Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease manifested by the degradation of the tissue structure of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. There are three types of osteochondrosis, depending on which part of the spine is affected: lumbar, thoracic and cervical.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine
Thoracic osteochondrosis does not manifest itself immediately and in the initial stages it can be almost invisible. Therefore, in order not to start the disease, you should not ignore its first symptoms and manifestations.
The main symptom is chest pain during movement, physical activity, and also when maintaining one position of the body for a long time. It can manifest as a sharp, sudden and severe pain that makes it difficult to move and breathe (dorsago) or as a moderate pain that gradually increases (dorsalgia).
Symptoms similar to dorsalgia do not always indicate the presence of problems with the spine, therefore, for an accurate diagnosis, it is advisable to undergo a comprehensive examination.
Symptoms may also include tightness in the chest muscles, a feeling of tightness, a feeling of weakness in the limbs, and partial or complete loss of sensation in the limbs.
Symptoms can also manifest at the level of the autonomic system, especially as follows:
- headache;
- sleep disorders;
- pain in internal organs, which can be confused with manifestations of other diseases (for example, pain in the stomach, heart and kidneys);
- local peeling of the skin, thinning of the nails;
- cold feeling in hands and feet, chills;
- disturbed sweating in the place where the nerve fibers are compressed by the affected vertebra.
If you have discovered any of the above symptoms and need to contact a doctor who treats osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine or another specialist, contact a professional medical center. Doctors will choose a convenient time for your appointment and answer all your questions.
Since some symptoms are characteristic of osteochondrosis and a number of other diseases (such as stomach ulcers, gastritis, kidney and heart failure, hypertension, migraine), an ultrasound examination and an EKG are recommended to rule out these pathologies.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
There are many reasons for the occurrence of the disease. More specifically, there are a number of factors that negatively affect health and can cause osteochondrosis. For each patient, the set of such factors may be different, therefore, in order to identify and exclude them, we recommend that you seek advice from a neurologist.
List of the most common situations that negatively affect the spine:
- excessive physical activity;
- passive lifestyle;
- incorrect posture and incorrect position of the body during sleep, when sitting at the table, etc. ;
- hereditary diseases;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- injuries;
- and a number of other factors.
Consequences of the development of thoracic osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the chest, in addition to the similarity of symptoms with other diseases, is also dangerous in that it can cause the onset of many different diseases due to the compression of blood vessels and nerve endings by damaged vertebrae.
Thus, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can lead to diseases of internal organs (heart, kidneys, stomach, lungs, intestines), as well as pathology of the respiratory system.
Diagnosis and treatment of the thoracic spine
A complete examination, diagnosis and diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is possible only with the use of an integrated approach. The doctor usually turns to diagnostic methods such as:
- oral examination of the patient to determine symptoms and negative factors affecting the body;
- examination and palpation of the spine;
- checking reflexes, skin and muscle sensitivity;
- radiography to determine the localization of the disease;
- a computed tomography (CT) scan to determine whether spinal cord lesions are present;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can evaluate all the tissues and vessels around the spine.
If you are not sure which doctor you should contact with your symptoms, go to a specialized clinic for an examination, where they will tell you which specialist will help you solve the problem.
An integrated approach can also be used to treat spine problems in a medical center. The combination of different treatment methods and modern rehabilitation procedures makes it possible to eliminate the manifestations of the disease and reduce the risk of recurrence due to the overall health of the organism.
Some methods that have been proven to treat spine problems:
- physiotherapy;
- osteopathy;
- manual therapy;
- psychotherapy;
- drug therapy.
Keep in mind that only a doctor can prescribe a competent and effective treatment. If you have any doubts about what tests or procedures you need, please contact the experts for advice.