Osteochondrosis rarely develops in the thoracic spine - the intervertebral discs in it are smaller and thinner in size than in the cervical or lumbar region.The chest region is less mobile, the main load falls on the ribs and chest.
Unlike cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis differ only depending on the location of the pain.The nature and duration of pain are similar.With a prolapse in the chest, the spinal cord is not affected.Read about it and more below.
Stages of pathology
Osteochondrosis usually progresses over time.According to the severity of the symptoms, the pathology is divided into 4 stages.
preclinical
Minimal abnormalities appear in the spine.A slight pain syndrome may be observed, the back muscles are tensed.It is possible to develop thoracalgia - pain in the chest area, but this is a rare event.
Discogenic sciatica
Changes in the structure of the intervertebral discs.Moderate pain may appear in the part of the spine that is damaged.The patient can work.But his muscle endurance level is decreasing.
Vascular-radicular
At this stage, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed.A disc herniation is formed and the process of deformation of the annulus fibrosus continues, leading to its rupture.Then the nucleus pulposus prolapsed into the space under the ligaments.A disc herniation is formed.The process affects the tissues near the disc, the functioning of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and ligaments is disturbed.The disease becomes chronic.
Changing the shape of the bone structure
The vertebra hardens, its surface becomes ribbed and uneven.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, which causes the mobility of the entire spine or a specific spine to be limited.The nerves that extend from the spinal cord are compressed.This causes the impulses from the brain to the tissues and organs of the body to deteriorate.
The mobility of the spine as a whole is preserved, but the individual vertebrae become fragile and break easily.If the disease is not treated, it moves to the fourth stage.
Regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue and replacement with scar tissue
A damaged intervertebral disc cannot perform its functions well, which causes the convergence of the adjacent vertebral bodies.This causes disorders in the intervertebral joints called spondyloarthrosis.In this case, the spine may twist or move relative to its neighbor.
The body activates compensation mechanisms.To relieve the load on the damaged disc, the vertebra flattens and increases in width.So its area increases.And the annulus fibrosus tissue that has collapsed can be replaced by bone.
Sometimes this reduces the pain, but as the spine grows, the spinal openings become even narrower - the nerve is compressed.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are often caused by the following factors:
- age of the patient;
- spine injury;
- 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 sensitive to the effects of nitroglycerin;
- Pulmonary syndrome: edema and hypoxia occur in the lungs;
- Paresthesia - sensation of "goosebumps" throughout the body;
- pain in the area of the compressed nerve;
- Decreased sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- Disturbance of the motor function of the spine.
The patient's body temperature does not rise.This is a sign that allows a person to distinguish pathology.
degree of disease
Lumbago
It is a sharp pain that goes through the body.It happens when lifting heavy objects and during other physical activity - the pain is similar to an electric shock.
From a morphological point of view, sudden rupture of the intervertebral disc capsule occurs when the load is too high.Such a traumatic injury causes nerve irritation - pain appears.
The muscles are tense and it is clearly expressed.Lumbar lordosis is smoothed.In this way, the load is redistributed and the intervertebral disc is further compressed, causing swelling, which increases the pain.
When the pathology is concentrated in the neck area, cervicalgia appears - it manifests as pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During an exacerbation, cervicocranialgia is often observed, which is manifested by 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
Appears as a result of narrowing of the spinal canal cavity.The intervertebral disc swells and compresses the blood vessels.The brain cannot receive the necessary volume of blood.You may have a severe headache, numbness in your arms, and pain in your shoulders.
Breathing becomes difficult, due to which there is insufficient oxygen in the brain.This causes pain in the heart.
Intervertebral hernia
At this stage of development, the picture looks quite serious - the spinal canal and intervertebral cavities are strongly narrowed.As a result, a hernia can form - a dangerous defect.It is often necessary to use surgical intervention at this stage of the disease.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the third degree depends on compression of the root.It is possible to use the same technique as for the second degree.However, when the pain does not go away within fifteen days and symptoms of prolapse (vertebral prolapse) appear, surgery is required.
formations on the vertebrae
As a rule, at this stage of the disease, the symptoms of the hernia disappear, the symptoms of the disease are less pronounced, although it is noticeable that the spine is unstable, the vertebrae can slide or turn in relation to each other.
At this time, growth of vertebral bodies may occur - this is called osteophytes.The formations cause compression of the spinal nerves, blocking the spinal canal, which is called secondary spinal stenosis.As a result, the spinal cord can be compressed, causing ischemia.
This degree of disease also includes the results of previous hernia removal operations.They can manifest themselves in the form of reduced innervation, paresis and inflammation.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the area of damage to the spine.The most common spine syndromes are dorsago and dorsalgia.
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, long monotonous operation is possible.
Dorsago is also called "chest lumbago".When this happens, the back and chest muscles become so tense that it becomes difficult to breathe.
Sometimes the pain travels along the ribs to the chest and radiates to the scapula area.Sometimes the patient may feel that this is a myocardial infarction.However, no deviations from the norm were detected during electrocardiography.If you take nitroglycerin or other heart drugs, it will not work.
Avoid staying in one position for too long.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Dorsalgia is a mild pain that lasts for a long time, sometimes up to a week.The inflamed area of the spine gives "soft" pain.It is uncomfortable, so the person usually goes to the doctor.
Dorsalgia can be manifested as follows:
- The pain intensifies when a person breathes deeply or coughs;
- the muscles are overstretched;
- decreased motor activity in the neck or lower back;
- muscle spasm occurs;
- The pain worsens at night and when a person exercises.
Dorsalgia can be upper or lower.With the first, the main painful manifestations are concentrated in the upper chest area, on the neck.In the second case, the pain is mainly in the pelvis and lower back.
The symptoms of dorsalgia are very similar to the first manifestations of pneumonia.This is important to remember in order to detect the disease in time.If the diagnosis is made incorrectly and the treatment is prescribed, the patient's condition will only worsen.
When a woman breastfeeds her baby, she may experience such manifestations of osteochondrosis.In this situation, it is necessary to treat the disease only by consulting a doctor, taking into account all the nuances.
It is important to weigh all the risks of using certain medicines in order not to harm the child's health and yourself.
atypical symptoms
In some cases, the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are completely atypical.A person may not even know about the disease, because the symptoms are often similar to those of other pathologies.They are worth considering in more detail and analyzing the situation as a whole:
- There may be pain that mimics heart pain that develops during angina and heart attack;Coronary dilators, for example, nitroglycerin, have no effect;And the ECG does not show any abnormalities;
- The pain may be similar to that experienced by women with the development of breast diseases;Such pain can last for a long time;Examination does not reveal any problems in the mammary glands;
- The armpit region and abdomen may be painful, the symptoms are not similar to those of gastritis and colitis;pain can be observed under the right rib, similar to what characterizes hepatitis or cholecystitis;Digestion is usually disturbed - this is also a characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis, which occurs due to a violation of innervation of internal organs;It is necessary to find out what caused the disturbance of the digestive process, whether the cause is really thoracic osteochondrosis;
- The process of urination and sexual function may be disturbed, because the innervation in the genital system is distorted;
- In case of exacerbation of thoracic osteochondrosis, long-lasting, weeks-long pain in the chest can be noted, which is very similar to diseases of the mammary gland;A visit to a mammologist allows you to determine the cause of the pain.
These symptoms are associated with manifestations of back pain, as well as intercostal neuralgia.The appearance of atypical symptoms is usually observed in the evening.In the morning, as a rule, it is not white.The pain increases throughout the day if appropriate conditions are created that cause pain.