Osteochondrosis is the main cause of back pain. Compared with other parts, the thoracic spine is less affected and its initial mobility is poor. Due to the lack of characteristic symptoms, degenerative diseases are more difficult to diagnose. If the treatment is not timely, the consequences will be serious.
Degree and symptoms of osteochondrosis
Dystrophic lesions of bone and cartilage tissue are the most common chronic human diseases. The pathological process starts from the nucleus of the intervertebral disc and then spreads to the annulus fibrosis. The atrophied cartilage loses its cushioning properties, and the load on the bones increases. The gap between the vertebrae shrinks, protrusions and hernias appear, and nerve endings are squeezed.
Pathological symptoms:
- Back pain (back pain), aggravated by body movement, palpation, deep sighs, and coughing;
- Discomfort in the left sternum, shortness of breath, and a lump in the throat;
- Excessive sweating;
- Numbness in part of the skin and limbs;
- Pain during the xiphoid process, extending to the shoulder blades and arms;
- Back-Acute pain in the chest when in one position for a long time.
Stimulating the receptors in the spine in the chest area appears to mimic the urge to heart disease. This pseudo-coronary artery pain is called anterior chest wall syndrome. The pain on the left side lasted for several weeks, and the heart medication could not relieve it. At the same time, the electrocardiogram did not show irregularities in organ work.
The symptoms of the disease are usually similar to other pathologies. The patient's complaints may indicate heart failure or gastrointestinal problems. Only a comprehensive examination can help establish the correct diagnosis.
The clinical manifestations of the disease vary depending on the compressed or non-compressed form of osteochondrosis. When the nerve endings are squeezed (compressed), pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and difficulty in movement occur. The non-compression form manifests as acute or chronic pain syndrome in the damaged area of the spine, and reflex pain in the heart, stomach, and liver areas. The clinical signs of pathology vary with the stage of the disease and the person's age.
Atypical symptoms of breast osteochondrosis include women’s sore breasts, brittle nails, and peeling skin. This disease is caused by pregnancy. At this time, the pressure on the spine of the female body increases, and the nutrition is lacking.
In men, compression of the nerve roots in the lower chest can cause discomfort in the groin area and kidney pain.
Degree of osteochondrosis
According to the condition of cartilage tissue, 4 degrees of disease can be distinguished:
- Degree 1-In the early stages of the disease, cracks appear in the annulus. The nucleus pulposus protrudes through them. An unpleasant sensation in the sternum and heart area. This stage is characterized by pain and muscle cramps.
- Degree 2-Pathological activity of the vertebrae exacerbates the situation. One sign of this stage is that the pain worsens when moving and staying in one position for a long time. Vertebral subluxation is possible.
- Grade 3-The structure of the spine is severely damaged, and the annulus fibrosis is completely ruptured. The failure of nerve endings causes intercostal neuralgia. A person's ability to act is limited, he adopts a mandatory posture. The pain radiated to the internal organs, abdomen, and extremities.
- Degree 4-The structures around the spine are involved in the pathological process. The overgrowth of scar tissue leads to ligament fibrosis. Severe neurological reactions require regular use of supportive medications.
Early diagnosis of the disease can slow the destruction of the intervertebral disc. In the early stages, treatment is more effective. If you experience long-term back pain and other symptoms of osteochondrosis, you should consult a neurologist.
Delayed visits can lead to dangerous complications. These include herniated disc, inflammation of nerve endings, osteophyte hyperplasia, and paresis. With the growth of bone formation, there is a great risk of injury to the spinal canal tissue. The initiated malnutrition process is the complete destruction of the vertebrae. Patients can only get help through surgery.
Causes and risk factors
Movable cervical and lumbar spine are most commonly affected by this disease. The chest area is reinforced with ribs, which reduces the risk of pathology, but does not rule out its appearance. The disease can occur at any age. Its ICD 10 code is M42. 14-Adult spine osteochondrosis, located in the thoracic spine. For adolescent patients, there is a separate code-M42. 0. Poor posture, kyphosis or scoliosis are the triggers for young people.
The main cause of the disease
The degenerative changes of the intervertebral discs occur under conditions of undernutrition. The nucleus pulposus loses the ability to evenly distribute the load, and the fibrous annulus cracks. Doctors believe that a common cause of pathology is genetic susceptibility to osteochondrosis. Other factors include:
- Sedentary lifestyle and sedentary work;
- Spinal injury;
- Infectious diseases;
- Increase physical activity;
- hormone imbalance;
- Weak muscle corset.
Unable to determine the exact cause of the degenerative changes. The disease can be identified by objective signs and symptoms. People who have been sitting for a long time, have postural problems and spinal injuries should pay special attention to their performance.
Predisposing factors
The natural trend of cartilage dystrophy may not appear until middle age, when the body's natural aging process begins. But some factors will cause accelerated degradation. These include:
- Chronic stress
- Low temperature;
- Unbalanced diet;
- Difficult working conditions;
- overweight.
With prolonged squeezing and inflammation of nerve roots, the work of internal organs will be disordered. Osteochondrosis is characterized by wavy, acute or dull periods of pain are replaced by relief.
diagnosis method
To confirm the diagnosis, you need to collect the patient's medical history and perform a physical examination. A preliminary conclusion is made during the preliminary review. Examine the patient's spine in different locations. Instrument diagnosis provides pathological confirmation and spine status information. Expert use:
- Radiography. The picture of the chest area shows the degree of pathology. Direct and lateral X-rays can help determine changes in disc height, the appearance of osteophytes, compaction of the vertebral endplates, reduction in the diameter of the spinal canal, and the formation of Schmorl nodules.
- Perform a computed tomography scan to detect and measure bone structure.
If necessary, magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed.
Treatment and prevention
Only through complex treatments can you get rid of pain, inflammation and other problems. The choice of technique depends on the patient's condition. Conservative treatment is adopted in the early stage; surgical intervention is required in the later stage.
drug
A course of medication is prescribed to relieve pain and prevent further damage to the structure of the intervertebral disc. The basis of treatment is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are prescribed in the form of tablets and ointments.
For the treatment of 3rd degree osteochondrosis, hormonal drugs-corticosteroids are used. They have obvious anti-inflammatory effects. In acute pain syndrome, injections of anesthetics are required. Muscle cramps and tension can be relieved by muscle relaxants. In order to restore cartilage tissue, experts recommend the use of cartilage protective agents.
Intake of special vitamin complexes containing B vitamins can promote the healing of nerve root inflammation. Useful elements can be well absorbed from food-eggs, herbs, beef and cheese. Advise the patient to rest and rest. He must stay in bed for the first few days.
physiotherapy
The impact of the device has a significant therapeutic effect. Prescription for patients with osteochondrosis:
- Shock wave therapy
- Electrophoresis
- Ultrasonic exposure
- Magnetic therapy;
- Laser Treatment.
Physical therapy promotes blood flow and relaxes muscles. During the electrophoresis process, the drug penetrates deep into the body tissues.
Folk remedies
You can not only be treated with medicine, but also with the help of folk remedies. At home, various herbs and foods can be used as treatment methods. Decoctions, ointments, and liniments are all made from them. The method allows to reduce inflammation and accelerate the regeneration process. A hot bath with sea salt and chamomile can help relieve the pain. Effective recipes:
- Juniper and Butter Ointment-Break the juniper with butter until smooth. The composition is stored in the refrigerator.
- Ointment from pork heat and hop cones-dry cones are ground into powder and mixed with fat. The ointment is used 2-3 times a day.
- Honey dressing-For this combination, you need 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of vodka, 1 tablespoon of aloe vera juice. Mix the product and apply to the affected area.
- Mustard compression-vodka, camphor alcohol and mustard powder are mixed in equal proportions. Add 3 proteins and incubate for 12 hours. This product has a stimulating effect, so use it with caution.
Before using these formulas, doctors recommend checking them for allergic reactions.
massage
One of the complex treatments for thoracic osteochondrosis is massage. This process reduces pain, increases blood circulation, and stimulates muscles. The applicator can replace massage and acupuncture at home. These are special carpets with plastic needles.
physiotherapy
When the worsening period is over, it is recommended to switch to light physical activity. These include walking, swimming, yoga and gymnastics. Carrying out a special set of exercises is the easiest way to deal with illness and forget back problems forever. In sports, the focus is on stretching and strengthening the chest muscles. There is a special technique that can help improve the health of the spine. Choose exercises according to the individual characteristics of the patient.
Prevention advice
The doctor recommends that in order to prevent this disease, a series of exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back and chest should be carried out on a regular basis. In addition to gymnastics, you should also observe the following rules:
- Take a break while doing sedentary work. Change your posture frequently to distribute the load to different muscle groups.
- Choose a comfortable orthopedic mattress to get a good spinal rest.
- Use a high-back chair that supports the spine.
- Balance your diet.
- Refuse to lift and carry heavy objects.
Seeing a doctor in time can help you identify osteochondrosis at an early stage. This provides a good prognosis for recovery.