Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is much less common than the cervical or lumbar spine. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are much more firmly connected to each other and the movement in the joints is minimal. In addition, this part of the spine has muscular protection and is more rigidly fixed by the ribs.
However, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is such a disease, the treatment of which should not be postponed until later, as it can lead to quite undesirable consequences.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
The main reason is the dystrophic-degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Inheritance
- Eating and metabolic disorders
- Over weight
- Increased physical activity.
- Physical inactivity, prolonged stay in a position.
- Spinal injury
- Nervous tension
- Advanced age
- Of smoking
- Hypothermia
All these factors affect the nutrition of the intervertebral discs, which leads to metabolic disorders and the appearance of degenerative transformations in them.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region.
A similar pathology is felt by painful sensations.
They are of two types:
- Dorsago or thoracic lumbago. It is a sudden, sharp and severe pain that occurs in the spine when trying to stand up after being in the same position for a long time, usually prolonged work on a table in an inclined position of the body. Pain is felt even during breathing, muscles are tense, movements in the thoracic and adjacent spine are limited.
- Back pain (back pain). In this case, the pain is not so pronounced, at rest it only causes slight discomfort. But when you try to squat or take a deep breath, it becomes stronger. In this state, the mobility of the spine decreases, the back muscles are tense.
- With the defeat of the first root, a decrease in sensitivity occurs and pain occurs in the upper thoracic vertebra, extending to the suprascapular region up to the elbow joint.
- If there is a compression of 2-6 roots, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and extends from the spine to the interscapular and axillary regions.
- The compression of the 7th and 8th of the root causes tension in the muscles in this area and the appearance of girdle-type pain sensations from the rib-vertebral joints to the epigastric region.
- The defeat of roots 9 and 10 causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, extending to the navel, 11 and 12, below the navel.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can be manifested by pain between the ribs. This is due to compression of the nerve roots, which causes decreased sensation and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
Root syndromes are often accompanied by complaints about internal organs:
- The defeat of the upper thoracic roots can be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, there is a sensation of the appearance of a foreign body there. These symptoms can occur periodically or be constant, and when you press on the area of the spine affected by osteochondrosis, it becomes stronger.
- If the middle thoracic roots are affected, discomfort and pain sensation in the stomach occurs, aggravated by prolonged lying on a hard surface on the back and by movement in the corresponding part of the spine.
- If pathological changes have occurred then there is discomfort in the duodenum, which is intensified by coughing or sneezing, turning the torso or sitting for a long time.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can cause disturbances of the stomach. In this case, there are:
- Nausea
- Acidity
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- left upper quadrant pain
- Flatulence
- Possible vomiting
In connection with the disruption of the normal functioning of the duodenum, the following may occur:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back.
- Belching
- Nausea
- Heaviness in the right upper quadrant
- Sometimes bloating and vomiting.
Very often, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can provoke the appearance of symptoms characteristic of heart disease:
- Burning chest left
- Cutting, burning and oppressive pain of the heart.
- Sensation of constriction in the throat.
Osteochondrosis can cause spasms of the larynx (laryngospasm), during which breathing becomes difficult and you become wheezy, coughing may occur. In this case, it is very important to establish whether such symptoms are not a pulmonary pathology.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
Due to the fact that a variety of pathologies can be masked under this disease, you should be examined by a neurologist, who, after the examination, will give you instructions for the following studies:
- bone scan
- CT (computed tomography)
- Magnetic resonance
As a general rule, this is enough to identify the pathology and make a diagnosis.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, the main goals are:
- Ease the pain
- Restore the functions of the spinal roots.
- Slow down dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs.
For this, the following procedures are quite effective:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Whirlpool tubs
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- Massage
- Traction (traction)
- Magnet and pharmacopuncture
- Exercise therapy
Drug treatment for osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs
- Chondroprotectors
- Ointments
- Muscle relaxants, whose action is aimed at relieving muscle spasms.
If the listed methods did not give a positive result, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is carried out surgically.
The operation consists of two stages:
- Elimination of the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy: removal of an intervertebral disc or just a part of it.
- Foraminotomy: enlargement of the root canal to avoid compression of the nerve by a bone disc or spur.
- Facetectomy - removal of the facet joints located between the processes of the vertebrae of the joints to eliminate entrapment of nerve fibers.
- Laminectomy - The back of the vertebra is removed, compressing the spinal cord during deformation.
- Laminotomy: the difference from the previous operation is the removal of a fragment from the back of the vertebra.
- Corpectomy: removal of a vertebra and adjacent discs with the insertion of a bone implant.
- Stabilization of the spine. When a vertebra or disc is removed, the supporting structure of the human body is disrupted, which can lead to the development of serious neurological conditions. To avoid negative consequences, the vertebrae must be repaired. Most often, the method of vertebral fusion (spinal fusion) is used, in which the conditions for the fusion of the bones of the spine are created. The resulting gaps are filled with grafts from the patient's or donor bone, as well as with special biological substances that stimulate the restoration of bone tissue.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with alternative methods.
In this case, it should be about pain relief, which can only be used in conjunction with a full treatment. For this, various herbs are used that have anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative properties.
To consolidate the positive result of the treatment, it is necessary to eat well, try to avoid stressful situations and a reasonable physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis will bother you much less often.