Chest osteochondrosis presents with dystrophic degenerative changes 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 to be the least mobile, so osteochondrosis on it is very rare.
The development of osteochondrosis in the chest is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is due to the narrowness of the spinal canal in this area of the spine. Spinal cord compression is a very dangerous condition that can provoke the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To prevent such complications it is necessary to start treatment of the disease in time.
ᲛReasons
The causes of osteochondrosis of the chest, cervix are as follows:
- Dystrophic changes in tissues;
- Disorders of the metabolic process;
- Scoliosis;
- Irrational loads on disks;
- Improper nutrition;
- Staying in an uncomfortable posture for a long time (while working at a desk, while driving a car).
Pain characteristic of the pathological condition
The pathology has similar symptoms to other diseases. For this reason, it is often referred to as "chameleon disease". The pain in osteochondrosis of this spine is almost the same as in the following diseases:
- Renal colic;
- Peptic ulcer;
- Cardiovascular diseases;
- Appendicitis;
- Colitis;
- Gastritis.
A thorough diagnosis is therefore essential for the differentiation of thoracic osteochondrosis.
The main symptoms are the presence of pain, discomfort. They include areas such as:
- Behind;
- Heart;
- side;
- Breasts;
- Upper abdomen.
Pain on breathing, exhalation, as well as movement, increases with osteochondrosis of the chest. The patient may feel numbness in the left hand, 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 osteochondrosis of the chest intensifies at night.
For this reason, patients are often blamed for such conditions as a symptom of a heart attack, angina pectoris. Pain in thoracic osteochondrosis is characterized by an attack of angina pectoris with the inability to stop with nitroglycerin, in the absence of any pathological signs on the ECG, indicating a disease of the cardiovascular system.
The pathology causes symptoms similar to those of diseases of the cardiovascular system. This is why patients often start self-medication with cardiovascular remedies, which bring no relief.
Symptoms of pathology of 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 complication of this pathology is the contraction of the spinal cord with the characteristic pain sensations.
Symptoms of pathology developed in the neck, chest
The cervical region consists of 7 vertebrae, and in the thoracic region - 12. The patient with the development of osteochondrosis around the cervix shows various symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestation, can be confused with such pathologies:
- Myocardial infarction;
- Disturbance of cerebral circulation;
- Damage to teeth;
- Vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- Angina pectoris.
Osteochondrosis of the cervix is manifested by pain:
- Back
- Neck
- teeth;
- Chapter;
- Upper limbs;
- Stomach
- Shoulder girdle;
- Breasts;
- Areas of the heart.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis is manifested in the cervix:
- Numbness of the neck, abdomen, chest;
- Ringing in the ears;
- Reduction of work capacity;
- "Goose" in front of the eyes;
- Sleep disorders;
- Impotence disorder (in men);
- Dizziness;
- Irritability;
- Jumps in blood pressure.
Symptoms manifested by compression of radicular structures
Osteochondrosis of the cervix with radicular syndrome is manifested by severe pain that has a different character according to the damaged segment.
Often it manifests itself in the form of radiculopathy, which is mainly manifested by a disc herniation. The patient feels the symptoms of radiculopathy after physical activity. Their slow growth is observed over several weeks.
When there is a connection between osteochondrosis of the chest and a hernia, a ruptured disc, the patient will have pronounced pain in the following areas:
- Shoulder joint;
- Abdomen;
- Shoulder;
- Rib cage;
- Shoulders.
The symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of the hernia (lateral, secondary). In case of lateral hernia complication, unilateral pain in the area of the hernia, local loss of sensitivity appears. Coughing intensifies the pain as well as the movement of the spine.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a median hernia, the patient suffers from prolonged pain that may last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is compression of the spinal cord.
If osteochondrosis of the chest is accompanied by spinal cord compression, the patient experiences:
- Disorders of the pelvic organs;
- Local, belt pain;
- Weakness in the legs;
- Pain in the intercostal space, abdomen, groin;
- Numbness.
Radical syndrome with localization of pathology in the chest
Patients with osteochondrosis of the chest region suffer from radicular syndrome. It manifests itself in painful sensations that increase with movement, appear sharply and are reflected in other organs.
Radical syndrome has different manifestations in this side:
- Numbness of the epithelium of the arms, shoulders, hands, dryness of the pharynx (defeat of 1 segment);
- Pain in the groin, shoulders, chest, dry throat, small access to the scapula, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- Paresthesia, muscle tension in the shoulder blades, ribs, epigastrium. There are also pains in the heart, stomach (7-8 segments);
- Belt pain, paresthesia from rib to umbilicus. Muscle tone also increases, colic occurs in the stomach, intestines (9-10 segments);
- Paresthesia from umbilical cord to abdomen. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, stomach (11-12 segments).
Radical syndrome with localization of pathology in the neck
With radicular syndrome of the cervix, the following symptoms are manifested:
- Paresthesia of the crown, throat (defeat of 1 segment);
- Paresthesia on the crown, back of the head + decrease in the tone of the chin muscles, which is manifested in their decrease (segment 2);
- Language paresthesia, speech defects (segment 3);
- Pain in heart, liver (segment 4);
- Weakness, pain in the shoulder joint, arm (segment 5);
- The pain reaches to the cervix in the hand. Weakness when lifting the arm. Its cause is a decrease in biceps tone (segment 6);
- Weakness of neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, forearm, arm, second and third fingers (segment 7);
- The pain reaches the little finger (segment 8).
Peculiarities of symptoms in women
The symptoms of the disease largely depend on the sensitivity of the patient, his individual characteristics. Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are more pronounced in women than in men.
This is due to the fact that a woman's body is more sensitive than a man's.
The parts of the female spine are much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid onset of symptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Let's see how osteochondrosis of the chest is manifested in women.
The symptoms of the disease are:
- Pain when raising hands;
- Chest pain;
- Feeling of tightness in the chest;
- The pain is localized between the shoulder blades;
- Severe pain accompanied by deep breathing;
- Accompanied by alternation, inclination with sensation of pain.
Each of these symptoms is associated with an inflammatory process inside the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of a malignant hernia, the above signs of the disease are also accompanied by other signs of the disease, which are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders:
- Itching, cold, burning in the lower extremities;
- Skin numbness, "goose bumps" sensation;
- Weakness of nails;
- Heartache;
- Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Epithelial peeling.
In women, the signs are similar to those of breast disease. For this reason, this disease requires additional diagnostic methods.
Chest osteochondrosis is less common in men than in women. This is due to the anatomical features that make up the strength of the vertebral elements. In men the symptoms are only added to the potency disorder.