Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease characterized by structural deterioration of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. There are three types of osteochondrosis, depending on the part of the spine affected by the disease: lumbar, thoracic and cervical.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine
Thoracic osteochondrosis does not manifest itself immediately and in the early stages can be almost invisible. Therefore, in order not to provoke the disease, you should not ignore its first symptoms and manifestations.
The main symptom is pain in the chest during movement, physical activity, and also when maintaining one body position for a long time. It can manifest itself as a sharp, sudden and severe pain that makes movement and breathing difficult (dorsago) or as a moderate pain, gradually increasing (dorsalgia).
Symptoms similar to dorsalgia do not always indicate the presence of a problem 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, tightness, 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, specifically 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 skin peeling, nail thinning;
- coldness in the arms and legs, shivering;
- sweating is affected at the site where the nerve fibers are pinched by the affected vertebra.
If you have found any of the listed symptoms and you need to consult a doctor who treats osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine or any other specialist, contact a professional medical center. The doctor will choose a suitable time for your appointment and answer any questions you may have.
Since some symptoms are characteristic of both osteochondrosis and some other diseases (such as stomach ulcers, gastritis, kidney and heart failure, hypertension, migraine), it is recommended to undergo an ultrasound and ECG examination to exclude this pathology.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
There are several reasons for the occurrence of this disease. More precisely, there are several factors that have a negative impact on health and can trigger osteochondrosis. For each patient, the set of factors may be different, therefore, to identify and exclude them, we recommend seeking advice from a neurologist.
List of the most common situations that have a negative effect on the spine:
- excessive physical activity;
- passive lifestyle;
- incorrect posture and wrong body position while sleeping, while sitting at the table, etc. ;
- hereditary disease;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- injury;
- and several other factors.
As a result of the development of thoracic osteochondrosis
Thoracic osteochondrosis, in addition to the similarity of symptoms with other diseases, is also dangerous because it can trigger the occurrence of many different diseases due to the compression of blood vessels and nerve endings by damaged vertebrae.
Therefore, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can cause diseases of internal organs (heart, kidneys, stomach, lungs, intestines), as well as pathologies of the respiratory system.
Diagnosis and treatment of thoracic spine
A complete examination, diagnosis and diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is possible only when using an integrated approach. Doctors usually turn to diagnostic methods such as:
- verbal interrogation of the patient to identify symptoms and negative factors affecting the body;
- examination and palpation of the spine;
- check reflexes, skin and muscle sensitivity;
- radiography to determine the localization of the disease;
- computed tomography (CT) to determine whether a spinal cord lesion is 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 appointment, where they will tell you which specialist will help solve the problem.
To treat spine problems in a medical center, it is also possible to use an integrated approach. The combination of various treatment methods and modern rehabilitation procedures make it possible to eliminate the manifestations of the disease and reduce the risk of relapse due to the overall health of the body.
Some methods that have proven themselves in the treatment of spine problems:
- physiotherapy;
- osteopathy;
- manual therapy;
- psychotherapy;
- drug therapy.
Please note that only a doctor can prescribe efficient and effective treatment. If you have any doubts about the test or procedure you need, please contact a specialist for advice.