Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is less common than in the cervical or lumbar region. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the thoracic region are more tightly connected to each other and the movement in the joints is minimal. In addition, this part of the spine has muscle protection and is more rigidly fixed by the ribs.
However, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is such a disease that treatment should not be delayed, as it can lead to very undesirable consequences.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The main reason is dystrophic-degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. This may be due to the presence of scoliosis or the following factors:
- Heredity
- Nutrition and metabolic disorders
- Overweight
- Increased physical activity
- Physical inactivity, staying in one position for a long time
- Spinal cord injury
- Nervous tension
- Age forward
- To smoke
- Hypothermia
All these factors affect the nutrition of the intervertebral discs, which leads to metabolic disorders and the onset of degenerative transformations in them.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
A similar pathology is felt with painful sensations.
They are of two types:
- Dorsago or chest lumbago. This is a sudden, sharp and severe pain in the spine when trying to stand up after staying in the same position for a long time, usually when the body is working on a table for a long time in a bent position. The pain is felt even during breathing, the muscles are tense, and movements in the thoracic and adjacent spine are limited.
- Dorsalgia (low back pain). In this case, the pain is not so severe, it is only a slight discomfort at rest. But it gets stronger when you try to bend over or take a deep breath. In this case, the mobility of the spine decreases, the back muscles become tense.
- With the defeat of the first root, there is a decrease in sensitivity and pain occurs in the upper thoracic vertebra, extending to the suprascapular region up to the elbow joint.
- If there are 2-6 root compressions, the pain is concentrated in the ribs and spreads from the spine to the scapular and axillary regions.
- Compression of the 7th and 8th parts of the root causes tension in the muscles of this zone and painful sensations of a girdle nature from the rib-vertebral joints to the epigastric region.
- Defeat of the 9th and 10th roots causes pain in the lower thoracic vertebrae, spreads to the umbilicus, 11 and 12 - under the umbilicus.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine may include pain between the ribs. This is due to compression of the nerve roots, which results in decreased sensitivity and limited mobility.
Visceral manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis
Radicular syndromes are often accompanied by complaints of internal organs:
- Defeat of the upper thoracic roots may be accompanied by pain in the esophagus and pharynx, where there is a feeling of the appearance of a foreign body. These symptoms may occur intermittently or may be permanent and are exacerbated when you press on an area of the spine affected by osteochondrosis.
- If the middle thoracic roots are affected, there is a feeling of discomfort and pain in the stomach, which is aggravated by lying on a hard surface for a long time, moving the face upwards and in the corresponding part of the spine.
- If the following pathological changes occur, there is discomfort in the duodenum, which intensifies during coughing or sneezing, body twisting, or prolonged sitting.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can lead to gastric disorders. In this case, there are:
- nausea
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- pain in the left hypochondrium
- Flatulence
- Possible vomiting
In connection with the violation of the normal functioning of the duodenum, the following may occur:
- Pain in the epigastric region and back
- Beating
- nausea
- Weight in the right hypochondrium
- Sometimes swelling and vomiting
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can often lead to the onset of symptoms typical of heart disease:
- Burning chest on the left
- Heart failure, burning, squeezing pains
- Feeling of tightness in the throat
Osteochondrosis can cause spasm of the larynx (laryngospasm), during which attacks breathing becomes difficult and wheezy, and coughing may occur. In this case, it is very important to determine whether such symptoms are not pulmonary pathology.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
Because various pathologies can be masked under this disease, you should be examined by a neurologist who will prescribe the following tests after the examination:
- x-ray
- CT (computed tomography)
- MRT
As a rule, it is enough to identify and diagnose the pathology.
The main objectives in the treatment of osteochondrosis:
- Eliminate the pain
- Restore the function of the spinal roots
- Slow down dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs
The following procedures are very effective for this:
- Vacuum and laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Hydromassage baths
- Electrophoresis
- Inductometry
- Massage
- Traction
- Magneto and pharmacopuncture
- Exercise therapy
Drug treatment for osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs
- Chondroprotectors
- Ointments
- Muscle relaxants aimed at relieving muscle spasms
If these methods do not work, thoracic lumbar osteochondrosis is treated surgically.
The operation consists of two stages:
- Eliminate the cause of pain (decompression).
- Discectomy - removal of the intervertebral disc or part of it.
- Foraminotomy - dilation of the root canal to prevent compression of the nerve by discs or bone sparks.
- Facetectomy - removal of facet joints located between the processes of the vertebrae of the joints to eliminate the retention of nerve fibers.
- Laminectomy - the back of the vertebra that compresses the spinal cord is removed during the deformity.
- Laminotomy - the difference from the previous operation is the removal of a part of the back of the spine.
- Corpectomy - removal of the vertebrae and adjacent discs with the placement of a bone implant.
- Stabilization of the spine. When a vertebra or disc is removed, the supporting structure of the human body is disrupted, which can lead to the appearance of serious neurological conditions. The vertebrae must be stabilized to prevent adverse effects. The most commonly used method of spinal fusion (spinal fusion) is to create conditions for the fusion of the vertebrae. The resulting cavities are filled with bone grafts of the patient or donor, as well as special biological substances that stimulate the regeneration of bone tissue.
Alternative treatment of osteochondrosis
In this case, it should be about relieving pain that can only be used in conjunction with full-fledged treatment. For this purpose, various herbs with anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and sedative properties are used.
To enhance the positive results of treatment, it is necessary to try to eat properly, avoid stressful situations and reasonable physical activity. In this case, osteochondrosis will make you less anxious.