Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is less common than cervical or lumbar. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are much more firmly connected to each other, and movement in the joints is minimal. In addition, this part of the spine has muscular protection and is more rigidly bound by ribs.
However, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is such a disease, the treatment of which should not be delayed until later, as this can lead to undesirable consequences.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The main reason is dystrophic-degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral disc. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Descendants
- Nutrition and metabolic disorders
- Overweight
- Increased physical activity
- Physically inactive, long stays in one position
- Spinal cord injuries
- Nervous tension
- Old age
- Smoking
- Hypothermia
All these factors affect the nutrition of the intervertebral disc, leading to metabolic disorders and the onset of degenerative transformation in it.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
The same pathology makes itself felt by a painful sensation.
They are of two types:
- Dorsago or chest lumbago. This is a sudden, sharp and severe pain that occurs in the spine when trying to stand after being in the same position for a long time, usually working long hours on a table in a body tilted position. Pain is felt even during breathing, the muscles are in a tense state, movement in the thorax and adjacent spine is limited.
- Dorsalgia (back pain). In this case, the pain is not so noticeable, during rest it causes only a slight discomfort. But when you try to bend over or take a deep breath, it becomes stronger. In this condition, the mobility of the spine is reduced, the back muscles are tense.
- With the defeat of the first root, a decrease in sensitivity occurs and pain occurs in the upper thoracic vertebrae, spreading to the suprascapular area up to the elbow joint.
- If there is compression of 2-6 roots, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and spreads from the spine to the interscapular and axillary areas.
- Compression of the 7th and 8th roots leads to tension in the muscles of this zone and the occurrence of a painful sensation of the nature of the girdle from the costa-vertebral joint to the epigastric region.
- Defeat of roots 9 and 10 causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, spreading to the navel, 11 and 12 - below the navel.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can be indicated by pain between the ribs. This is due to compression of the nerve root, which results in decreased sensitivity and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of thoracic spine osteochondrosis
Radicular syndrome is often accompanied by complaints about internal organs:
- Defeat of the upper thoracic root may be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, there is a feeling of the appearance of foreign bodies there. These symptoms can occur periodically or continuously, and when you press on the area of the spine affected by osteochondrosis, it becomes stronger.
- If the middle thoracic root is affected, discomfort and pain occur in the abdomen, exacerbated by prolonged lying on a hard surface facing upwards and by moving in the corresponding part of the spine.
- If pathological changes have occurred below, there is discomfort in the duodenum, which increases during coughing or sneezing, turning the body or prolonged sitting.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can cause abdominal disorders. In this case, there are:
- Nausea
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- constipation
- left hypochondrial disease
- Bloated stomach
- Possibility of vomiting
In connection with the disturbance of the normal function of the duodenum, the following may occur:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back
- belch
- Nausea
- Weight in the right hypochondrium
- Sometimes bloating and vomiting
Often, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can lead to the onset of symptoms characteristic of heart disease:
- Burning chest on the left
- Cutting, burning, suppressing heartache
- Sensation of narrowing in the throat
Osteochondrosis can cause laryngeal spasm (laryngospasm), during an attack in which breathing becomes difficult and becomes wheezing, coughing may occur. In this case, it is very important to determine whether the symptoms are not lung pathology.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
Due to the fact that various pathologies can be hidden under the disease, you need to be examined by a neurologist, who, after examination, will give instructions for the following studies:
- 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:
- Relieves pain
- Restores spinal root function
- Slow dystrophic changes in the intervertebral disc
For this, the following procedure is quite effective:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Whirlpool bath
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- massage
- Traction
- Magneto and pharmacopunctures
- Exercise therapy
Drug therapy for osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs
- Chondroprotectors
- Ointment
- Muscle relaxation, an action aimed at relieving muscle spasms
If the listed methods do not lead to positive results, treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is performed surgically.
The operation consists of two stages:
- Removal of the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy - removal of the intervertebral disc or only part of it.
- Foraminotomy - enlarges the root canal to prevent nerve compression by discs or bone spurs.
- Facetectomy - removal of a facet joint located between the vertebral processes of the joint to remove nerve fiber traps.
- Laminectomy - the back of the vertebra is removed, which compresses the spinal cord during deformation.
- Laminotomy - the difference from previous operations is the removal of fragments of the back of the vertebrae.
- Cortectomy - removal of vertebrae and discs adjacent to the insertion of bone implants.
- Spinal stabilization. When a vertebra or disc is removed, the supporting structures of the human body are disrupted, which can lead to the appearance of a serious neurological condition. To avoid negative consequences, the vertebrae must be repaired. Often, the vertebral fusion method (spinal fusion) is used, in which conditions are created for spinal fusion. The resulting voids are filled with grafts from the bones of the patient or donor, as well as special biological substances that stimulate the recovery 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 full treatment. For this, various herbs are used that have anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative properties.
To consolidate the positive results of treatment, it is necessary to eat properly, try to avoid stressful situations and reasonable physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis will bother you more often.