Thoracic osteochondrosis is represented by a dystrophic degenerative change on 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, so osteochondrosis is very rare on 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. Compression of the spinal cord is a very dangerous condition that can provoke the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to begin 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 referred to as "chameleon disease". Pain in osteochondrosis of this spine is almost the same as in the following diseases:
- renal colic;
- peptic ulcer;
- cardiovascular disease;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, for the differentiation of thoracic osteochondrosis, a thorough diagnosis is required.
The main symptoms are the presence of pain, discomfort. They cover areas such as:
- Backwards;
- heart;
- side;
- Otherwise;
- upper abdomen.
During inhalation, exhalation and 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 worsens during the night.
For this reason, patients often mistake these conditions for a symptom of heart attack, angina pectoris. 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 self-medication with cardiac drugs, which do not bring any relief.
Symptoms of pathology on 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 pain sensations 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 of 12. With the development of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region, the patient experiences a variety of symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies:
- heart attack;
- violation of cerebral circulation;
- damage to the teeth;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- angina.
Osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region is manifested by pain in:
- Backwards
- neck
- teeth;
- head;
- upper limbs;
- stomach
- shoulder girdle;
- chest;
- areas of the heart.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region manifests itself in:
- numbness in the neck, abdomen, chest;
- ringing in the ears;
- decrease in working capacity;
- "Goosebumps" in front of the eyes;
- sleep disorders;
- potency disorder (in males);
- dizziness;
- irritability;
- jumps in blood pressure.
Symptoms that appear during compression of the root structures
Cervico-thoracic osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome manifests itself in severe pain, which has a different character depending on the affected segment.
It often manifests itself in the form of radiculopathy, which mainly occurs with a herniated disc. The patient experiences symptoms of radiculopathy after physical exertion. Their slow growth is noted for several weeks.
When there is a connection between thoracic osteochondrosis and herniated 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 in the hernia area, a local loss of sensation will appear. Coughing increases pain and movement in the spine.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a median hernia, the patient will be disturbed 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:
- disturbance of the pelvic organs;
- local pain in the girdle;
- weakness in the legs;
- pain in the intercostal space, abdomen, groin;
- numbness.
Radicular syndrome with localization of the 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 of the pharynx (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- pain in the armpits, shoulder blades, sternum, dry throat, slight descent of the shoulder blade, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- paraesthesia, muscle tension in the area of the shoulder blades, ribs, epigastric region. There are also pains in the heart, stomach (7-8 segments);
- pain in the girdle, 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 the pathology in the neck
With radicular syndrome of the cervical spine, the following symptoms appear:
- paresthesia on the crown, nape (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- paraesthesia on the crown, behind the head + decrease in muscle tone of the chin, manifested in their subsidence (segment 2);
- speech paraesthesia, 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 the arm is raised. 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 her. 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.
Parts of the female spine are much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid manifestation of symptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Let's take a look at how thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself in women.
Vertebral symptoms of the disease are:
- pain when raising the arms;
- chest pain;
- Feeling of tightness in the chest;
- pain localized between the shoulder blades;
- accompanying a deep breath with severe pain;
- accompanying 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 characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders also join the above signs of the disease:
- itching, cold, burning in the lower limbs;
- numbness of the skin, feeling of "goosebumps";
- brittleness of the nails;
- distress;
- disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- peeling of the epithelium.
The 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 frequently than in women. This is due to the anatomical features, which consist in the strength of the elements of the spinal column. In men, the symptoms are only complemented by a potency disorder.