Thoracic osteochondrosis: symptoms, treatment, exercises, video

Osteochondrosis is a disease in which the spine is affected, meaning lies in the development of degenerative and dystrophic changes affecting the intervertebral discs.

In the end, this disrupts their normal functioning, creating a danger to the entire spine as a result of their deformation, decrease in height and delamination.

According to medical statistics, in the thoracic region the upper vertebrae, which are most stressed, are most often affected. This disease has a high prevalence, and in most cases it begins at a young age.

However, people seek medical help much later, when the clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis become unbearable.

Causes of chest osteochondrosis

Causes of development that would reliably lead to this disease have not been fully established. In connection with this, it is customary to talk about the so-called predisposing factors that significantly increase the likelihood of developing the osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.

These are:

1. 1) Genetic predisposition - this disease is present in the immediate family( therefore the doctor must specify this fact in the patient to facilitate diagnostic search).
   
2. 2) Age changes in the intervertebral discs associated with a decrease in the hydrophilicity of tissues, a decrease in the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate, etc.
   
3. 3) Traumatic spinal injury, which can be acute or chronic( often occurs in athletes, loaders, etc.).
   
4. 4) Microcirculatory disorders in this area, especially in the presence of atherosclerotic lesions of joints.

Symptoms of chest osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region has a chronic course. This means that periods of exacerbation of symptoms replace the periods of remission.

And the longer the last, the more favorable the prognosis is for this disease. Exacerbation can also occur in different ways. Therefore, there are several stages in this period:

• disease progression;
  
• stationary stage;
  
• regression of pathological changes.

The main clinical symptoms of chest osteochondrosis that become most pronounced during an exacerbation period are:

1. 1) The appearance of pain in the shoulder and chest. The latter can simulate an attack of coronary heart disease, but its standard therapy does not bring relief. This feature can be considered as a differential-diagnostic;
   
2. 2) Pains are aggravated when moving in the affected part of the spine or when they are in the same position for a long time;
   
3. 3) Movement disorders in the thoracic spine( they become severely restricted);
   
4. 4) Muscle weakness gradually develops;
   
5. 5) Paresthesia, which is manifested by crawling, tingling, tingling, etc.;
   
6. 7) Periodically there are convulsive twitchings of muscles;
   
7. 8) The movements in the joints become chained;
   
8. 9) Skin gradually fades due to disruption of trophic function of nerve endings;
   
9. 10) Sensation of lumbago in the back;
   
10. 11) Reflexes caused by bones and tendons gradually weaken;
    
11. 12) As a result of constant muscle contraction, deformation of the spine develops in this or that department, which leads to certain changes.

Painful sensations can be worse at night. Against this background, there is insomnia and irritability. However, the severity of certain clinical manifestations depends on the topography of the pathological process, its prevalence and neglect.

See also how to treat cervical osteochondrosis and lumbar osteochondrosis.

Diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis

The main place in the diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis is using radiation methods( X-ray examination).

For chest osteochondrosis, the following symptoms are characteristic:

• detection of degenerative processes in the structures of the spine;
  
• narrowing of the spinal canal;
  
• uneven and wavelike contours of plates;
  
• decreases the height of intervertebral discs;
  
• there are osteophytes - bony overgrowths;
  
• changes the shape of the vertebral body.

In complex diagnostic cases, a CT scan is possible. However, it is associated with a greater radiation load compared with the radiographic study. To identify neurologic disorders, the physician conducts the following diagnostic tests:

• evaluation of tendon reflexes;
  
• electroneuromyography( evaluates the nerve conduction of muscles).

Electrocardiographic examination at the time of a bout of pain allows differential diagnosis with coronary heart disease. With osteochondrosis, characteristic cardiac changes will not be recorded. This is reflected in the tactics of treating such patients.

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can be carried out by both conservative and operational methods. The choice in favor of this or that tactic of management of the patient depends on the following factors:

• prevalence of the pathological process;
  
• the age of the patient;
  
• presence of clinical signs of inflammatory reaction;
  
• severity of neurological symptoms.

Conservative therapy of thoracic osteochondrosis includes the following activities:

1. 1) Use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Begin with nonsteroidal, and if necessary, add hormonal drugs. The latter can be applied locally or systemically.
   
2. 2) Blockages with topical anesthetics, which should only be performed by a trained neurologist.
   
3. 3) Electrophoresis of local anesthetics on the affected area.
   
4. 4) Mud treatment.
   
5. 5) Ultrasound therapy.
   
6. 6) Electromagnetic therapy.

Extraction is also widely used in conservative measures. Stretch muscles and ligamentous apparatus of the spine.

The spacing between the vertebrae contributes to the decompression of the nerve root, which effectively blocks the developing inflammatory reaction as a result of its compression. Local blood circulation also improves. Often, the traction method is combined with other conservative measures to improve the effectiveness of the therapy.

Given the spasm of the muscles that pass along the spine, a plastic massage is shown. Classical massage is possible only after a sharpening of an exacerbation. The only contraindication in this case is the intervertebral hernia, which against its background can be affected.

All patients with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are recommended special therapeutic exercises( see exercises for osteochondrosis).It improves the normal functioning of the joints, ligament and muscular apparatus of this area, and also prevents the development of muscle contractures. The greatest effectiveness from therapeutic gymnastics can be achieved if you perform exercises in warm water and combine them with swimming.

Surgical intervention is usually indicated at the stage of development of intervertebral hernias, as well as in the absence of the effect of conservative therapy of injuries of the nerve root. In the first case, an operation is performed that restores the normal structure of the spine. For this, special fixing materials are used. In the second case, the use of special decompression techniques is shown.

Read also how to treat osteochondrosis at home.

Prevention of chest osteochondrosis

There are currently no effective preventive measures for this disease. Therefore, whenever possible, there is an effect on predisposing factors, namely:

1. 1) Prevention of spinal injuries( especially for athletes and those engaged in heavy physical labor).
   
2. 2) Perform special gymnastic exercises that help improve microcirculation in the intervertebral discs.
   
3. 3) Timely access to a neurologist and / or orthopedist with the appearance of clinical signs suspected of the disease.

Unfortunately, at present medicine has not learned to work on burdened heredity. Only scientific developments are carried out, which in the future will allow to control the development of diseases with hereditary predisposition.

I weighed 92 kg! Fat went 3 kg a week! For this, I drank a glass before bed. ..

The nail fungus is afraid of this as a fire! If in cool water. ..

Varicose veins disappear in a few days! Just need to smear your feet once a day. ..

"Dedovskiy" method to quit smoking! In 7 days you will forget about cigarettes forever!