with vitamin B
Preparations with vitamins of group B are well adapted to disorders of innervation. They improve the transmission of nerve impulses to the central and peripheral nervous systems, stimulate the restoration of damaged spinal roots. The composition of the funds is represented by thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin.
In the first week of therapy, intramuscular administration of drugs is practiced, which, in addition to vitamins, contain lidocaine, which instantly eliminates pain. And then for a month, patients are shown taking pills.
Glucocorticosteroids
The use of these synthetic analogues of hormones, which are produced by the adrenal glands, is practiced when the safest means are ineffective. Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to patients with sharp, penetrating back pain that radiates to internal organs. Medications can be taken orally, but much more often they are given parenterally, even to sites of destroyed discs.
Glucocorticosteroids have a wide range of contraindications and possible side effects. Long-term treatment of chondrosis of the thoracic spine with hormones damages the tissues of the liver, kidneys and stomach. Therefore, its use is prohibited in patients with cirrhosis, peptic ulcer disease, kidney failure and osteoporosis.
Muscle relaxants
Back pain is often attributed to increased skeletal muscle tone. To relax it, muscle relaxants are used, first in the form of solutions for parenteral administration and then in tablets. Medications relieve muscle spasm caused by spinal root compression. Which muscle relaxants are most effective:
- block polysynaptic reflexes;
- relax spasmodic muscles;
- reducing the release of prostaglandins.
Drugs are rarely used as monotherapy. Treatment of thoracic chondrosis is carried out with muscle relaxants in combination with glucocorticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Their significant drawback is the fairly rapid formation of addiction, which is why 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 that can increase the production of chondrocytes, which are 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 not only for the ability to restore discs, chondroprotectors are valued. Its components shine in the area of the damaged vertebral segment. After 2-3 weeks, the maximum therapeutic concentration of glucosamine and chondroitin is created. Now the drugs begin to show a pronounced analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oedematous activity.
Recommendation!It is advisable to treat osteochondrosis with chondroprotectors in the form of injectable solutions or tablets. Despite all the manufacturers' assurances about the efficacy of the ointments and creams, they were unable to provide an evidence base for their therapeutic efficacy.
Non-pharmacological treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with pharmacological drugs must necessarily be combined with regular physical education. Exercise therapy is the most effective therapeutic method to prevent disability. Thanks to daily training, the muscular structure of the back and the tendon-ligamentous apparatus of the thoracic region are strengthened, the production of synovial fluid that feeds the vertebral structures is improved. The set of exercises is determined by the exercise therapy doctor after studying the results of X-ray diagnostics. He is present in the first classes, monitors the dosage of loads.
Manual therapy of osteochondrosis is also practiced, aimed at increasing the spaces between the discs and the vertebrae. Dry or underwater traction (traction) of the spine is performed, and at home, hanging from the bar. The effectiveness of manual therapy increases with the simultaneous conduct of physiotherapy:
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- Ultraviolet radiation;
- diadynamic currents.
Patients are shown 10-15 sessions of classical, vacuum, Scandinavian acupressure. Hirudotherapy, acupuncture, radon spa treatment, 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 exclude further damage to the discs and deformity of the vertebrae. Compliance with the doctor's recommendations helps to eliminate all symptoms of chronic pathology as soon as possible.