Recently, doctors have been receiving more and more complaints about back pain, and young women often suffer from it. If the discomfort is localized in the thoracic spine, it may be caused by a disease such as thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which are described in detail below.
Thoracic osteochondrosis - causes
Spinal osteochondrosis is a pathology in which negative changes occur in the tissues of the intervertebral discs - elements of the spine located between the two vertebral bodies. The intervertebral disc is a kind of flat, round cushion that consists of a gel-like collagen core, fibrous connective tissue and vitreous cartilaginous. The main functions provided by these frameworks are:
- connection and retention of adjacent vertebral bone bodies;
- shock-absorbing protection of the spine, protecting against injuries due to gravity and body loads;
- ensuring the mobility of adjacent vertebrae in relation to each other.
If the intervertebral discs are in satisfactory functional condition, the spine receives elasticity, mobility and the ability to withstand various mechanical loads. When the cartilage structure changes shape, texture, loses strength and elasticity, these functions cannot be fully performed. Basically, this occurs against the background of metabolic disorders.
Partially, the pathological changes in the intervertebral discs that cause thoracic osteochondrosis are explained by the fact that with age their nutrition through the blood vessels themselves is interrupted and the supply of nutrients becomes possible only due to neighboring structures (ligaments, vertebral bodies) . The exact causes of malnutrition of intervertebral structures and the mechanism of their destruction are unknown, but doctors identify a number of predisposing factors:
- systemic metabolic disorders in the body;
- excessive body weight;
- poor nutrition, alcohol drinking regime;
- inactivity;
- sedentary work;
- poor posture;
- flat foot;
- back injury, spine;
- intense physical work or sports training;
- pregnancy;
- wearing uncomfortable shoes, high heels.
Degrees of thoracic osteochondrosis
A disease such as thoracic osteochondrosis does not show symptoms immediately, because it develops gradually and over a long period of time. In addition, due to the low mobility of the spine in this area, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region manifests itself in later stages, in the presence of significant pathological changes. In total, four degrees of pathology are distinguished, depending on the developed deviations.
1st degree thoracic osteochondrosis
The preclinical stage is grade 1 osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. At this stage, partial dehydration and compaction of the central part of the intervertebral discs occurs, their height decreases, which leads to a decrease in their elasticity and firmness. The ability of the spine to withstand the usual loads is still preserved. Disc protrusions begin to form.
2nd degree thoracic osteochondrosis
When grade 2 thoracic osteochondrosis develops, the disease is characterized by the appearance of fissures in the fibrous ring. Subsidence (thinning) of the discs continues, the amount of intervertebral fluid decreases significantly, and the vertebrae begin to rub against each other as the load on the back increases. This stage is sometimes called discogenic radiculitis.
3rd degree thoracic osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine of the 3rd degree is accompanied by destruction and rupture of the fibrous tissues of the disc, release of the central part, that is, the formation of a hernial protrusion of the intervertebral disc occurs. As a result, nerve roots begin to be compressed, nearby vessels are compressed, and veins and arteries are compressed.
Thoracic osteochondrosis 4 degrees
The last and most severe stage of the disease is characterized by displacement, torsion, deformation of the vertebral bodies, a further increase in their area and proliferation. The affected fibrous tissue of the disc begins to be replaced by bone tissue in the form of specific growths - osteophytes, compressing the spinal cord. As a result, spinal mobility is significantly reduced.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - symptoms
Due to the peculiarities of the localization of pathological processes, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region has typical and atypical symptoms, repeating the manifestations of other diseases. This is due to the fact that due to compression of blood vessels and nerve fibers, structural changes in the spine and the functions of nearby internal organs are disrupted.
We list which symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are characteristic and most common:
- back and chest pain;
- feeling of tightness in the chest;
- tingling sensations in the limbs;
- numbness in arms, legs, neck, shoulders;
- stiffness, back and limb pain;
- muscle spasms in the upper and middle back;
- limited mobility of the spine in this area (difficulty bending the body).
Pain due to osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
When diagnosed with "thoracic osteochondrosis", symptoms associated with pain come to the fore among other complaints. Its intensity and duration depend on the stage of the pathological process. The location of the pain can change periodically and quickly, for example, moving from one area of the chest to another, covering the entire chest. Pain is often felt in the area between the shoulder blades. The nature of pain in thoracic osteochondrosis is dull, squeezing and sharp. Increased pain is observed at night and with:
- raising hands;
- neck turns;
- carry heavy objects;
- sudden movements;
- increased physical activity;
- heavy breathing, coughing, sneezing;
- hypothermia.
Can there be shortness of breath in thoracic osteochondrosis?
Due to displacement of the vertebral bodies, pathological changes in the structure of the chest, compression of nerve fibers and blood vessels associated with the lungs, shortness of breath often occurs in thoracic osteochondrosis. Furthermore, because in the thoracic region there are structures responsible for the innervation of the heart, intestines, liver, kidneys and some other organs; the disease in many cases is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- headaches, dizziness;
- pain in the heart region;
- pain in the mammary glands;
- pain in the hypochondrium (similar to the appearance of pancreatitis, cholecystitis);
- epigastric pain not associated with eating;
- discomfort in the pharynx, esophagus, foreign body sensation;
- sexual dysfunctions.
Pain in the heart with thoracic osteochondrosis, often pressing, squeezing, can be misleading in the diagnosis, becausesimilar to the manifestations of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction. A feature of these sensations is their long duration and lack of effect when taking medications to dilate heart vessels. There are no changes in the cardiogram.
Syndromes with thoracic osteochondrosis
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women, associated with a single mechanism of occurrence, are present in many cases in a complex form. There are two syndromes with a set of specific pathological conditions caused by thoracic osteochondrosis:
- back pain;
- back.
Thoracic spine back pain
Prolonged and not very pronounced pain in thoracic osteochondrosis in women, often characterized as aching, pulling, is inherent in back pain. Complaints may persist for 2 to 3 weeks, with the discomfort decreasing slightly (especially when walking) or intensifying (usually at night, when bending over or when breathing deeply). In the presence of this syndrome, thoracic osteochondrosis may also present symptoms associated with difficulty breathing and muscle stiffness.
Dorsago of the thoracic spine
Paroxysmal manifestations of the disease are called "dorsago" or "thoracic low back pain". In this case, the pain appears suddenly, sharply, often resembling signs of a heart attack. An attack of thoracic osteochondrosis has the following symptoms:
- sharp, dagger-like pain;
- pain is felt in the area between the ribs, interscapular region;
- often an attack appears after a long stay in the same position;
- the pain intensifies when turning the torso;
- there is difficulty breathing, severe muscle tension.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - consequences
If treatment of the pathology is not started on time, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can have the following consequences:
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- migraine;
- disruption of the functioning of internal organs (liver, kidneys, etc. );
- decreased hearing, vision;
- epicondylitis of the elbow joint;
- paresis and paralysis of the arms;
- rachiocampsis;
- loss of sensitivity of skin tissue;
- disability, etc.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis?
If symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis appear, it is recommended to consult a neurologist, who, after examining the back and examining the spine in different positions of the patient, will be able to make a primary diagnosis. To determine the extent of the damage, X-rays, MRI or CT scans are prescribed. Treatment tactics depend on the results obtained.
Often, painful symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine are eliminated by taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In case of exacerbation, accompanied by severe pain, paravertebral blocks can be performed with an anesthetic solution. Additionally, the following medications may be prescribed as part of conservative therapy:
- muscle relaxants;
- chondroprotectors;
- corticosteroids, etc.
To improve metabolic processes, eliminate muscle hypertonicity and prevent various complications, the following treatment methods are used:
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- spinal traction;
- physiotherapeutic procedures (laser, ultrasound, etc. ).
Surgical treatment is necessary if there is compression of the spinal cord by a fragment of the intervertebral disc. In this case, laminotomy can be performed - excision of the vertebral arches, or discectomy - removal of part of the intervertebral disc or its complete removal with the installation of a graft. In clinics with modern equipment, surgical procedures are performed using low-traumatic methods through small incisions.