Osteochondrosis rarely develops in the thoracic spine: the intervertebral discs in it are smaller and thinner than 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 differ only in the localization of pain.The nature of the pain and its duration are similar.With prolapse in the thoracic region, the spinal cord is not affected.Read this and more below.
Phases of the pathology
Osteochondrosis usually progresses over time.According to the severity of the manifestation, the pathology is divided into 4 phases.
Preclinical
Minimal disorders appear in the spine.A slight painful syndrome may be observed, the back muscles become tense.It is possible to develop thoracalgia - chest pain, but this is a rare occurrence.
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
In this phase the fibrous ring is completely destroyed.A herniated disc forms and the process of deformation of the fibrous ring continues, leading to its rupture.Then the nucleus pulposus prolapses into the space under 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 disrupted.The disease becomes chronic.
Changing the shape of the bone structure
The vertebra hardens, its surface becomes ribbed and irregular.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, which leads to limited mobility of the entire spine or a specific vertebra.The nerves extending from the spinal cord are crushed.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 enters the fourth stage.
Regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue and replacement with scar tissue
A damaged intervertebral disc is unable to perform its functions well, which leads to convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies.This leads to disorders in the intervertebral joints, called spondyloarthrosis.In this case, twisting or displacement of the vertebrae compared 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.Then its area increases.And the tissue of the fibrous ring, which has collapsed, can be replaced with bone.
Sometimes this reduces the pain, however, as the vertebrae grow, the spinal openings narrow even more - the nerve is pinched.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are often caused by the following factors:
- age of the patient;
- damage to the spine;
- stage of development of the disease;
- 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: a sensation of "goosebumps" throughout the body;
- pain in the area of the compressed nerve;
- decreased sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- disorders of the motor function of the spine.
The patient's body temperature does not increase.This serves as a sign that allows you to differentiate the pathology.
Degrees of the disease
Low back pain
This is a sharp pain that passes through the body.It occurs during lifting heavy objects and 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.Such traumatic injury leads to irritation of the nerves: pain occurs.
The muscles are tense and this is clearly expressed.Lumbar lordosis is attenuated.In this way the load is redistributed and the intervertebral disc is compressed even more, causing swelling and increased pain.
When the pathology is concentrated in the neck area, cervicalgia appears - it manifests itself as pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During an exacerbation, cervicocranialgia 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 sensation of spots in your eyes, and your teeth may hurt.
Dizziness
It appears as a result of narrowing of the cavity of the spinal canal.The intervertebral disc swells and compresses the blood vessels.The brain cannot obtain the required blood volume.You may experience a severe headache, numbness in your arms, and pain in your shoulders.
Breathing becomes difficult, causing an insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain.This leads to a shooting pain in the heart area.
Intervertebral hernia
At this stage of development, the picture looks quite serious: the spinal canal and intervertebral cavities are noticeably narrowed.As a result, a hernia may form, a dangerous defect.Often at this stage of the disease it is necessary to resort to surgery.
Treatment of third-degree osteochondrosis depends on root compression.You can use the same techniques as in the second degree.However, when the pain does not disappear within fifteen days and symptoms of prolapse (prolapse of a vertebra) are present, surgery is necessary.
Growths on 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 noticeable that the spine is unstable, the vertebrae can slip or twist relative to each other.
Growth of the vertebral bodies, called osteophytes, may occur at this time.The growths lead to compression of the spinal nerves, causing blockage of the spinal canal, 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 hernia removal operations.They can manifest as impaired innervation, paresis, and inflammation.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the area of \u200b\u200bdamage to the spine.The most common spinal syndromes are back pain and dorsalgia.
Dorsago manifests itself in the form of sudden and sharp pain that occurs in the chest area.This often happens if a person sits for a long time without changing posture.Pain can occur when a person's position is physiologically uncomfortable.Moreover, it is possible during long-term monotonous work.
Dorsago is also called “low back pain in the chest”.When this happens, the muscles in the back and chest become so tight that it becomes difficult to breathe.
Sometimes the pain travels along the ribs to the sternum area and radiates to the shoulder blade area.Sometimes the patient may have the feeling that it is a myocardial infarction.However, when performing an electrocardiogram, no deviations from the norm are detected.If you take nitroglycerin or another heart remedy, there will be no results.
Avoid staying in the same position for a long time.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Back pain is a mild pain that persists for a long time, sometimes up to weeks.The inflamed area of the spine causes “mild” pain.This is uncomfortable, so the person usually comes to the doctor.
Back pain can be expressed as follows:
- the pain gets worse when a person takes a deep breath or coughs;
- muscles become overloaded;
- motor activity in the neck or lower back decreases;
- muscle spasms occur;
- the pain intensifies at night and when a person exercises.
Dorsalgia can be upper or lower.In the first, the main painful manifestations are concentrated in the upper chest area, in the neck.In the second case the pain is localized mainly in the sacral and lumbar region.
The symptoms of Dorsalgia are very similar to the first manifestations of pneumonia.This is important to remember 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 evaluate all the risks arising from the use of certain drugs so as not to harm your child's health and yours.
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, as 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 mimics heart pain that develops during angina and heart attack;drugs for coronary dilation, for example nitroglycerin, have no effect;and the ECG shows no abnormalities;
- pain may occur similar to that experienced by women with the development of breast disease;such pain can last a long time;the exam does not reveal any problems with the mammary glands;
- the iliac region and abdomen may be painful, the symptoms are not similar to those that occur in gastritis and colitis;pain may be observed under the right rib, similar to that which characterizes hepatitis or cholecystitis;Digestion is usually disturbed - this is also a characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis, resulting from disorders in the innervation of internal organs;it is necessary to understand what caused the disturbances in the process of digestion of food, whether the cause is indeed thoracic osteochondrosis;
- The process of urination and sexual function can be disrupted, because the innervation in the genitourinary system is distorted;
- when thoracic osteochondrosis worsens, long-term sternum pain, lasting for weeks, can be observed, very similar to that 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 back pain and intercostal neuralgia.The onset of atypical symptoms is usually observed in the evening.In the morning, as a rule, there is no more white.The pain increases during the day if the appropriate conditions that cause pain are created.