Thoracic osteochondrosis is represented by a dystrophic degenerative change in the intervertebral discs. This pathology affects the discs of the thoracic spine, which includes 12 vertebrae. This area has a strong muscular corset and is considered the least mobile, therefore osteochondrosis is very rare in it.
The development of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is due to the narrowing of the spinal canal in this area of the spine. Spinal cord compression is a very dangerous condition that can lead to the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, and liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to start treatment of the disease in a timely manner.
Causes
The cause of thoracic and cervical osteochondrosis lies in:
- dystrophic changes in tissues;
- violation of the metabolic process;
- scoliosis;
- irrational loads on disks;
- malnutrition;
- being in an uncomfortable position for a long time (when working at a table, driving a car).
Pain characteristic of a pathological condition.
Pathology has symptoms similar to other diseases. For this reason, it is often called "chameleon disease. "Pain in osteochondrosis of this spine is almost the same as in the following diseases:
- renal colic;
- peptic ulcer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, for the differentiation of thoracic osteochondrosis a comprehensive diagnosis is necessary.
The main symptoms are the presence of pain, discomfort. They cover areas such as:
- back;
- heart;
- side;
- breast;
- upper abdomen.
When inhaling, exhaling, as well as during movement, there is an increase in pain in thoracic osteochondrosis. The patient may feel numbness in the left arm, the area between the shoulder blades.
There are also pains that radiate to the shoulder blade. These painful sensations are similar to intercostal neuralgia. The pain caused by thoracic osteochondrosis is worse at night.
For this reason, patients often mistake these conditions for a heart attack symptom, angina. Pain in thoracic osteochondrosis from an attack of angina pectoris is distinguished by the inability to stop with nitroglycerin, the absence of pathological signs on the ECG indicating a disease of the cardiovascular system.
Pathology causes symptoms similar to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, patients often begin to self-medicate with cardiac drugs, which do not bring any relief.
Symptoms of pathology in the intervertebral discs depend on the mechanism caused by the pathological process, the localization of the disease. Compression of the spinal roots has a significant effect. Sometimes the compression of the spinal cord with its characteristic sensations of pain acts as a complication of this pathology.
Symptoms of a pathology that develops in the neck, chest.
The cervical region consists of 7 vertebrae, and the thoracic region consists of 12. With the development of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region, the patient manifests a variety of symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies:
- myocardial infarction;
- violation of cerebral circulation;
- damage to the teeth;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- angina pectoris.
Osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region is manifested by pain in:
- back
- neck
- teeth;
- head;
- superior members;
- stomach
- shoulder girdle;
- chest;
- heart areas.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region manifests itself in:
- numbness of the neck, abdomen, chest;
- Ringing in the ears;
- Decreased work capacity;
- "goosebumps" before the eyes;
- Sleep disturbance;
- potency disorder (in men);
- dizziness;
- irritability;
- jumps in blood pressure.
Symptoms that appear during compression of root structures
Cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome manifests itself in intense pain, which has a different character depending on the affected segment.
It often manifests itself in the form of radiculopathy, which occurs mainly with a herniated disc. The patient feels symptoms of radiculopathy after physical exertion. Their slow growth is noticeable for several weeks.
When there is a connection between thoracic osteochondrosis and herniation, disc protrusion, the patient will have pronounced pain in the following areas:
- shoulder joint;
- abdomen;
- shoulder;
- Rib cage;
- shoulder blades.
Symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of the hernia (lateral, middle). If there is a complication of a lateral hernia, one-sided pain will appear in the area of the hernia, loss of local sensitivity. Coughing increases pain as well as movement of the spine.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a median hernia, the patient will be affected by prolonged pain that can last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is compression of the spinal cord.
If thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord, the patient will experience:
- pelvic organ disorder;
- local pain in the waist;
- leg weakness;
- pain in the intercostal space, abdomen, groin;
- numbness.
Radicular syndrome with localization of pathology in the chest area.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, patients suffer from radicular syndrome. It manifests itself in painful sensations that increase with movement, appear sharply and are reflected in other organs.
Radicular syndrome in this area has various manifestations:
- numbness of the epithelium of the armpits, shoulder blades, hands, dryness in the pharynx (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- pain in the armpits, shoulder blades, sternum, dry throat, slight descent of the scapula, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- paresthesia, muscle tension in the area of the shoulder blades, ribs, epigastric region. There are also pains in the heart, stomach (7-8 segments);
- waist pain, paresthesia from the ribs to the navel. Muscle tone also increases, colic appears in the stomach, intestines (9-10 segments);
- paresthesia from the navel to the groin. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, stomach (11-12 segments).
Radicular syndrome with localization of pathology in the neck.
With radicular syndrome of the cervical spine, the following symptoms appear:
- paresthesia in the crown, nape (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- paresthesias in the crown, back of the head + decreased muscle tone of the chin, manifested in its flaccidity (segment 2);
- language paresthesia, speech defects (segment 3);
- pain in the heart, liver (segment 4);
- weakness, pain in the shoulder joint, arm (segment 5);
- the pain reaches the thumb of the hand. There is weakness when raising the arm. Its cause is a decrease in the tone of the biceps (segment 6);
- weakness in the neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, forearm, upper arm, second and third fingers (segment 7);
- the pain reaches the little finger (segment 8).
Characteristics of symptoms in women.
Symptoms of the disease largely depend on the sensitivity of the patient, the individual characteristics of it. Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men.
This is due to the fact that a woman's body is an order of magnitude more sensitive than a man's.
The parts of the female spine are much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid manifestation of symptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Let's see how thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself in women.
The vertebral symptoms of the disease are:
- pain when raising arms;
- chest pain;
- Sensation of tightness in the chest;
- localized pain between the shoulder blades;
- accompanying a deep breath with severe pain;
- accompaniment of turns, tilts with a feeling of pain.
Each of these symptoms is associated with an inflammatory process within the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of intervertebral hernias, then other signs of the disease that are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders also join the above signs of the disease:
- itching, cold, burning in the lower extremities;
- numbness of the skin, feeling of "goosebumps";
- nail brittleness;
- distress;
- disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- desquamation of the epithelium.
Signs in women resemble diseases of the mammary glands. For this reason, the disease in question requires additional diagnostic methods.
In men, thoracic osteochondrosis occurs less often than in women. This is due to anatomical features, which consist of the strength of the elements of the spine. In men, the symptoms are supplemented only by a potency disorder.