In the modern world, it is not just humanity that is progressing.Unfortunately, the diseases that affect people are also constantly moving and developing.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in elderly people.Now the age categories of patients have expanded significantly and include women, men and children of various ages.
The rarity of the manifestations of this disease is based on the fact that the thoracic part of the spinal region is inactive, which excludes various injuries and damage.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilaginous tissue of the spine undergoes serious changes that lead to a violation of its integrity.
If you do not contact a specialist in a timely manner, irreversible changes occur, which can only be stopped by surgical intervention.
In the chain of disease development, the skeletal system of the spine comes first, followed by cartilaginous formations, ligaments and muscles of the spine.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed at a young age, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
There are 4 degrees of development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine according to symptoms and treatment, on which the patient's well-being depends:
- I graduated.Symptoms are mild or completely absent.Bumps occur.
- II degree.Intervertebral discs lose elasticity and height.There is a loss of stability in the spine.The first pains appear.
- III degree.At this stage, hernias are detected with severe pain.
- IV degree.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete deprivation of the intervertebral discs of their basic functions.
Symptoms and signs
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on gender, the degree of development of the disease and the patient's mobility.Most symptoms appear with certain degrees of stress and fatigue, as well as prolonged stay in the same position.
How thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself:
- Chest pain, which is especially severe during prolonged periods of inactivity.
- There is a feeling of pressure in the middle of the back.Deep inhalations and exhalations are also difficult.
- Pain that is caused when any movements associated with the spine are included in physical activity.Hand movements, bending, turning.
- Long-lasting back pain.
- Neurological disorders of certain parts of the body, which are manifested by numbness.
- Increased sensitivity of some areas of the skin (so-called goosebumps).
- Unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities.
- Due to vascular damage in thoracic osteochondrosis, local symptoms appear on the skin in the form of peeling.The changes also affect the nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms may also differ by sex.Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are somewhat different from those in men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the affected disc area.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs that arise along the innervation of the pinched nerve.
- Compression symptoms.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men appear much earlier than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most differences appear only in the severity of symptoms, since men lead a much more active lifestyle.
In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis in women is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
In thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms and sensations can be similar to those in the development of heart disease, therefore, at the time of diagnosis, studies of the functioning of the heart are also carried out.
Treatment
The chronic course of the disease is different, since at any time an exacerbation can occur, the symptoms of which are very pronounced.The patient experiences severe back pain and difficulty breathing.
Before curing thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to understand the nature of the exacerbation and the extent of the disease.Typically, the causes of such conditions are specific factors:
- Stressful situations.
- Very difficult work.
- Prolonged exposure to low temperature environments.
- Weight lifting or active sports.
Treatment is mainly based on an etiological approach.In other words, the factor that caused the acute phase is excluded.In severe cases of the disease, a limited daily regimen is recommended.Here are some principles of the approach:
- Low mobility mode.
- A diet containing large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber is prescribed.
- Drug treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Local therapy, including massages (as indicated), use of external forms of medications with an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
Medication
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of treating pinched nerve fibers.The first step is to alleviate symptoms that cause significant suffering to the patient.
Medicines of choice are prescribed individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and main.Its effects appear from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.Medications are taken orally or administered parenterally.They have a number of positive properties.Firstly, they improve the patient's quality of life, restoring their ability to move normally.
Unfortunately, this group of drugs also has a number of negative indicators.Contraindications include gastrointestinal diseases.An absolute ban is imposed in the presence of an ulcer or acute gastritis.If kidney and liver function is impaired, medications require dosage adjustment.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of medications that significantly alleviate the patient's condition.When an inflammatory process occurs at the vertebral level, there is a strong muscle spasm of the fibers around the inflamed area.Prolonged spasm also causes severe pain in the segment area.Muscle relaxants eliminate this spasm, thereby relieving the pain.
The use of these medications is not recommended if the patient drives a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complexes.Used to relieve inflammation in nerve fibers and stabilize nerve membranes.More often than others, B vitamins and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective medications.Combinations of chondroitin with glucosamine in different dosages.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in joint tissue and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect with glucose.The course of treatment with chondroprotectors is long-term and repeated at intervals.
Side effects are mainly observed in the gastrointestinal tract.This is bloating and burping.
To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, special medications in the form of injections are used.Management principles vary.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in cream and ointment form.
In thoracic osteochondrosis, drug treatment is based on the principles of relieving the inflammatory process and releasing the compressed nerve.
It is important to note that even long courses of anti-inflammatory treatment, in the absence of other corrective courses of treatment, will not be able to alleviate the patient's suffering for a long time.
If the attending physician recommends massage procedures, they must be carried out.
Massage
Before treating osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is made and the first stage of treatment is prescribed, which includes the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.
This set of measures is aimed at relieving spasm and inflammation in the area of the affected segment.Only after achieving certain results in the first phase can we talk about the benefits of massage.
How to cure osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with massage?
Massage procedures can also relieve muscle spasticity and improve blood supply to the damaged area.
- Acupressure.Procedure where a specialist's hands act on specific points, improving their blood supply and relieving the inflammatory process.It is important to know that pain is not allowed during acupressure.Acute pain syndrome is an absolute contraindication to such massage.
- Massage the affected segment.Provides excellent effects, improving blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissues begin to actively renew themselves, which has a beneficial effect on therapy.
- Classic massage.Osteochondrosis in the thoracic region due to symptoms of the acute phase cannot be treated with classical massage.Any vibrations or displacements can cause severe pain.Only after complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and the inflammatory process can classical massage be performed.
- Plastic massage.Recommended for all stages of the disease, it presents excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next type of massage.
As getting rid of thoracic osteochondrosis is a complex task, the combination of massage with conservative treatment is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
Physical training
Thoracic osteochondrosis with signs of stages I-II of the disease is treated with physiotherapy, which has a beneficial effect on the muscle layers in the region of the affected segment, strengthens the ligaments and eliminates the development of protrusions.
If the stage of the disease is characterized by severe pain, conservative treatment is first carried out, massages are performed, and only then - exercise therapy.
What is exercise therapy?This is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improve the blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are several exercises that have worked well:
- Raise your arms as you exhale and lean back taking a deep breath.This is followed by a slow bow with the back arched upwards.
- Sitting, using the back of a chair for support, lean back with your hands behind your head.
- Supporting yourself on 4 limbs, bend and arch your back, fixing the highest and lowest positions possible.
- Position – emphasis lying on your stomach.A diligent top flexion is performed in an attempt to lift the torso off the floor.
- Exercise boat.
Its effectiveness depends on the diligence with which the patient performs each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5-7 times.Before starting classes, warm up to avoid sprains and injuries.
Traction
What to do if the pathology is detected at the initial stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.Through this procedure, muscle spasm is eliminated and the displaced vertebrae return to their place.The deformation of the spine is overcome.
What types of traction are there:
- Dry traction.This procedure is easier to perform than others.If the disease is detected at the first stage, a horizontal bar is perfect.If strong dislocations and prolonged spasms are observed, special beds and exercise equipment are used.These tools correctly dose the load and its duration.
- Wet traction.It is performed in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment and also, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
In thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms during treatment with classical regimens can return several times a year.For prevention, traction and exercise therapy are used, which eliminate the risk of protrusions and strong dislocations.
Reviews about physiotherapeutic procedures in the remission phases and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendations and implementation of these procedures are fully justified!
Surgery
What to do if the chosen methods do not produce results?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses according to the symptoms after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens due to visiting the doctor too late.
Unfortunately, if the integrity of the intervertebral disc is compromised and a hernia is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to avoid potentially fatal consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed and the patient's mobility is limited until complete recovery.
Conclusion
Therapy of osteochondrosis in all its stages and with any approach depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself, how much tissue is affected and, most importantly, what the prognosis is for certain procedures.Based on these diagnostic aspects, therapeutic measures begin.