Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is much rarer than cervical or lumbar. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are much more tightly 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 firmly fixed with ribs.
However, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is such a disease, the treatment of which should not be delayed later, because it can lead to quite unwanted consequences.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The main reason is dystrophic-degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Heredity
- Diet and metabolic disorders
- Overweight
- Increased physical activity
- Physical inactivity, prolonged stay in one position
- Spinal cord injury
- Nervous tension
- Advanced age
- Smoking
- Hypothermia
All these factors affect the nutrition of the intervertebral discs, which leads to metabolic disorders and the occurrence of degenerative transformations in them.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
A similar pathology is felt with painful feelings.
They are of two types:
- Dorsago or lumbago of the thorax. This is a sudden, sharp and strong pain that occurs in the spine when trying to get up after a long stay in the same position, usually prolonged work at a table in an inclined position. Pain is felt even when breathing, muscles are tense, movements in the thoracic and adjacent part of the spine are limited.
- Dorsalgia (back pain). In this case, the pain is not so pronounced, at rest it causes only mild discomfort. But when you try to bend down or take a deep breath, it gets stronger. In this condition, the mobility of the spine is reduced, the back muscles are tense.
- Defeat of the first root leads to a decrease in sensitivity and pain occurs in the upper thoracic vertebra, which spreads to the suprascapular region up to the elbow joint.
- If 2-6 roots are compressed, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and spreads from the spine to the interscapular and axillary regions.
- Compression of the 7th and 8th roots leads to tension in the muscles of this zone and the appearance of painful sensations of lumbar nature from the rib-vertebral joints to the epigastric region.
- Defeat of 9 and 10 roots causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, which spreads to the navel, 11 and 12 - below the navel.
Signs of thoracic spine osteochondrosis may be manifested by pain between the ribs. This is due to the compression of the nerve roots, which results in reduced sensitivity and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
Radicular syndromes are often accompanied by complaints to internal organs:
- Defeat of the upper thoracic roots may be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, there is a feeling of the appearance of a foreign body. These symptoms may 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, there is discomfort and a feeling of pain in the stomach, which is intensified by prolonged lying on a hard surface face up and moving in the appropriate part of the spine.
- If pathological changes have occurred below, 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 stomach upset. In this case there are:
- Nausea
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Prison
- pain in the left hypochondrium
- Flatulence
- Possible vomiting
In connection with the disturbance of the normal functioning of the duodenum, the following may occur:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back
- Burping
- Nausea
- Weight in the right hypochondrium
- Sometimes bloating and vomiting
Very often osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can cause symptoms characteristic of heart disease:
- Burning chest on the left side
- Cutting, burning, pressing pain in the heart
- Feeling of tightness in the throat
Osteochondrosis can cause laryngeal spasm (laryngospasm), in which attacks breathing becomes difficult and wheezing, coughing can occur. In this case, it is very important to determine whether such symptoms are not lung pathology.
Treatment of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
Due to the fact that various pathologies can be hidden under this disease, you need to be examined by a neurologist, who will give instructions for the following studies after the examination:
- x-ray
- CT (computed tomography)
- MRI
As a rule, this is enough to identify the pathology and make a diagnosis.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, the main goals are:
- Relieve the pain
- Restore the functions of the spinal roots
- Slow down the dystrophic changes on the intervertebral discs
The following procedures are quite effective for this:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Hydromassage bath
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- Massage
- Traction (traction)
- Magneto and pharmacopuncture
- Exercise therapy
Osteochondrosis drug therapy:
- NSAIL
- Chondroprotectors
- Fats
- Muscle relaxants, whose action is aimed at relieving muscle cramps
If the above methods did not lead to a positive result, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is carried out surgically.
The operation consists of two phases:
- Elimination of the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy - removal of the intervertebral disc or only part of it.
- Foraminotomy - widening of the root canal to prevent nerve compression by a disc or bone thorn.
- Facetectomy - removal of facet joints that are located between the processes of the vertebral joints in order to eliminate the entrapment of nerve fibers.
- Laminectomy - removes the back of the vertebrae, which compresses the spinal cord when deformed.
- Laminotomy - the difference from the previous operation is the removal of a fragment of the posterior part of the vertebra.
- Corpectomy - removal of the vertebrae and adjacent discs with the insertion of a bone implant.
- Spine stabilization. When the vertebrae or disc are removed, the supporting structure of the human body is disturbed, which can lead to the appearance of serious neurological conditions. To avoid negative consequences, the vertebrae must be fixed. The most commonly used method is vertebral fusion (spinal fusion), which creates the conditions for joining the bones of the spine. The resulting cavities are filled with transplants from the bones of the patient or donor, as well as special biological substances that stimulate the renewal of bone tissue.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with alternative methods
In this case, it should be about relieving pain, which can only be used in combination with full-fledged treatment. Various herbs that have anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative properties are used for this.
To consolidate a positive treatment result, it is necessary to eat properly, try to avoid stressful situations and reasonable physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis will bother you much less often.