In the modern world, not only humanity is developing.Unfortunately, diseases that affect people are also in constant motion and development.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, usually in the elderly.Now the age category of patients has grown significantly and includes women, men, and children of various ages.
The common manifestation of this disease is based on the fact that the thoracic part of the spine is inactive, which does not include various injuries and damage.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone tissue and cartilage of the spinal column undergo serious changes that lead to a violation of their integrity.
If you do not contact a specialist in time, irreversible changes occur, which can only be stopped by surgical intervention.
In the chain of development of this disease, the spinal skeletal system comes first, followed by the formation of cartilage, ligaments, and muscles of the spinal column.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed in adolescence, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
There are 4 degrees of development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine according to symptoms and treatment, on which the patient's well-being depends:
- I degree.Symptoms are mild or absent.Protrusion occurs.
- Degree ii.Intervertebral discs lose elasticity and height.There is a loss of stability in the spine.The first pain appeared.
- Degree III.At this stage, the hernia is detected with severe pain.
- Degree iv.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete lack of intervertebral discs of their basic function.
Symptoms and signs
The signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on the gender, the stage of the disease, and the patient's mobility.Most symptoms appear with a certain level of stress and fatigue, as well as with a prolonged stay in the same position.
How does thoracic osteochondrosis manifest:
- Chest pain, which is particularly severe during prolonged periods of inactivity.
- There is a feeling of pressure in the middle of the back.Inhalation and deep breathing are also difficult.
- Pain that is provoked when any movement related to the spine is included in physical activity.Hand movements, bending, shifting.
- Long-term back pain.
- Neurological disorders of certain parts of the body, indicated by numbness.
- Increased sensitivity of some areas of the skin (called goosebumps).
- Unpleasant sensation in the lower part of the leg.
- Due to vascular damage in thoracic osteochondrosis, local symptoms appear on the skin in the form of peeling.Changes also affect nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms may vary by gender.Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are quite different from men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the affected disc area.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs that arise along the innervation of pinched nerves.
- Symptoms of compression.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men appear earlier than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most of the differences appear only in the severity of symptoms, because men lead a more active lifestyle.
Also, thoracic osteochondrosis in women is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms and sensations may be similar to those during the development of heart disease, therefore, when making a diagnosis, a study of heart function is also carried out.
Treatment
The chronic course of this disease differs in that the severity can develop at any time, the symptoms are very noticeable.The patient experienced severe pain in the back and difficulty breathing.
Before treating thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to understand the severity and extent of this disease.Usually, the cause of such a situation is a specific factor:
- Stressful situations.
- Hard work.
- Prolonged exposure to low temperature environments.
- Weight lifting or active sports.
Treatment is based primarily on an etiological approach.That is, the factors that cause the acute stage are excluded.In severe cases of the disease, a limited daily regimen is recommended.Here are some principles of the approach:
- Low mobility mode.
- A diet containing a large amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber is prescribed.
- Drug treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Local therapy, including massage (as indicated), the use of external forms of drugs with anti-inflammatory effects.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows it.
- Physiotherapy.
Medicines
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of treatment of pinched nerve fibers.The first step is to relieve the symptoms that are causing significant suffering to the patient.
The drug of choice is prescribed individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and primary.The effect appears from the first day of therapy.
How to Treat Thoracic Osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.Medicines are taken orally or administered parenterally.They have some positive qualities.First of all, they improve the patient's quality of life, restoring his ability to move normally.
Unfortunately, this group of drugs also has some negative indications.Contraindications include gastrointestinal disease.Absolute prohibition is imposed in the presence of ulcerative or acute gastritis.If kidney and liver function is affected, the drug requires dose adjustment.
NSAIDs are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that can significantly reduce the patient's condition.When the inflammatory process occurs at the level of the vertebrae, strong muscle spasms of the fibers around the inflamed area occur.Prolonged spasms also cause severe pain in the segmental area.Muscle relaxants relieve this spasm, thereby relieving pain.
Taking these drugs is not recommended if the patient drives a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complex.Used to relieve inflammation in nerve fibers and stabilize nerve membranes.More often than others, B vitamins and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combination of chondroitin with glucosamine in various doses.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in the joint tissue and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect with glucose.The course of treatment with chondroprotectors is long-term and repeated at intervals.
Side effects are mainly observed in the gastrointestinal tract.This is bloating and belching.
To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, special drugs are used in the form of injections.Administrative principles vary.The main method is the introduction of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in the form of creams and ointments.
For thoracic osteochondrosis, drug treatment is based on the principles of relieving the inflammatory process and releasing pinched nerves.
It is important to note that even a long course of anti-inflammatory treatment in the absence of other corrective courses will not be able to relieve the patient from suffering for a long time.
If the attending physician recommends massage procedures, then they must be carried out.
Massage
Before treating osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is carried out and the first stage of treatment is prescribed, including taking anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.
These measures are aimed at relieving spasms and inflammation in the affected segment area.Only after achieving certain results in the first stage, one can talk about the benefits of massage.
How to cure osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with massage?
Massage procedures can also relieve muscle spasticity and increase blood supply to the damaged area.
- Acupressure.A procedure in which the specialist's hands act on certain points, increasing their blood supply, thereby relieving the inflammatory process.It is important to know that pain is not allowed during acupressure.Acute pain syndrome is an absolute contraindication for such massage.
- Massage the affected segment.Gives an excellent effect by increasing the blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissue begins to actively renew itself, which has a positive effect on therapy.
- Classic massage.Osteochondrosis in the thoracic region due to acute phase symptoms cannot be treated with classical massage.Any vibration or displacement can cause severe pain.Only after the complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and inflammatory processes can the classical massage be performed.
- Massage plastic.Shown for all stages of the disease, gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to move on to the next type of massage.
Since getting rid of thoracic osteochondrosis is a complex task, the combination of massage with conservative treatment is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
Physical Training
Thoracic osteochondrosis with signs of stage I - II of the disease is treated with physical therapy, which has a beneficial effect on the muscle layer in the area of the affected segment, strengthens the ligaments, and eliminates further development.
If the level of the disease is characterized by severe pain, then the first conservative treatment, massage is performed, and only after that - exercise therapy.
What is exercise therapy?This is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improve blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are several exercises that have worked:
- Raise your arms as you exhale, bending back with a deep breath.This is followed by a slow bow with the back arched upwards.
- From a sitting position, using the back of the chair as support, bend backwards with your hands behind your head.
- Standing on 4 limbs, bending and arching the back, set the highest and lowest position.
- Position - Emphasis on lying on your stomach.Diligent bending at the top is done with an effort to lift the body off the floor.
- Boat Training.
Its effectiveness depends on how the patient performs each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Before starting the class, do a warm-up to avoid injuries and injuries.
Attractiveness
What to do if the pathology is detected at an early stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.Through this procedure, muscle spasms are eliminated and displaced vertebrae are returned to their place.Deformation of the spinal column is overcome.
What types of attractions are there:
- Dry traction.This procedure is easier to do than others.If the disease is detected in the first stage, then the horizontal bar is perfect.If strong shifts and prolonged spasms are observed, then special beds and exercise equipment are used.This tool is exactly the load dose and duration.
- Wet traction.It is performed in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment, and also, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms during treatment with the classic regimen can return several times a year.For prevention, traction therapy and exercises are used, which eliminate the risk of protrusion and strong displacement.
Reviews of physiotherapy procedures in the remission stage and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendation and implementation of this procedure is completely justified!
Surgery
What to do if the chosen method does not produce results?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine proceeds symptomatically after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.This also happens because visiting the doctor is late.
Unfortunately, if the integrity of the intervertebral disc is compromised and a hernia is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to avoid life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, a special elastic product is prescribed and the patient's mobility is limited until recovery is complete.
Conclusion
Therapy for osteochondrosis in all its stages and with any approach depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself, how many tissues are affected, and most importantly, what is the prognosis for a particular procedure.Based on this diagnostic aspect, therapeutic measures are initiated.