Osteochondrosis rarely develops in the thoracic spine: the intervertebral discs in it are smaller and thinner than those in the cervical or lumbar spine.The thoracic region is less mobile, the main load falls on the ribs and sternum.
Unlike cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis only differ in the location of the pain.The nature of the pain and its duration are similar.With prolapse in the thoracic region, the spinal cord is not affected.Read about this and more below.
Stages of pathology
Osteochondrosis usually progresses over time.Depending on the severity of the manifestation, the pathology is divided into 4 stages.
Preclinical
Minimal alterations appear in the spine.A slight pain syndrome can be observed, the back muscles tense.It is possible to develop thoracalgia (chest pain), but this is rare.
discogenic radiculitis
There is a change in the structure of the intervertebral discs.Moderate pain may appear in the affected part of the spine.The patient is able to work.But his muscular endurance levels are decreasing.
vascular-radicular
At this stage, the annulus fibrosus is completely destroyed.A herniated disc forms and the process of deformation of the annulus fibrosus continues, leading to its rupture.The nucleus pulposus then prolapses into the space beneath the ligaments.A herniated disc forms.The process affects the tissues located near the disc, the functioning of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and ligaments is altered.The disease becomes chronic.
Change the shape of the bone structure.
The vertebra hardens, its surface becomes grooved and uneven.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, leading to limited mobility of the entire spine or a specific vertebra.The nerves that extend from the spinal cord become compressed.This leads to a deterioration of impulses from the brain to the tissues and organs of the body.
The mobility of the spine as a whole is preserved, but individual vertebrae become fragile and can easily collapse.If the disease is not treated, it goes to the fourth stage.
Regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue and replacement by scar tissue.
A damaged intervertebral disc cannot perform its functions well, which leads to the convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies.This causes disorders in the intervertebral joints, called spondyloarthrosis.In this case, a torsion or displacement of the vertebrae with respect to neighboring ones may occur.
The body activates its compensation mechanisms.To relieve the load on a damaged disc, the vertebra flattens and grows in width.So its area increases.And annulus fibrosus tissue that has collapsed can be replaced with bone.
Sometimes this reduces pain;However, as the vertebrae grow, they narrow the openings in the spine even more: the nerve becomes compressed.
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are usually caused by the following factors:
- patient age;
- damage to the spine;
- stage of disease development;
- The patient's condition is remission or exacerbation of the disease.
Symptoms may also include:
- radiculopathy - painful damage to the nerve endings of the spinal cord;
- abdominal syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome, changes in the heart muscle, characterized by severe pain and not susceptible to the effects of nitroglycerin;
- pulmonary syndrome - congestion and hypoxia occur in the lungs;
- paresthesia - feeling of "goosebumps" all over the body;
- pain in the area of the compressed nerve;
- decreased sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- disorders of spinal motor function.
The patient's body temperature does not increase.This serves as a sign that allows us to differentiate the pathology.
Degrees of the disease.
low back pain
This is a sharp pain that runs through the entire body.It occurs when lifting heavy objects and doing other physical activities;The pain is similar to an electric shock.
From a morphological point of view, unexpected rupture of the intervertebral disc capsule occurs when the load is too high.This traumatic injury causes irritation of the nerves and produces pain.
The muscles are tense and this is clearly expressed.Lumbar lordosis is softened.In this way the load is redistributed and the intervertebral disc is compressed even more, which causes swelling and increases pain.
When the pathology is concentrated in the neck area, cervicalgia appears, which manifests itself as pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During an exacerbation, cervicocranial is often observed, which manifests itself in the fact that a person has a severe headache in the back of the head.You may experience tinnitus, dizziness, a feeling of spots in your eyes, and your teeth may hurt.
Dizziness
They appear as a result of narrowing of the cavity of the spinal canal.The intervertebral disc bulges and compresses the blood vessels.The brain cannot obtain the necessary blood volume.You may experience a severe headache, numbness in your arms, and pain in your shoulders.
Breathing becomes difficult, causing not enough oxygen to reach the brain.This causes a stabbing pain in the heart area.
intervertebral hernia
At this stage of development, the picture seems quite serious: the spinal canal and intervertebral cavities are very narrowed.As a result, a hernia can form - a dangerous defect.Often at this stage of the disease it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
Treatment of third degree osteochondrosis depends on root compression.It is possible to use the same techniques as for the second degree.However, when the pain does not disappear within fifteen days and symptoms of prolapse (prolapse of a vertebra) occur, surgery is required.
Growths in the vertebrae.
As a rule, at this stage of the disease, the manifestations of the hernia disappear, the symptoms of the disease are less pronounced, however, it is noted that the spine is unstable, the vertebrae can slide or twist relative to each other.
At this time, growth of the vertebral bodies, called osteophytes, may occur.The growths cause compression of the spinal nerves and a blockage of the spinal canal occurs, called secondary spinal stenosis.As a result, compression of the spinal cord is possible, leading to ischemia.
This degree of disease also includes the consequences of previous operations to remove a hernia.They can manifest as altered innervation, paresis and inflammation.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the damaged area of the spine.The most common spinal syndromes are back pain and back pain.
Dorsago manifests itself as a sudden, sharp pain that occurs in the chest area.This often happens if a person sits for a long time without changing their posture.Pain can occur when a person's position is physiologically uncomfortable.In addition, this is possible during long, monotonous work.
Dorsago is also called "chest lumbago."When this happens, the muscles in your back and chest become so tense that it becomes difficult to breathe.
Sometimes the pain travels along the ribs to the sternum area and radiates to the scapula area.Sometimes the patient may feel as if they were having a myocardial infarction.However, when performing an electrocardiogram, no deviations from the norm are detected.If you take nitroglycerin or another heart remedy, you will not get any results.
Avoid staying in one position for a long time.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Back pain is a mild pain that is present for a long time, sometimes up to weeks.The inflamed area of the spine produces “mild” pain.This is uncomfortable, so the person usually goes to the doctor.
Back pain can be expressed as follows:
- the pain worsens when the person breathes deeply or coughs;
- the muscles are overloaded;
- decreases motor activity in the neck or lower back;
- muscle spasms occur;
- The pain intensifies at night and when the person exercises.
Back pain can be upper or lower.In the first, the main painful manifestations are concentrated in the upper area of the chest, in the neck.In the second case, the pain is mainly located in the sacral and lumbar region.
The symptoms of Back Pain are very similar to the first manifestations of pneumonia.It is important to remember this in order to diagnose the disease in time.If the diagnosis is made incorrectly and treatment is prescribed, the patient's condition will only worsen.
When a woman breastfeeds a child, she may experience such manifestations of osteochondrosis.It is necessary to treat the disease in this situation only by consulting a doctor, taking into account all the nuances.
It is important to weigh all the risks of using certain medications so as not to harm the baby's health or your own.
Atypical symptoms
In some cases, the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are completely atypical.A person may not even be aware of the disease, since the symptoms are often similar to those of other pathologies.It is worth considering them in more detail and analyzing the situation as a whole:
- pain may appear that imitates heart pain that develops during angina and heart attack;coronary dilating drugs, for example nitroglycerin, have no effect;and the ECG shows no abnormalities;
- Pain similar to that experienced by women with the development of breast diseases may occur;that pain can continue for a long time;the examination does not reveal any problems in the mammary glands;
- the iliac region and abdomen may be painful, the symptoms are not similar to those that occur with gastritis and colitis;pain can be observed under the right rib, similar to that which characterizes hepatitis or cholecystitis;Digestion is usually altered;this is also a characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis, which arises due to disturbances in the innervation of internal organs;it is necessary to find out what caused the disturbances in the food digestion process, if the cause is really thoracic osteochondrosis;
- The urination process and sexual function may be altered because the innervation in the genitourinary system is distorted;
- when thoracic osteochondrosis worsens, long-term pain in the sternum can be observed, lasting weeks, very similar to those present in diseases of the mammary gland;A visit to a mammologist allows you to identify the cause of the pain.
These symptoms are associated with manifestations of pain in the back, as well as intercostal neuralgia.The appearance of atypical symptoms is usually observed at night.In the morning, as a rule, there is no more white.Pain increases throughout the day if the right conditions are created that cause pain.