Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine: how to treat the spine?

7 November 2020

Sedentary lifestyle, constant presence at the computer, lack of physical activity are now more and more common. All these and many other factors, of course, affect the human body, which leads to a number of changes or diseases.

One of these diseases is osteochondrosis. Let's try to understand what thoracic osteochondrosis is, what types it has and how to deal with it.

What is osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosisis a disease that affects the intervertebral discs and other tissues of the spine. Simply put, the vertebrae are compressed, thereby compressing the intervertebral discs.

IMPORTANT! If the treatment is not done in time, the vertebrae become less elastic and begin to block the nerve endings in the spinal cord. At this stage, swelling and severe pain appear.

There are four types of osteochondrosis, each of which is named after the problematic part of the spine:

cervical;
;
chest;
.

Patients often do not know which specialist to consult for the treatment of osteochondrosis. It should be noted that the therapistwill refer the patient to a neurologist to clarify the diagnosis. If the case is difficult, you may need the help of a vertebrologist, a narrow specialist in the field of spinal diseases.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine or thoracic chondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region (or simply chondrosis) of the spine is a degenerative-dystrophic disease caused by changes in the intervertebral discs of the thoracic vertebrae.

what does osteochondrosis of the thoracic region look like

If we look in more detail, thoracic osteochondrosis first affects the bone tissue (vertebrae), and with development it begins to affect the cartilage tissue. Subsequently, osteochondrosis can lead not only to severe pain, but also to other diseases, and sometimes even disabilities.

Let's see how thoracic osteochondrosis is diagnosed in patients. Most patients have clear signs of the disease. In the advanced stages, a specialist can determine the exact disease with a simple examination. In other cases, an x-ray or MRI is required for a complete picture.

Degrees of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region

It is important to say that there is no exact transition period from one degree to another, everything depends solely on the individual characteristics of the human body.

There are four stages of thoracic osteochondrosis, which pass gradually:

1 degree. The onset of thoracic osteochondrosis, when the patient feels almost nothing. There is no severe or persistent pain and sometimes even discomfort. Such sensations appear only after intense overwork or physical exertion, but most often the disease may not manifest itself at all.
2nd degree.The second degree is accompanied by the destruction of cartilage tissue and, consequently, by a decrease in intervertebral fissures and pinching of nerve endings, lymphatic vessels and even arteries.
3rd degree.In this phase, the fixed changes in the spine begin. Fixed means irreversible. For example, scoliosis, kyphosis, hump and others develop.
4th degree.This is the last and most severe degree of the disease, which threatens with very serious consequences. At this stage, the consequences are almost irreversible, because the changes in the spine become very serious.

Causes of thoracic osteochondrosis

Consider the list of causes (predisposing factors) of the onset of the disease:

pathological changes in the intervertebral discs;
intervertebral hernia;
impaired blood supply to the spinal cord;
lack of nutrients in the body (for example, calcium);
severe spinal injuries;
lifting of weights or regular heavy loads on the spine;
constantly being in an uncomfortable and unnatural position in the absence of exercise or physical activity (sedentary lifestyle);
curvature of the spine.

Symptoms and signs of thoracic osteochondrosis

Each disease has its own symptoms and manifestations characteristic of the pathology. Osteochondrosis is no exception, although when it comes to chest disease, symptoms are often confused with heart or lung disease.

Let us consider a list of the main characteristic symptoms of thoracic chondrosis:

Chest pain or burning.The main distinguishing feature of this particular type of disease is chest pain that occurs after severe physical exertion, when bending to the sides, with severe hypothermia or when the patient is in one position for a long time (for example, in sleep).
Pain between the shoulder blades.The exacerbation of pain is associated with the lifting of the arms and strong push-ups to the sides.
Dull pains, which appear during deep breaths and exhalation.
Cough.Cough does not appear immediately and often when this symptom appears, patients begin treatment with viral drugs, which is a big mistake.
Discomfort between the ribs when walking. The symptom can appear even in the early stages of the disease.
Shortness of breath.It becomes difficult for a person to breathe during exertion.
Night sweats.At night, a person is in one position for a long time, which causes not only pain, but also sweating.
Numbness of the hands at night.The limbs may become numb, the symptom appears in the second stage of the disease, when the vertebrae clamp nerve endings and some blood vessels.
Temperature.It does not always appear and is more often accompanied by severe pain.
Intercostal neuralgia. The patient feels stiffness and squeezing, as if an invisible corset is tightening in the chest area.
Increased blood pressure.
Panic attacks.Panic attacks are typical of advanced cases (stages 3 and 4).
Pain in the esophagus.
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region and heart.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region and heart

The causes of cardiac pains or extrasystoles are often osteochondrosis of the thoracic region. The pains are long lasting (period 1-2 weeks) or strong and wavy. Often, along with the latter, there is a rapid heartbeat.

Patients often turn to cardiologists by mistake. But the examination reveals that this is only a side effect of another disease, so the "heart" pills do not bring the desired result.

Osteochondrosis during pregnancy and lactation in women

Chondrosis of the thoracic region often appears during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Most often, it all begins during pregnancy, when a woman is experiencing severe physical exertion. All this along with pregnancy can lead to curvatures in the thoracic or lumbar regions.

During the period of breastfeeding, the situation is often aggravated, because often mothers are in the wrong position for a long time when breastfeeding a baby, are carried on their hands for too long or "rocked". However, during the whole period, practically no one was able to start the disease beyond 2nd degree.

VSD in osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is the cause of the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Experts say that VSD is not an independent disease, but that this ailment is always a different problem, which in total can lead to serious consequences.

VSD in this case can manifest itself with poor posture during sleep, lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight and so on. As a result of two diseases, the patient's blood pressure begins to rise, insomnia, numbness of the hands, memory impairment and much more.

Osteochondrosis and scoliosis

Scoliosisis a congenital or acquired lateral curvature of the spine. If we talk about congenital scoliosis, then everything is clear. The acquired one is interesting in this case, because it appears more often for a reason.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can often be the cause of scoliosis, although the cause may be different. Scoliosis can develop in the third stage of the disease.

Spiked chondrosis

"Spines" are osteophytes of the spine, which are the growth of bone tissue along the joint processes or along the vertebrae. They are called spines because they often look like spines that grow from the spine on X-rays.

This disease may be the cause of advanced osteochondrosis. This is a natural reaction of the body, which tries to increase the area of the vertebrae so that the displacement does not create so much pressure. It is the "thorns" that are most often the cause of hardening of the cartilage tissue.

Typical manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis in women

The female body differs from the male in many respects, therefore, with this disease, it has a number of features. In women, many autonomous nerve fibers pass into the thoracic region, which go to the limbs and internal organs.

In women, chondrosis presents a number of additional symptoms that patients often confuse.

This includes:

heart pain;
stomach pains;
pain in the liver area;
pain in the mammary glands;
feeling numb or cold in the hands and feet.

Aggravation of thoracic osteochondrosis

Aggravation occurs most often in spring and autumn, when weather conditions change dramatically, the body lacks essential vitamins, and human activity increases.

The exacerbation of thoracic osteochondrosis is divided into two types:

Dorsago.Sharp and sudden pain that appears after a long stay in an uncomfortable position. There is a feeling that the patient has had a thrust of the dagger between the shoulder blades, which is very similar to the symptom of myocardial infarction. It is advisable to seek help from the hospital specialists.
Back pain.It appears gradually and lasts 2-3 weeks. The pain becomes quite severe and permanent, intensifying with bending, deep breathing, or prolonged stay in one position. Gradually move on with exercise and drug treatment.

Exacerbation is a strong sensation of pain that occurs not only when in one position for a long time or with a strong load, but simply for no reason. The pain can radiate to different parts of the breastbone.

What to do in case of an acute pain attack?

Most often, such attacks occur in people who have already consulted a doctor, have orthopedic mattresses, corsets and know what physiotherapy exercises are. Those who are unaware of their illness often call an ambulance, which is also a good option.

However, some tips are useful:

Lie down and try to give your body maximum rest. When a person lies, the stress on the vertebrae is minimal. It is best to lie on your back or in a fetal position.
Take painkillers if the pain is unbearable.Also consult your doctor for advice.
Try to lie as much as possible during the first few days,until the pain subsides.
As soon as the pain subsides, you should start getting up more often and doing physical therapy exercises.

How to lower blood pressure in case of chest chondrosis at home?

It has already been said that hypertension is a symptom and at the same time a side effect of the disease in question.

If the cause of high blood pressure is osteochondrosis, blood pressure can be lowered in the following ways:

Normalization of the blood supply to the brain.For this, there are drugs that should be taken regularly on the advice of a doctor.
Relief from muscle spasms.Regular physical therapy, massage and physiotherapy can do it.
Removal of tissue edema.Physiotherapy, massage and acupuncture are also very effective.

How and how to treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic region?

Treatment of the disease in question usually takes a long time and includes a number of procedures. Some can be done at home on their own, and some only on the advice of specialists. Consider the various treatments.

Treatment of breast osteochondrosis at home

Basic home treatments:

physiotherapy exercises or at least simple exercises in the morning;
special mattress;
simple self-massage techniques;
herbal baths and rubs to relieve pain and restore blood circulation.

Medicines and drugs

It is important to remember that pain relief and treatment are two different things. You should not constantly endure and use painkillers, you need to take medication.

ATTENTION! It is very important to understand that osteochondrosis is a serious disease, so it is necessary to take pills strictly on the recommendation of a specialist after a complete diagnosis!

Consider a list of the most popular medicines:

Painkiller.Must be taken in case of exacerbation.
Hodroprotectors(restores cartilage tissue).
Injections and injections.Most often prescribed on the recommendation of a doctor, depending on the degree of the disease and the patient's predisposition to certain drugs.
Ointments and gels.
Vitamin complexes.Any vitamin complex is suitable, it is important that it contains B vitamins.

Massage and manual therapy

Massages are recommended for all types of osteochondrosis, because they help relieve tension, pain, restore the functioning of the nervous and circulatory systems. But it is important to understand that massage should be therapeutic.

Manual therapyis a procedure very similar to massage but uses slightly different techniques. Manual therapy is an impact on the anatomical structures of the human body with the hands of a specialist, to eliminate restrictions and relax the muscles.

The peculiarity of the manual massage is that it can be performed in different positions (lying on the back, not on the side, standing or sitting). Often during pressing, bending, stretching or other techniques, the patient may feel pain, but after the procedure there is always lightness and "freedom".

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is not accessible to everyone, but it is still quite effective. The procedure helps to get rid of the discomfort, and also starts the recovery processes.

In the early stages, acupuncture can be an important treatment tool, eliminating the need for medications or other procedures to treat breast osteochondrosis.

Physiotherapy

Electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, laser therapy, shock wave therapy, balneotherapy and vibration method are often used.

It is important to note that there are a number of contraindications to these procedures, so you should consult a specialist.

Physiotherapy and exercise

The main task of physiotherapy exercises for thoracic osteochondrosis is to strengthen the muscles of the back, the muscles of the shoulder complex and the respiratory muscles. It is recommended to practice physical therapy in special groups, but you can do exercises at home. It is very important to choose exercises for a specific disease and not to exercise during exacerbations.

Let's take a look at some basic exercises:

Sitting in a chair, rest your upper back against your back and lean back as far as possible with your hands behind your head(it is important thatthoracic region to function). Next, the maximum forward fold is performed. Repeat 4-5 times.
Also, sitting in a chair and placing your hands behind your head, take a deep breath and then lean back 3-5 times, resting your upper back on your back.Then repeat the forward bend and slowly exhale 4-6 times.
Lying on your stomach, bend in the thoracic region as much as possible(but not abruptly), trying to lift your head and legs as high as possible. Repeat 5-8 times.
Stand up, arms down, legs together.Raise your arms at the entrance and then lean back. After your arms are lowered on exhalation and a forward lean, you need to try to round your back.

There are many simple back exercises that can help cure diseases and are great for prevention or morning exercises.

Most of the exercises are simple and taken from physical therapy or yoga:

A series of effective exercises with a stick. A simple set of exercises to strengthen the back muscles and straighten the spine. The complex includes 5 basic exercises that must be performed daily.
Exercises for osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with protrusion. In this case, it is recommended to perform the simplest physical therapy exercises, which include push-ups of the back in standing, lying and sitting positions.
Isometric exercises.

Isothermal exercises are rarely used, so let's look at some examples:

Exercise of "Karate".In a sitting or standing position, the arms are bent at the elbows at an angle of 90 degrees, the fingers are clenched into fists, the back is straight, looking forward. Alternatively, each hand strikes in front of it.
Exercise "Ballerina". Sitting in a chair, your hands are locked in front of you at shoulder height. Turns to the right and left are performed alternately to the maximum (not abruptly). If pain occurs during exercise, it must be stopped.
Japanese greeting exercise. Hands are crossed in front of you at chest height, palm to palm. Pressure is applied with both hands for 30 seconds. After that, you need a door. Place your hands on the edges of the opening and hold them. There is no need to press with your hands anywhere, just hold to bend with your hands (as if to go through the opening) forward and then back.

The author's methods of doing gymnastics will help reduce the manifestations of severe symptoms:

7 basic exercises by Alexandra Boninafor thoracic chondrosis.
Author's Bubnovsky method.This is a complex treatment of osteochondrosis that uses special gymnastics, as well as unique special simulators. According to the creator, the disease can be cured by this method even without drugs.
Gymnastics from the cervico-thoracic chondrosis of Dr. Popov.The main difference of this gymnastics is that it does not strengthen large muscles (like most other exercises), but, on the contrary, small ones. This type of gymnastics is also called micro-gymnastics.
Exercises according to the method of Dr. Shishonin.This method consists of 7 simple but unique exercises that strengthen the muscles of the spine and chest.

Treatment with folk remedies

Consider the most popular and effective folk remedies: herbal baths, rubbing based on calendula and dandelion, tincture of chamomile, as well as tincture based on lemon balm leaves and orange peel. Often in folk medicine, various rubs are used.

Ficus tincture with butter:

Chop some ficus leaves and mix them with the butter in a 1: 1 ratio.
Then put the mixture in a hot oven for 1. 5 hours, then take it out and strain.
The cooled substance should be rubbed daily along the spine.

The potato wrap will also be effective for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis:

Take 4-5 potatoes and boil them, then mash them and turn them into a thick puree.
This puree is wrapped in several layers of the stamp and applied to the affected area of the spine.
After that, the compress is covered with a woolen scarf or thick towel, held until it cools down.
When the potatoes have cooled, remove the compress and rub the sore spot with alcohol, then lie down under the covers. Repeat every two days before bedtime until the pain subsides.

Prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis

The prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis is an active lifestyle, without excessive stress. Proper nutrition, intake of vitamin and mineral complexes, as well as regular medical visits.

But if you deviate from the general rules, you can distinguish several characteristics:

Sleeping on an orthopedic mattress in natural positions.
When working in a sedentary manner, keep your back straight, periodically standing up and warming up.
Morning exercise, exercise classes, yoga and the like.

Such activities have a positive effect on the spine and the body as a whole, so regular moderate physical activity will help prevent spinal diseases.

In summary, we say that osteochondrosis is a serious disease that must be treated without fail. It is not recommended to self-medicate, especially if the pain becomes a constant companion. But it's also worth not forgetting that prevention is the best treatment, so a healthy lifestyle is the key to success and good health!