Humanity is not the only one progressing in the modern world.Unfortunately, the diseases that afflict humans are also in constant motion and evolution.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in elderly people.Now the age categories of patients have been significantly expanded and include women, men and children of different ages.
The rarity of the manifestation of this disease is based on the fact that the thoracic part of the spine is inactive, which excludes various injuries and damage.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilaginous 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 that can only be stopped by surgical intervention.
In the chain of development of the disease, the skeletal system of the spine comes first, followed by cartilage formations, ligaments and muscles of the spinal column.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed at the age of minors, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
4 degrees of development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine according to symptoms and treatment, which depends on the patient's well-being:
- I degree.Symptoms are mild or absent.A rash occurs.
- II degree.Intervertebral discs lose elasticity and height.The stability of the spine is lost.The first pains appear.
- III degree.At this stage, the hernia was manifested by severe pain.
- IV degree.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete deprivation of the main functions of the intervertebral discs.
Symptoms and signs
Signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on gender, the degree of development of the disease and the mobility of the patient.Most of the symptoms are manifested by some degree of stress and fatigue, as well as by being in the same position for a long time.
How is thoracic osteochondrosis manifested:
- Chest pain that is especially severe during prolonged inactivity.
- A feeling of pressure is felt in the middle of the back.It is also difficult to inhale and exhale deeply.
- Pain that is provoked when any movement related to the spine is included in physical activity.Hand movement, bending, turning.
- Long-term back pain.
- Neurological disorders of individual 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 limbs.
- Local symptoms in the form of peeling appear on the skin due to vascular damage during thoracic osteochondrosis.Changes also affect nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms can also vary by gender.Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are somewhat different from men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the area of the damaged disc.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs that arise along the innervation of a pinched nerve.
- Compression symptoms.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis appear much earlier in men than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most of the differences are only in the severity of symptoms, as men lead much more active lifestyles.
Also, in women, osteochondrosis of the chest is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
Symptoms and sensations in the case of thoracic osteochondrosis can be similar to the development of heart diseases, therefore, when making a diagnosis, heart function studies are also carried out.
treatment
The chronic course of the disease is different in that an exacerbation can develop at any time, the symptoms of which are very pronounced.The patient has 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.As a rule, the causes of such conditions are specific factors:
- stressful situations.
- Very hard work.
- Prolonged exposure to low temperature environment.
- Weightlifting or active sports.
Treatment is mainly based on the etiological approach.That is, the factor that caused the acute stage 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.
- Medical treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Local therapy, including massages (according to indications), use of external forms of drugs with anti-inflammatory effect.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
The answers
Medical treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of treatment of stretched nerve fibers.The first step is to relieve the symptoms that cause the patient significant suffering.
Medicines of choice are prescribed individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and basic.Its effect is visible from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Medicines are taken orally or parenterally.They have a number of positive qualities.First of all, they improve the patient's quality of life, restore 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 an ulcer or acute gastritis.In case of impaired kidney and liver function, drugs require dose correction.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that significantly relieve the patient's condition.When the inflammatory process occurs at the level of the spine, there is a strong muscle spasm of the fibers around the inflamed area.Prolonged spasm also causes severe pain in the segment.Muscle relaxants eliminate this spasm, thereby relieving pain.
Taking these drugs is not recommended if the patient drives a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complexes.It is used to relieve inflammation of nerve fibers and stabilize nerve sheaths.More often than others, B vitamins and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combination of chondroitin with glucosamine in different doses.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in joint tissue and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect together with glucose.The course of treatment with chondroprotectors is long and repeated at intervals.
Side effects are mainly observed in the gastrointestinal tract.This is bloating and belching.
For the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, special drugs are used in the form of injections.The principles of administration are different.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in the form of cream and ointment.
Medical treatment for thoracic osteochondrosis is based on the principles of removing the inflammatory process and releasing the stretched 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 suffering for a long time.
If the attending physician recommends massage procedures, then they should be performed.
Massage
Before the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is performed and the first stage of treatment is prescribed, which includes the administration of anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxants.
This set of measures aims to relieve spasm and inflammation in the area of the affected segment.Only after achieving certain results in the first stage, we can talk about the benefits of massage.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the chest region with massage?
Massage procedures can additionally relieve muscle spasticity and improve blood supply to the injured area.
- Acupressure.The procedure, when the specialist's hands act on specific points, improves 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 injured segment.Gives an excellent effect by improving blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissues begin to actively renew, which has a beneficial effect on therapy.
- Classic massage.Due to the symptoms of the acute phase, osteochondrosis in the chest cannot be treated with classical massage.Any vibration or movement can cause severe pain.Classic massage can be performed only after complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and inflammatory process.
- Plastic massage.It is indicated at all stages of the disease, gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next facial massage.
Since getting rid of thoracic osteochondrosis is a difficult task, the combination of massage with conservative treatment is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
physical training
Osteochondrosis of the chest with signs of the I-II stages of the disease is treated with physiotherapy, which has a beneficial effect on the muscle layers in the area of the affected segment, strengthens the ligaments and excludes the further development of rashes.
If the stage of the disease is characterized by severe pain, then conservative treatment, massages are performed first, and only after that - exercise therapy.
What is exercise therapy?It is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improves blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are a number of exercises that have worked well:
- While exhaling, raise your hands, take a deep breath back.This is followed by a slow bow with the back arched upwards.
- From a sitting position, using the back of a chair as support, bend back and place your hands behind your head.
- Stand on all fours, bend and arch your back, fix the highest and lowest possible positions.
- Position - focus on lying on the stomach.A diligent upward bend is performed, trying to lift the torso off the floor.
- Training boat.
Their effectiveness depends on how diligently the patient does each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Do a warm-up before classes to avoid strains 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 spasms are eliminated and displaced vertebrae return to their proper place.Deformation of the spinal column is overcome.
What kind of traction is there?
- dry traction.This procedure is easier to perform than others.If the disease is detected in the first stage, then the horizontal bar is perfect.If strong movements and prolonged spasms are observed, then special beds and exercise equipment are used.These tools correctly determine the load and duration.
- wet traction.It is carried out in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment and also, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
In the case of thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms may return several times a year during treatment with classical schemes.Traction and exercise therapy are used for prevention, which eliminates the risk of rashes and strong movements.
Reviews of physiotherapy procedures in the remission stage and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.Recommendations and the implementation of these procedures are completely justified!
surgery
What to do if the chosen methods did not bring results?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses according to symptoms after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens due to a delayed visit to the doctor.
Unfortunately, if the integrity of the intervertebral disc is violated and a hernia is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to prevent life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed and the patient's mobility is limited until full recovery.
conclusion
Therapy of osteochondrosis in all its stages and with any approach depends on how osteochondrosis is manifested, how many tissues are affected and most importantly, what is the prognosis during certain procedures.Based on these diagnostic aspects, therapeutic measures are started.