It is not only humanity that is progressing in the modern world.Unfortunately, the diseases that affect people are also in constant motion and evolution.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in older people.Now the age categories of patients have expanded significantly and include women, men and children of different ages.
The rarity of manifestations of this disease is based on the fact that the thoracic part of the spinal cord is passive, which excludes various injuries and damages.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilage tissue of the spinal column undergo serious changes that lead to a violation of their integrity.
If you do not contact a specialist in time, irreversible changes occur, which can be stopped only by surgical intervention.
In the chain of development of the disease, the skeletal system of the spine comes first, followed by the cartilage structures, ligaments and muscles of the spine.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed in adolescence, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
According to symptoms and treatment, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine has 4 degrees of development, on which the patient's well-being depends:
- I degree.Symptoms are mild or completely absent.Bulges are produced.
- Second degree.The elasticity and height of the intervertebral disc decreases.There is loss of stability in the spine.The first pain appears.
- Third degree.At this stage, hernia is detected with severe pain.
- Fourth degree.The spinal cord tissue is destroyed due to complete deprivation of the basic functions of the intervertebral discs.
symptoms and signs
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on gender, the degree of development of the disease and the mobility of the patient.Most symptoms appear with some degree of stress and fatigue, as well as with prolonged stay in the same position.
How does thoracic osteochondrosis manifest:
- Chest pain, which is especially severe during prolonged inactivity.
- Pressure is felt in the middle of the back.It is difficult to even take a deep breath and exhale.
- Pain that occurs when any activity involving the spine is involved in physical activity.Waving hands, bending, turning.
- Long term back pain.
- Neurological disorders of certain parts of the body, manifested by numbness.
- Increased sensitivity of certain areas of the skin (so-called goosebumps).
- Unpleasant sensations in the lower limbs.
- Local symptoms on the skin appear in the form of peeling due to vascular damage in thoracic osteochondrosis.The change also affects the nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms may also vary depending on gender.Symptoms 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 with innervation of a 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, as men lead more active lifestyles.
Furthermore, thoracic osteochondrosis in women is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms and sensations can be similar to those during the development of heart diseases, therefore, when making a diagnosis, the functioning of the heart is also studied.
Treatment
The chronic course of the disease differs in that at any time its acute form can develop, the symptoms of which are very pronounced.The patient experiences severe back pain and difficulty breathing.
Before treating thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to understand the nature of the exacerbation and the extent of the disease.Typically, such conditions are caused by specific factors:
- stressful situations.
- work too hard.
- Long stay in low temperature environment.
- Weight lifting or active sports.
Treatment is mainly based on etiological approach.That is, the factor that caused the acute condition is excluded.In severe cases of disease, a limited daily diet 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 massage (according to indications), the use of external forms of drugs with anti-inflammatory effect.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
medicines
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of treatment of pinched nerve fibers.The first step is to provide relief from the symptoms that cause the patient considerable distress.
The drugs of choice are determined individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and main.Its effect becomes visible from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.Medicines are taken orally or administered parenterally.He has many positive qualities.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.A complete ban is imposed in the presence of ulcers or acute gastritis.If kidney and liver function is impaired, the medications require dosage adjustment.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that significantly alleviate the patient's condition.When an inflammatory process occurs at the vertebral level, a strong muscle spasm of the fibers surrounding the inflamed area occurs.Prolonged cramps also cause severe pain in the stretch area.Muscle relaxants eliminate this spasm, thereby relieving pain.
It is not recommended to take these medicines if the patient drives a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin Complex.Used to relieve inflammation in nerve fibers and to stabilize nerve membranes.More often than others, vitamin B and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combination of chondroitin with glucosamine in various doses.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in joint tissues 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 seen in the gastrointestinal tract.This is bloating and belching.
To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, special drugs are used in the form of injections.Principles of administration vary.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in the form of cream and ointment.
For thoracic osteochondrosis, drug treatment is based on the principles of relieving 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 from long-term suffering.
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 carried out and the first stage of treatment is prescribed, which includes taking anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.
This set of measures is aimed at relieving spasm and swelling in the area of the affected segment.One can talk about the benefits of massage only after achieving certain results in the first phase.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with massage?
Massage procedures can additionally relieve muscle spasm and improve blood supply to the damaged area.
- Acupressure.A procedure where a specialist's hands act on specific points, improving their blood supply, thereby 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 area.Gives excellent effect by improving blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissues begin to actively renew themselves, which has a beneficial effect on healing.
- Classic Massage.Osteochondrosis in the thoracic region cannot be treated with classical massage due to the symptoms of the acute phase.Any vibration or displacement can cause severe pain.Classical massage can be performed only after complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and inflammatory process.
- Plastic massage.Indicated for all stages of the disease, gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next type of massage.
Since 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 symptoms of stage I-II 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 there is severe pain at the stage of the disease, first conservative treatment, massage is performed, and only then exercise therapy.
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 several exercises that have worked well:
- Exhale as you raise your arms, take a deep breath and lean back.After this, a slow bow is used by bending the back upwards.
- From a seated position, lean backward with your hands behind your head, using the back of the chair as support.
- Standing on 4 limbs, bend and unbend the back, fixing the highest and lowest possible position.
- Position: Emphasize lying on the stomach.The top is carefully bent with an effort to lift the torso off the floor.
- exercise boat.
Their effectiveness depends on how diligently the patient performs each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Before starting classes, do a warm-up to avoid sprains and injuries.
traction
What to do if pathology is detected at an early stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.Through this process the muscle spasm is relieved and the displaced vertebrae return to their place.The deformity of the spine is cured.
How many types of traction are there:
- Dry traction.This process is easier to execute than others.If the disease is detected in the first stage then the horizontal strip remains correct.If strong displacement and prolonged spasm are observed, special beds and exercise equipment are used.These devices accurately assess the load and its duration.
- Wet traction.It is done in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected area, and if done correctly, even the sudden movements go away.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms may return several times a year during treatment with classical regimens.For prevention, traction and exercise therapy are used, which eliminates the risk of bulges and strong displacements.
Reviews about physiotherapeutic procedures in the stages of remission and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendations and implementation of these procedures are completely appropriate!
surgery
What to do if the chosen methods do not give results?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses symptomatically after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens due to going to 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 life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed and the patient's mobility is limited until complete recovery.
conclusion
Therapy at all stages of osteochondrosis and with any approach depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself, how much tissue is affected, and most importantly, what the prognosis is for certain processes.Based on these clinical aspects, therapeutic measures are initiated.