In the modern world, not only humanity is progressing.Unfortunately, the diseases that affect humans are also in constant motion and development.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in the elderly.Now the age categories of patients have been significantly expanded and include women, men and children of different 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 damages.
In osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilaginous tissue of the spinal column undergoes serious changes that lead to a violation of their integrity.
If you do not consult a specialist in time, irreversible changes occur that can only be stopped by surgical intervention.
In the chain of disease development, the first place is the skeletal system of the spine, followed by cartilage, ligaments and muscles of the spinal column.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed at a juvenile age, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
There are 4 stages of development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine according to symptoms and treatment, on which the patient's well-being depends:
- I degree.Symptoms are mild or absent.Bumps appear.
- 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 revealed with severe pain.
- IV degree.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete denial of the basic functions of the intervertebral discs.
Symptoms and signs
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on the patient's gender, degree of disease development and mobility.Most of the symptoms occur with certain degrees of stress and fatigue, as well as with prolonged stay in the same position.
How is thoracic osteochondrosis manifested:
- Chest pain, which is especially severe during a long period of inactivity.
- Pressure is felt in the middle part of the back.Deep inhalations and exhalations are also difficult.
- Pain that occurs when any movement related to the spine is included in the physical activity.Hand movements, bending, turning.
- Long-term back pain.
- Neurological disorders of certain parts of the body, which are manifested by numbness.
- Increased sensitivity on some parts 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 reduced libido may occur.
Symptoms may also differ by gender.Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are somewhat different from those in men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the area of the affected disc.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs that arise along the innervation of a pinched nerve.
- Symptoms of compression.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men appear much earlier than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most of the differences appear only in the severity of symptoms, since men lead a much more active lifestyle.
Also, thoracic osteochondrosis in women is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
In case of thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms and feelings can be similar to those during the development of heart diseases, therefore, when establishing the diagnosis, heart work studies are also carried out.
Treatment
The chronic course of the disease differs in that an exacerbation can develop at any moment, the symptoms of which are very pronounced.The patient feels 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.Usually the causes of such conditions are specific factors:
- Stressful situations.
- Very hard work.
- Prolonged exposure to low temperatures.
- Weight lifting or active sports.
Treatment is primarily based on an etiological approach.That is, 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 approach:
- Low mobility mode.
- A diet containing large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber is prescribed.
- Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis with drugs.
- Local therapy, including massages (according to indications), application of external forms of anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
Medicines
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with drugs is based on the classical principles of treatment of pinched nerve fibers.The first step is to relieve the symptoms that are causing the patient significant suffering.
Medicines of choice are prescribed individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and main.Its effects appear from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.Medicines are taken orally or parenterally.They have a number of positive properties.First of all, they improve the patient's quality of life, restoring his 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 ulcers or acute gastritis.If kidney and liver function is impaired, it is necessary to adjust the dose of drugs.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that significantly ease the patient's condition.When there is an inflammatory process at the level of the vertebrae, there is a strong spasm of the muscle fibers around the inflamed area.Prolonged spasm also causes severe pain in the segment area.Muscle relaxants eliminate this spasm and thus relieve pain.
It is not recommended to take these drugs if the patient is driving a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complexes.It is used to relieve inflammation in nerve fibers and stabilize nerve membranes.B vitamins and nicotinic acid are used more often than others.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combinations of chondroitin with glucosamine in different doses.
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 flatulence and belching.
For the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, special drugs in the form of injections are used.The principles of administration differ.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in cream and ointment form.
For thoracic osteochondrosis, drug treatment is based on the principles of alleviating the inflammatory process and releasing the pinched 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 relieve the patient of suffering for a long time.
If the doctor recommends massage procedures, they must be carried out.
Massage
Before treating osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is performed and the first phase of treatment is prescribed, which includes taking 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 chest with massage?
Massage procedures can further relieve muscle spasticity and improve blood flow to the damaged area.
- Acupressure.A procedure in which the specialist's hands act on certain points, improving their blood supply, which alleviates the inflammatory process.It is important to know that pain is not allowed during acupressure.Acute pain syndrome is an absolute contraindication for this type of massage.
- Massage the affected segment.It gives excellent effects by improving blood circulation in the entire area.At the same time, the soft tissues begin to actively regenerate, which has a favorable effect on the therapy.
- Classic massage.Osteochondrosis in the thoracic region cannot be treated with classical massage due to the symptoms of the acute phase.Any vibration or movement can cause severe pain.Classic massage can be performed only after the complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and the inflammatory process.
- Plastic massage.Indicated for all stages of the disease, it gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next type of massage.
Since the removal of thoracic osteochondrosis is a complex task, the combination of massage and conservative treatment is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
Physical training
Thoracic osteochondrosis with signs of the I-II stage of the disease is treated with physical therapy, which has a beneficial effect on the muscle layers in the area of the affected segment, strengthens the ligaments and eliminates the further development of protrusions.
If the stage of the disease is characterized by severe pain, then conservative treatment, massages, and only after that - exercise therapy are carried out.
What is exercise therapy?It is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improve the blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are a number of exercises that have worked well:
- Raise your arms while exhaling, bend back with a deep breath.This is followed by a slow bow with the back arched upwards.
- From a sitting position, using the back of the chair as support, bend backwards with your hands behind your head.
- Standing on all fours, bend and arch your back, fixing the highest and lowest possible position.
- Position - emphasis lying on the stomach.Valuable bending of the tip is carried out with an attempt to raise the trunk from the floor.
- Training boat.
Their effectiveness depends on how diligently the patient does each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Before starting the class, warm up to avoid sprains and injuries.
Traction
What to do if the pathology is detected in the initial stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.With this procedure, the muscle spasm is eliminated and the displaced vertebrae return to their place.Deformation of the spinal column has been overcome.
What types of traction are there:
- Dry towing.This procedure is easier to perform than the others.If the disease is detected in the first stage, then the horizontal strip is perfect.If strong movements and long-lasting spasms are observed, then special beds and exercise equipment are used.These tools correctly dose the load and its duration.
- Wet towing.It is performed in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment, and also, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
In case of thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms during treatment with classical regimens may return several times a year.For prevention, traction and exercise therapy are used, which eliminate the risk of protrusions and strong movements.
Reviews of physiotherapeutic procedures in the stages of remission and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendations and implementation of these procedures are completely justified!
Operation
What to do if the chosen methods do not give results?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses to symptoms after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens because of visiting the doctor too late.
Unfortunately, if the integrity of the intervertebral disc is damaged and a hernia is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to avoid life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed, and the patient's mobility is limited until complete recovery.
Conclusion
The therapy of osteochondrosis in all its stages and all approaches depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself, how many tissues are affected and most importantly, what is the prognosis for certain interventions.Based on these diagnostic aspects, therapeutic measures are initiated.